[ecm] FW: A Report from South Asia

Mon Nov 7 12:40:51 EST 2005

Hi all,

            It's important to remember that we are part of a world-wide
communion and the global Body of Christ.  This report from South Asia may
serve to remind us all that we're not alone in our faith, and that there are
needs and joys in other parts of the vineyard.

            I hope to see you soon!

In Christ,

            Rob+

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Rev. Robert Lundquist, Priest-in-Charge

St Paul's Episcopal Church

1208 W Elizabeth St, Fort Collins, CO  80521

   970-482-2668                  FAX 970-482-8318

www.stpauls-fc.org

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  _____  

From: Luke Fodor [mailto:lfodor at episcopalchurch.org] 
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2005 10:28 AM
To: rector at stpauls-fc.org
Subject: A Report from South Asian 

Hello Friends, 

Copied below is a report Douglas Fenton wanted me to share which was
compiled by the diocesan youth & young adult officer for the diocese of
Peshawar, Mr Insar Gohar who himself is a young adult.  Also, by way of
reminder, "youth" in much of the world is a term interchangeable for "young
adult" in the US context.

  _____  

SOUTH ASIAN CHRISTIAN YOUTH NETWORK

South Asian News

Newsletter October 2005

"But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my
salvation; my God will hear me" (Micah 7:7)

Earthquake in South Asia:

On 8th October 2005, the Earthquake shocks were felt in the South Asian
region. And a huge area of northern parts of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan
was deeply affected by this terrible earthquake, whose magnitude was about
7.6 at the rictor scale. The place where earthquake came was near
Muzafarabad (Azad Kashmir) and Balakot (a town in NWFP). The most affected
areas are Indian and Pakistani Kashmir, Northern districts of the NWFP
(North West Frontier Province of Pakistan), some northern areas in
Afghanistan. About 50,000 thousand people have been died and millions of
people have deeply affected (such as they are injured, sick, homeless,
jobless etc). 

After the Tsunami in South Asia, this is the second great tragedy and a
great disaster in the region. Tsunami affected the Southeast part of South
Asia, while this terrible Earthquake affected the Northwest part of the
South Asia.

As we all know the South Asia is the region, where mostly people are very
poor, it is a highly populated area and mostly people are living in joint
families in very small houses. The income of these people is very small. The
economical position of the countries in South Asia is also very low. When
any calamity or any natural disaster hit this region, the people of the
region suffered a lot. As here after the earthquake many people are
suffering a lot, they lost their lives, possessions etc. Those places are
very far away in the Northern mountainous range of Pakistan and India. And
in the winter season, the roads and other means of communications usually
become closed in those areas, due to heavy snowfall. The people of these
areas need your prayer-support.         

Quake Update from Kashmir:

We are just back from Uri (Kashmir) after distribution, we have distributed
1000 blankets, 300 turpuline (Plastic sheets) & 100 tents. Everything was
fine. We also distributed around 100 blankets in another village. It has 17
families, Four are Hindu and 13 are Muslim families, they have good
relations, whatever Muslims get they share with Hindus. They are living
beside the road in small snow tents, provided by the Army.

Winter is set in, this is a snow area and people are scared. They have no
much help from the Government. Most of the villages, which are away from
roads, are really suffering. NGOs and private agencies are not interested to
go on feet and talk the people. 

(Sushil Daniel, Communication Secretary, Diocese of Amritsar)

Are You Busy?: Satan called a worldwide convention of demons. In his opening
address he said; "we can't keep Christians from reading their Bibles and
knowing the truth, we can't even keep them from forming an intimate
relationship with their saviour. Once they gain that connection with Jesus,
our power over them is broken. So let them go their churches; let them have
their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to
develop a relationship with Jesus Christ."

Relief Work in Abbottabad & Gari Habibullah:

We went to Abbottabad and there we met about 50 Christian families, who were
affected from the recent Earthquake, they came from Muzafarabad (Kashmir) &
Balakot and are refugees in churches in Abbottabad, we distributed blankets,
food items & warm cloths. They are very poor Christians, and now they have
lost their houses and everything.

