Pakistan 15 – A Visit to Jati
Pakistan 8 – A Look Back – Meet Mushtaq
Pakistan 9 – The Franciscans – Meet Our Local Collaborators
Pakistan 10 – Sindh – One Place Where CTF-SOS DRS is Working
Pakistan 11 – Working with the Franciscans in Hyderabad
Pakistan 12 – The Pastoral Formation with the OFMs begins
Pakistan 13 – Mushtaq sends an Update
Pakistan 14 – Episcopal Conference Approves Project
Dear Confreres,
A Visit to Jati, Sajawal
After several consultations, meetings and coordinations, finally on 29 Nov. 2010, Fr. Sabir Sadiq (local of Jati), Fr. David Mughal, OFM, Imran, Aqeel Emmanuel (OFM youth members and volunteers) and I started our journey at 6:30 AM. It was a long journey of around about 5 hours to reach there;
There we saw tents pitched here and there especially on the bank of River Indus.
Rehabilitation work continues. Water is still there in many places.
In Jati, we visited several communities (gott-villages). They are all Christians. We saw houses were broken; some totally destroyed; and others damaged. These people own their lands. Their crops were totally washed away. Nothing is seen; some fields you can see only some grass; others still submerged under water.
We had meeting with the people. We shared our purpose and listened to their stories and concerns. They lost everything. The little they salvaged and put on the roof tops, neighbouring people came and stole away. Nothing can be done. We inquired about their emergency and urgent needs. All of them echoed: SHELTER. They were all happy that we went there.
So, we went ahead with our plan of doing measurements of their houses – one for each family. We were able to measure 17 houses. It was getting dark and we had to stop our work. The rest we asked the local leaders to continue the following day. All in all, there are 26 houses in Jati that we will support in providing shelter.
It is heartbreaking to see the whole family posing for a picture in their fields which they expected to earn much from. But now this nothing. It will take almost six more months that they can get the produce of their own land. They are helpless but not hopeless. They pick up the pieces and start rebuilding their lives.
In the families that we visited, they offered us tea, and cookies. They were very welcoming. They thank us Camillians and CTF in particular for remembering them in this difficult situation.
For the distribution, we cannot do in 1 day. We might take two or three days for the distribution because of the nature of their localities and long distances. These houses are scattered. They are located far from the main road and from each other. But with your prayers and grace of God, we will continue serving His people. We came back at around 11pm.
Let us continue praying for each other. God bless.
Bro. Mushtaq Anjum, MI
Ministers of the Infirm (CAMILLIANS)
Philippine Province
www.camilliansphil.org
Ministers of the Infirm (CAMILLIANS)
Philippine Province
www.camilliansphil.org
20 million people were displaced by the floods in Pakistan. CTF-SOS DRS is providing many of them with medical care, shelter, pastoral care and humanitarian support. Please help us help those affected by the floods in Pakistan
