World Humanitarian Day Spotlight

On World Humanitarian Day we celebrate the journey of Ralph Watts, Adventist Development and Relief Agency’s (ADRA’s) first president and a lifelong advocate for humanitarian service. At 92 Watts continues to travel, speak, and inspire others about the importance of compassion, justice, and love in action—showing that a lifetime dedicated to helping others never truly ends.

Watts’s journey into humanitarian work began early in life, rooted in his experiences as a missionary child in Korea. Born during a tumultuous time under Japanese occupation, he remembers the deep poverty around him. “I realized that I was fortunate,” he recalls. “I lived as an American, not as a Korean, although I loved my Korean friends. That was my first awareness of the disparity in the world.”

In 1963 Watts and his wife, Patricia, returned to Korea as missionaries, where he was tasked with leading the relief efforts for what was then the Seventh-day Adventist Welfare Society (SAWS), the precursor to ADRA. The country, still struggling with the aftermath of the Korean War, was in desperate need of humanitarian aid. “I was immersed in poverty, working to alleviate the suffering of those affected by war and hardship,” Watts shares. “But it was also where my passion for humanitarian work was truly born.”

Watts’s journey continued through various leadership roles, including serving as president of the Southeast Asia Union. This responsibility spanned nine countries, including Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos—regions he became deeply connected to, even witnessing the collapse of Cambodia and Laos to Communism in 1975. It was a loss that stays with him even now.

Yet it was in the mid-1980s that Watts’s path converged with ADRA’s vision. At the urging of Neal Wilson, who was serving as General Conference president at the time, Watts became involved in ADRA, an organization still in its infancy. “I had no idea what I was stepping into,” he admits. “But my wife and I prayed for guidance, and we felt that God was calling me to lead this new endeavor.” It was a leap of faith, and the challenges were daunting. The organization was mired in debt, with financial stability uncertain. But Watts’s faith and commitment to ADRA’s mission were unwavering.

“I knew this was God’s work,” he says. “I had to believe that ADRA was raised up for a purpose.” Through a combination of prayer, determination, and strategic leadership, Watts navigated ADRA through its early financial struggles, securing crucial funding and building a strong donor base.

One of Watts’s proudest moments was the establishment of an ADRA master’s degree program in collaboration with Andrews University that provided ADRA staff an opportunity to earn advanced degrees while continuing their vital work in the field. “It was about investing in the people who make this ministry possible,” he reflects.

In the field Watts’s heart for the vulnerable is evident. He often highlights the plight of women in the developing world. “The women who carry water miles each day, who care for their families in ways we cannot imagine, are heroes,” he says. His passion for improving the lives of women has continued into his retirement and led to fundraising efforts that built more than 80 health centers in Southeast Asia and beyond, offering birthing centers and health care to women in desperate need.

Watts’s leadership has extended beyond his role as president. One of his most cherished initiatives was the creation of ADRA’s Senior Ambassadors program. This group of retired Adventist Church leaders, including former union presidents and conference officers, have become powerful advocates for ADRA. “I love these men. They are such a valuable voice for ADRA,” Watts shares. “These ambassadors—many of whom have spent their lives serving the church—go out and tell the ADRA story wherever they can, from town halls to personal meetings. Their support has been instrumental in ADRA’s growth.”

Under Watts’s leadership, the Senior Ambassadors program expanded, providing ADRA with seasoned advocates who could connect with church members and donors across North America. “Their passion for ADRA, their belief in the work we do, and their commitment to spreading the message of justice, compassion, and love has been an enormous blessing to this organization,” Watts reflects.

As Watts looks back on his extensive career, his message to those considering a life of service is clear: “If you have the opportunity to work with ADRA, don’t hesitate. It will be one of the most fulfilling experiences of your life. You will look back and know that you made a difference.”

Watts’s legacy is not just in the institutions he built or the projects he initiated, but in the lives he touched through his unwavering commitment to justice, compassion, and love. These values—core to ADRA’s mission—continue to guide the organization today.

Reflecting on his life and work, Watts is reminded of the words of Jesus: “As you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto Me.” For Watts this is what a life well-lived looks like—serving others with love, justice, and compassion, driven by faith in God’s guidance.

As he continues to serve in his retirement years, Ralph Watts remains committed to supporting ADRA’s mission, praying for its future, and ensuring that the organization’s work will continue to touch lives until the very end of time.

The original version of this story was posted on the Adventist Development and Relief Agency’s (ADRA) site.