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."
___________________
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 - 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."
___________________
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!