Our another youth relief team went to Gari Habibullah, a lot of houses have
destructed in this village, but miraculously the Christian Hospital in this
village is safe and providing medical aid to the affected people. A lot of
homeless people are rescued in this hospital. Our diocesan Mission Hospital
team is in Balakot and giving Medical aid to the people there. (Waqas Qayum,
Secretary Youth Council, Diocese of Peshawar)

On Earthquake:

This comes to you with our prayers of comfort and solidarity as we hear with
distress the news of the strong earthquake hitting our region. In CNI
Bhavan, we specially remember those who died in Pakistan and Srinagar
(Baramulla & Uri) and pray for those who are injured and in need of relief.
>From the newspaper reporting this morning the damage of human lives and
otherwise are huge and need support from all quarters at this critical hour,
our areas is passing through.

(Rev. Dr. Enos Das Pradhan, General Secretary, (CNI) Church of North India)

I am reminded of something that happened earlier this year "Tsunami" that
left numerous questions in our minds and now Earthquake 2005, within 5
seconds unimaginable devastation! 

Here in Pakistan most of the Northern Areas are still observing the series
of aftershocks, everyone is in fear. Citizens of affected areas are still
waiting for a ray of hope!

I believe this is the best time to pool our efforts together and demonstrate
our solidarity as one in Christ. It is a time to heal the hurt and encourage
the weak.

(Eric Attique, Coordinator, National Youth Forum-Church of Pakistan)

Our Prayer is: "The adequate aid will get those affected and that the people
of both Pakistan and India will take courage, help and strengthen each other
at this hour of need.

(Devashrie, our core member from Sri Lanka)

News from Pakistan:

The National Youth Forum (NYF)-Church of Pakistan (CoP) celebrated its first
anniversary in the Lahore Diocese on 28th of August 2005. The Rt. Rev.
Alexander Malik (Moderator, CoP), Rt. Rev. Sadiq Daniel (Deputy Moderator,
CoP), Rt. Rev. Rafique Masih (Bishop of Hyderabad) and the heads of
different Christian organizations participated in these celebrations. At
this occasion, the NYF also organized a plenary workshop to review on the
work done by NYF in one year and make plans for next years. A follow-up
session of the South Asian Conference was also conducted in the workshop.

We are organizing another Follow-up Meeting of South Asian Conference in
November, at the Hyderabad Diocese, partners from CMS will also participate
in the meeting.

(Eric Attique, Coordinator, NYF-CoP)

SOUTH ASIAN YOUTH CONFERENCE 2005

'Gospel and Globalization' South Asia Youth Conference followed the 'Called
for Peace' conference held in Sri Lanka in 2002. The objective of the
meetings was to form and strengthen South Asian youth to network together
and respond to timely issues serving their own nations and in return the
region taking Christ as their model. A common platform such as this allows
the South Asian Youth to share experiences, voice our opinions and address
topics that are relevant to the region and take action on them.

The conference effect summed up in a few lines would be that: 

Evil/ Injustice needs to be confronted

Globalization is inescapable, it is what we do about it that matter

Peace will dawn when truth and justice is pursued

We need to be instruments of change rather than objects of change

We need to live Christ

At the conclusion of the conference each country laid out it's
determinations. They are as follows:

To have an expanded strong network in Asia (for youth) 

Share our ideas with other regions 

Have an event where all youth can involve themselves in their respective
countries on a specific day (Example: Asia Youth Week etc)

Organize conferences once in three years for youth in South Asia.  

As part of the Church of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) Youth Movement we intend to
carry the message that we learnt in the conference to our deaneries and we
are very keen to train trainers who can take the same to each Youth
Fellowship throughout the Island. We also realized that youth who
participated at the local Leadership Conference were enthusiastic to learn
more on the topic of "Globalization". We hope to conduct small workshops on
this topic at deanery levels with the help of the youth who represented the
deaneries at the conference. We seek to create awareness among youth and
encourage ourselves to be constantly alert on timely topics such as these,
so that we could collectively respond to them as responsible Christian
youth. We intend to lay out an agenda for these programmes. Our heartfelt
thanks go out to CMS, CCYM and the Diocese of Colombo for sponsoring and
supporting our delegation. Last but not at all the least- we thank our
Almighty God for his goodness in calling us youth to live for him.

