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PAKISTAN: Bishop thanks supporters for help for flood victims
By John Newton
Refugees in Quetta, Pakistan, who lost their homes in the 2010 floods
A Bishop in one of the areas of Pakistan worst affected by last year’s floods has expressed his gratitude to Aid to the Church in Need’s supporters for their vital help in the aftermath of the disaster.
Bishop Max Rodrigues of Hyderabad, Sindh Province, thanked the charity for its vital support for Church-run programmes helping flood victims, after prolonged rainfall in July and August last year left about 4 million people homeless. The floods claimed more than 2,000 lives.
Bishop Rodrigues said: "On behalf of all those affected, I sincerely thank all the generous donors who contributed through Aid to the Church in Need.
"You enabled us to bring much appreciated relief to the lives of some of the millions affected by the catastrophic floods and we promise to pray for all our erstwhile donors."
The charity's aid for flood victims, which totalled nearly £100,000, provided food including rice, sugar and cooking oil.
It also provided medical and hygiene equipment including water purification tablets, mosquito nets and soap as well as blankets and tents.
Emergency help from Aid to the Church in Need enabled Hyderabad diocese to provide more than 2,000 families who lost everything with the basic essentials.
Many young people, including students from Saint Mary's School in Sukkur, Sindh province, volunteered to help distribute food and other aid as part of the Church's outreach.
Bishop Rodrigues said: "I am also grateful to my diocesan Caritas team in Hyderabad, who worked round the clock preparing and organising distribution of the aid goods."
Aid to the Church in Need also supported the work of religious orders helping those afflicted by the floods.
These included the Salesian brothers – who helped 800 displaced families including those in Quetta, west Baluchistan province – and the Missionaries of St Thomas the Apostle, who helped 1,500 Christians in Nowshera in Punjab province.
Bishop Rodrigues went on to ask for continued prayers, saying: "We entrust ourselves to your prayers and also pray for each one of you."