austraLasia 1312
Pakistan: Don Bosco Team asked to consider second tent refugee camp in mountain zone
LAHORE: 31st Ocotber 2005 -- The Don Bosco relief team from Lahore has returned briefly from Balakot where they were asked to set up a relief camp. Now, in coordination with other NGO's, they have been asked to set up a refugee camp in the mountains beyond Balakot. Below is a full description of events at the first camp, some 60 kms from Balakot. Fr Miguel writes:
"Dear friends: Greetings from battered Pakistan. We are still recovering and all help is needed over here. I've just returned from 2 weeks in the NWFP (North West Frontier Province). Our response to the disaster was immediate. We called a general assembly with the students and out of 130 students we got the lot plus the instructors: 138 all up! That very afternoon I was leaving with one assistant and 2 instructors to the city of Abbotabad to evaluate our possible help.
The presence of Fr. Peter here to approve our plans that day was providential and we started moving within 24 hours: a Relief camp for the victims was asked of us, just 60 km away from the city of Balakot, that has been practically wiped off the map: in this city alone it is estimated that about 60,000 may have been killed. We had the chance to visit this place and I can assure you that I have never seen anything like it.
The 60 boys selected started working on the very day of arrival, after 11 hours trip by bus. 150 tents were pitched, a gas kitchen was set up, sanitary latrines according to the plan we designed (about 100 of them). Storage and management of the camp was discussed daily in our Logistics meeting and the Italian nurse with us (niece of Fr. Peter) with another 2 Spanish Volunteers started working in the Medical area. After 5 days the Hospital where our camp is located started to send local doctors since the number of patients increased to 25-30 per day.
Now let me explain the reason for this camp: Ayub Teaching Hospital is the biggest medical facility in Abbotabad, with a Medical College and 300 staff doctors on duty. The Private Sector of the city came to a stop and concentrated their doctors also in this Hospital and the Combines Military Hospital as well. But nothing was enough: over 2,000 emergency cases in the first 3 days was too much and so the idea was born to set up a camp in the huge fields of Ayub Hospital that could accommodate stable patients who needed only basic nursing. This has been our mission for the last 2 weeks. As an anecdote I can mentioned that when I arrived in Abbotabad I realized that with the worries about all the people I had forgot to get even some pocket money so I had to borrow some cash for food for the boys and the first items we had to purchase like gas pipes, steel for the latrines, welding rods or electrical wires. Thanks to the generosity of our benefactors the money I borrowed has been returned and we even left equipment there for the service of the camp people.
Of course, we are still committed and we are sending supplies of food to the camp that has grown to almost 500 people. Recently there has been a meeting of Caritas International with other NGOs and they have decided to work out a long term action plan to set up a village of prefabricated fibreglass shelters. We have already volunteered to bring manpower and resources to that Project as soon as it starts and the Bishops Conference is really thankful since we were the very first ones to move here.
apart from this, today I will receive confirmation of some help needed in the UN Refugees camp at Balakot, the second city most destroyed by the quake. I was called yesterday and have committed to bring up to 100 young men with me functioning indepedently with transportation, food and other expenses. I have now a good set of pictures about our mission there last 2 weeks and I can send you some if you need. Just let me know. Well, a lot of work ahead... please, continue to keep us in your
prayers. We have seen a lot of generosity springing spontaneously around us these days. Let us keep active the chain of love in the middle of so much destruction.
God bless always.
Fr Miguel".
dbtc@brain.net.pk
________________________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml. If you subscribe, email this information and your name will come off the regular email list. RSS eliminates problems such as multiple mailings, viruses, email bloat. Think about it!
Pakistan: Don Bosco Team asked to consider second tent refugee camp in mountain zone
LAHORE: 31st Ocotber 2005 -- The Don Bosco relief team from Lahore has returned briefly from Balakot where they were asked to set up a relief camp. Now, in coordination with other NGO's, they have been asked to set up a refugee camp in the mountains beyond Balakot. Below is a full description of events at the first camp, some 60 kms from Balakot. Fr Miguel writes:
"Dear friends: Greetings from battered Pakistan. We are still recovering and all help is needed over here. I've just returned from 2 weeks in the NWFP (North West Frontier Province). Our response to the disaster was immediate. We called a general assembly with the students and out of 130 students we got the lot plus the instructors: 138 all up! That very afternoon I was leaving with one assistant and 2 instructors to the city of Abbotabad to evaluate our possible help.
The presence of Fr. Peter here to approve our plans that day was providential and we started moving within 24 hours: a Relief camp for the victims was asked of us, just 60 km away from the city of Balakot, that has been practically wiped off the map: in this city alone it is estimated that about 60,000 may have been killed. We had the chance to visit this place and I can assure you that I have never seen anything like it.
The 60 boys selected started working on the very day of arrival, after 11 hours trip by bus. 150 tents were pitched, a gas kitchen was set up, sanitary latrines according to the plan we designed (about 100 of them). Storage and management of the camp was discussed daily in our Logistics meeting and the Italian nurse with us (niece of Fr. Peter) with another 2 Spanish Volunteers started working in the Medical area. After 5 days the Hospital where our camp is located started to send local doctors since the number of patients increased to 25-30 per day.
Now let me explain the reason for this camp: Ayub Teaching Hospital is the biggest medical facility in Abbotabad, with a Medical College and 300 staff doctors on duty. The Private Sector of the city came to a stop and concentrated their doctors also in this Hospital and the Combines Military Hospital as well. But nothing was enough: over 2,000 emergency cases in the first 3 days was too much and so the idea was born to set up a camp in the huge fields of Ayub Hospital that could accommodate stable patients who needed only basic nursing. This has been our mission for the last 2 weeks. As an anecdote I can mentioned that when I arrived in Abbotabad I realized that with the worries about all the people I had forgot to get even some pocket money so I had to borrow some cash for food for the boys and the first items we had to purchase like gas pipes, steel for the latrines, welding rods or electrical wires. Thanks to the generosity of our benefactors the money I borrowed has been returned and we even left equipment there for the service of the camp people.
Of course, we are still committed and we are sending supplies of food to the camp that has grown to almost 500 people. Recently there has been a meeting of Caritas International with other NGOs and they have decided to work out a long term action plan to set up a village of prefabricated fibreglass shelters. We have already volunteered to bring manpower and resources to that Project as soon as it starts and the Bishops Conference is really thankful since we were the very first ones to move here.
apart from this, today I will receive confirmation of some help needed in the UN Refugees camp at Balakot, the second city most destroyed by the quake. I was called yesterday and have committed to bring up to 100 young men with me functioning indepedently with transportation, food and other expenses. I have now a good set of pictures about our mission there last 2 weeks and I can send you some if you need. Just let me know. Well, a lot of work ahead... please, continue to keep us in your
prayers. We have seen a lot of generosity springing spontaneously around us these days. Let us keep active the chain of love in the middle of so much destruction.
God bless always.
Fr Miguel".
dbtc@brain.net.pk
________________________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml. If you subscribe, email this information and your name will come off the regular email list. RSS eliminates problems such as multiple mailings, viruses, email bloat. Think about it!