After the conference, our participants have organized programmes falling
under the theme of Globalization in various areas they represent.(By
Devashrie, our core member from Sri Lanka) 

>From Nepal:

As we mentioned in last newsletter regarding the illness of the wife of
Chandra Man Nepali, who is the Chairman of Youth Commission of NCFY, she was
suffering from Pneumonia. Thanks God she is better now and has been
discharged from the Hospital. God always listen our prayers. The Nepali
youth is organizing a Conference in Nov. 2005

>From Bangladesh:

I am now busy with our young man in planting trees as it is our rainy
season. Now one bad news, one young woman who attended our school of
theology committed suicide recently. We are also very much anxious with the
bombing in our country. Hope you have heard that recently there were about
500 bomb blasts at one single time all over the country. Please pray for our
people. 

(Martin Mondal, our core member from Bangladesh)

>From CNI:

This month CNI is going to have its 12th General Synod Meeting organized at
Ranchi from 16th to 21st October 2005, where key leaders from twenty six
dioceses of CNI will be participating. The theme of the Synod is "Towards a
Transformed an Transforming Community".

In view of that, one hundred of youths from all CNI will be gathering at the
same venue for a Pre-Synod Youth Meet under the theme "Do not conform to the
world but Transform it". The intention behind organizing the Pre-Synod Youth
Meet is to prepare the youth delegates for a perceptive and meaningful
participation in the whole process of deliberation and decision-making.
Please pray our these events.

(Kasta Dip, Youth Coordinator, Church of North India Synod)   

>From CSI:

I am busy with HMI (Henry Martin Institute) project proposal and budget
settlements for this academic year. And also I am the coordinator for
upcoming HMI platinum jubilee event as well as International Conference on
5-7 December, 2005.

(Shobha, our core member from Church of South India)

SOUTH ASIAN YOUTH CONFERENCE 2005

Some more comments on the SAYC:

The thing that I appreciated the most about the conference is that it gave
all the participants an opportunity to communicate with people who had been
absolute strangers to them in the past. It gave everyone an opportunity to
share his or her culture and values. Through this conference, many new
aspects of life have opened before the participants. Our thoughts have
broadened and we are able to realize the global problems in a more
considerate way. (Sumbal Naz, from the Church of Pakistan)

In SAYC, I thoroughly enjoyed each & every moment of it. It was really well
managed and the hospitality was great. The high point of the conference was
the number of participants from different countries. May be the next
conference could be Asian Youth Conference, how exciting that would be!

(Rohan Diarsa, from India)

I personally appreciate the hard work, pain, suffering and efforts that were
taken in order to join all the youths of South Asia.

The important thing which I learned from this conference is that about the
impact of globalisation and its effect and as a Christian what should be our
response. The South Asian youth movement can certainly develop in future
through proper communication channels such as emails, phone calls, sms and
through letters. 

(Timothy Kumar, from CSI India) 

INSAR GOHAR, South Asia Youth Coordinator.

Youth Coordination Office DoP, 1 Sir Syed Road, Peshawar Cantt.-25000,
Pakistan.

Emails: saycinsar at yahoo.com , youthdop at hotmail.com Ph: +92-91-5276519,
5279686.

Diocese of Peshawar             Church of Pakistan

Report on Earthquake Disasters

On 8th October 2005, the Earthquake shocks were felt in the South Asian
region. And a huge area of northern parts of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan
was deeply affected by this terrible earthquake, whose magnitude was about
7.6 at the rector scale. The place where earthquake came was near
Muzafarabad (Azad Kashmir) and Balakot (a town in NWFP). The most affected
areas are Indian and Pakistani Kashmir, Northern districts of the NWFP
(North West Frontier Province of Pakistan), some northern areas in
Afghanistan. About 50,000 people have been died and millions of people have
deeply affected (such as they are injured, sick, homeless, jobless etc). 

In Pakistan:

The mostly affected areas in Pakistan are the N.W.F.P and the Pakistani
controlled Kashmir. The places in the N.W.F.P, which mostly affected are the
Balakot, Gari Habibullah, Rawalakot, Kaghan Valley, Allai, Batgram,
Thandiani, Mansehra and Abbotabad. And in the Kashmir the affected places
are Muzafarabad, Bagh and many small villages. 

