1339 Pakistan - further update and new developments on relief work
austraLasia 1339
Pakistan - further update and new developments on
relief work
LAHORE: 26th November 2005 -- With a word of
heartfelt gratitude for donors worldwide who are supporting Salesian
relief efforts in the mountainous earthquake zone in Pakistan's
Northwest frontier, Fr Miguel has returned briefly to Lahore and by the
time this letter is dispatched will have set off again with a 'relief'
team for the relief work, and new materials. We should give the
word to him directly, even though he writes in obvious haste:
"All the help received has been providential in
covering expenses from the first stage of the project: survival!
Amongst other items we have been able to lift up to the mountain site
chosen for our camp: 2,000 litres of cooking oil, 6,000 kg of flour,
2,000 litres of mineral water, the same of milk, thousands of soup
envelopes, many sacks of lentils, sugar etc. Aside from that we
have distributed crockery for the 40 households, 270 blankets, 35
tents, 90 ground sheets, 150 mattresses, 500 quilts....and now we are
developing what has been a personal request from Fr Chávez: a school
for about 200 kids. We purchased the items for the school as soon
as our group came back, and sent them yesterday in a new truck along
with the quilts. This has been a very personal contribution from
our charism and we are all very proud of our students, postulants,
staff. I leave again tomorrow with another ten boys to replace
those who have already been with Fr Julio for the past week. It
has been an intense week of work for all. We recorded several
days where we were all 23 hours on our feet! I admire the work of
Fr Julio so much. Changing the compress bandage on his body one
morning [recall the bus accident coming down from Quetta] I observed a
purple bruise, result of the impact. Since he has been
complaining of breathing difficulty, I think he has been working with
at least two cracked ribs, so he comes back here and straight to the
hospital tomorrow.
"I can inform you of a new development. We are
catering for the efforts of several Congregations in the new stage
which will be one of reconstruction. We will build 60 houses each
of 2 rooms and with kitchen and toilet, able to house 10 people per
house. We will use wood, steel and galvanised iron; the scale
model has been approved by the team. We lead this project by
building 20 houses - and the Jesuits, Columbans, the Sisters of Jesus
and Mary, along with the Nunciature will contribute a further 10
each. I feel really happy that our donors' assistance enables us
to provide the help that the Church wants to render to earthquake
victims. The Church trusts us here and it is a big responsibility
for us to keep helping up there and to be a channel for all possible
help."
___________________
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