Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Karachi (Agenzia Fides) – Catholic families are on a mission among flood victims: as the difficult phase of reconstruction and the return to normal life begins, "the Catholic community in Pakistan, in every diocese, celebrates World Mission Sunday with times of prayer and solidarity among the refugees,” Fides was told by Fr. Mario Rodrigues, Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Pakistan.
Tomorrow, October 24, World Mission Sunday will be held in Karachi at a study seminar attended by more than 2,000 priests, religious, and lay people who, in reflecting on the Pope's message, will study the role of the community and the role of the family in witnessing to the Gospel. "We are especially focusing on the theme of the family as a missionary community,” said Fr. Mario. “There will be several displaced families and a few missionary families who are working among the flood refugees participating." The missionary families bring concrete solidarity. but also psychological and spiritual help. All the churches in Pakistan will also be praying especially for refugees and the dioceses have set up several special initiatives of solidarity "to try to embody the spirit of the missionary community, which testifies to and proclaims the Gospel," adds the PMS Director.
Meanwhile, as the floods have ended, over 7 million homeless people are preparing to live a winter of hardship. This is why the refugees are working to rebuild their homes as soon as possible. According to official estimates, about 2 million homes were destroyed by the waters. The refugees, with their haste, are taking on debt: "They are disheartened by the aid promised by the government that never arrived," sources told Fides. In Noshera, for example, in the Diocese of Islamabad, houses and shops were completely destroyed. Simon Gill and his family have lost everything. To rebuild his home, Gill has borrowed 50,000 rupees from some friends, which is more than an ordinary citizen earns in a year. The sum, however, will only be enough to build the foundations of the house: "What we have not lost is the courage and the desire to start over," he tells Fides.
"The displaced people are doing their best with the energies and materials they can find. The government has promised 20,000 rupees to each family of refugees, but the distribution mechanism is slow and there is often corruption. The refugees complain. Moreover, it is a minimum contribution, insufficient for rebuilding a house," says Rizwan Paul, President of NGO" Life for All,” engaged in the assistance and reconstruction. With the allocation of the "Watan Card" (the card that entitles the contribution of 20,000 rupees, see Fides 12/10/2010), there have been riots and violence with clashes between the mass of displaced persons and the police. Recently, in the districts of Nawabshah and Sukkur, there was one person killed and twelve wounded among refugees in line, desperately hoping to receive the card.
The construction industry is prey to speculation: while prior to the floods a bag of cement cost 200 rupees, it now costs 370, while the price of steel has increased by at least one third. "To rebuild our house, we are going to have to spend 70% more than in the past," Fides was told by Javed Joseph from Noshera. Most of the displaced, given these difficulties, will have to spend the winter in tents. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 23/10/2010)
