CAFOD’s Pakistan Appeal

21 August 2010

CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) Manager in the Clifton Diocese Tony Vassallo writes with an appeal to all of us to help people in Pakistan.

In view of the worsening humanitarian situation in Pakistan, CAFOD has decided to launch an appeal to parishes. 

I have emailed the following to all parishes in our diocese.  Please do what you can to support this appeal if you have not done so already.
 
In what has been described as a “slow motion tsunami” by the United Nations, the people of Pakistan are facing a disaster like few the world has ever seen. The devastating floods that now stretch for more than 600 miles have killed at least 1,600 people and left up to 20 million in need of emergency help.

People have lost homes, crops and livestock, and are now at risk from deadly waterborne diseases such as cholera. Because the need is so urgent, we would like you to consider (if you have not done so already) holding a special collection in your parish on the weekend of 28 and 29 August for the CAFOD Pakistan Floods appeal.

Our partners have so far reached 23,000 people - but so many more need our help now and to recover in the long term. With your support, our partners can provide:
Emergency kits including plastic sheeting, blankets, water purification tablets and soap,
Temporary latrines to improve sanitation and prevent disease from spreading,
Life-saving medicines and emergency healthcare.

Colette Fearon, our Head of Asia programmes says: “We are very concerned by reports of cholera, because we know it can spread quickly in cramped conditions. Our partners have experience of providing relief to people in disasters, so we are confident that we can get help to those that need it most and help them recover in the coming months and years.”

We know that you will be planning second collections to support other causes in early autumn, as well as supporting us on Harvest Fast Day. But we hope that you will understand the people of Pakistan need our help urgently. Because it is vital for us to continue our long-term development work around the world, we are not asking you to divert your Harvest collection to Pakistan.

We greatly appreciate your continued support and ask you to keep those affected by this disaster in your prayers. Below is a bidding prayer for the people of Pakistan to use in your parish.

We pray for the people of Pakistan who have been bereaved or lost their homes and possessions in the recent floods: that they may know that they are not forgotten and may find hope of rebuilding their lives.
Lord, in your mercy…

Download this and an individual prayer for the people of Pakistan from the CAFOD website.

Following Bishop Declan’s call for us to pray for and support the people in Pakistan, the Catholic community in the Clifton Diocese has once again responded with tremendous generosity, donating, at the time this article was prepared, £40,000.  Thank you for your compassion, generosity and prayers.

You can support CAFOD’s Pakistan Appeal by donating on 0500 85 88 85, or on the CAFOD website, or by mail to CAFOD Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7JB.

Tony Vassallo

Tony will be on BBC radio tomorrow (22 August) with the latest news from Pakistan.