These are high mountainous, snowfall and remote areas, even in normal
conditions, these are non-approachable areas, especially in winter season.
They are called the "Paradise on Earth", but are only approachable and
seeable in three or four months of the summer season. Mostly temperature
goes down up to -10 to -19 in the winter season in these areas. The winter
season start in October and goes till March & April. Now the winter has been
started. Due to heavy snowfall the roads of this area usually become closed,
the people usually store their food for winter season, they are mostly poor
people.     

The people in this area are living far away on the mountains and not living
together, means they are scattered. But in big towns like Muzafarabad,
Balakot, Mansehra and Abbottabad people living together.

Population:

The population in the four affected districts of NWFP (i.e. Abbottabad,
Mansehra, Batgram & Shangla) and the Azad Kashmir is approximately 5 to 6
million. Education and Health facilities in these areas are also less,
that's mostly in the big towns. 

Christians:

There are some Christians also living in those areas, they are mostly living
in the towns like Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Muzafarabad and Balakot. 

The Christians living in the Balakot and Muzafarabad are mostly affected,
some Christian families form the Muzafarabad and Balakot have been migrated
to Abbottabad after the recent earthquake and they are refugees in the
churches and two other compounds in Abbottabad. They are approximately 25 to
30 families. Some houses of Christians in Abbottabad are also damaged, the
house of Mr. Iqbal, a Christian fellow living in Abbottabad is completely
damaged. 

The affected area of the NWFP comes under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of
Peshawar - Church of Pakistan.

Abbottabad is the main parish of the Peshawar Diocese in those areas, while
Harripur is our sub-parish and Manshera, Balakot and Muzafarabad are our
out-stations. 

Churches:

The churches of those areas have also been affected. Big cracks came in the
churches of Abbottabad, Thandiani, Mansehra and Dungagali. The vicarage of
the Abbottabad church is also damaged.

Relief Work:

Beside the huge relief and rescue operation of the Pakistani Army, Foreigner
rescue and relief teams, Government & welfare organizations and NGOs. The
Diocese of Peshawar and other Christian organizations are also busy in the
relief work. The Diocese of Peshawar sent its teams and establishing its
base camp in those areas. 

Youth Teams:

One of the youth teams visited two times to the affected areas once to Gari
Habibullah on 12 - 15 October and second time to the Balakot on 28 - 30
October 2005. They participated in the rescue and relief work in those
places, they have also taken some warm cloths, blankets, medicines, foods
items with them for those affected people, from the Christian community.
This team was led by Mr. Shahzad Bhatti from All Saint Church and Mr. Anjum
Javed from Cathedral youth groups. 

Another youth team went to Abbottabad on 16th of October, which took some
things for the Christian families, which are refugees in Abbottabad, such as
warm cloths, some food items and other needy items. Under the supervision of
Mr. Waqas Qayyum, the Secretary, our Diocesan Youth Council, this team
carried the greetings and prayers to the Christian affected families.     

Medical Team:

Medical team of the Mission Hospital of Peshawar Diocese went to Gari
Habibullah and Balakot on 14th of October. They established a Medical Camp
there and help the needy and injured people there. They are also carried
blankets, warm cloths, medicines, foods items and blood donations from the
youth of our diocese. This team was led by Dr. David of Mission Hospital
Peshawar.

Diocesan Officers:

Our Diocesan Officers also visited the affected areas. They also sorted out
to establish permanent base camps in those areas. Our planning is to forms
two base camp, one in Abbottabad and other in Balakot or Gari Habibullah.
Rt. Rev. Mano Rumalshah, the Bishop of Peshawar and his family also visited
the affected areas.

Prayer Support:

The Bishop of Peshawar arranged a special Worship Service in Peshawar
Cathedral on 12th of October to give the prayer-support to the affected
people and to show our sorrow and solidarity on this disaster.  In this
special service, not only Christians but also some Muslim friends
participated and prayed for the affected bothers and sisters.  

Calamities:

After the Tsunami in South Asia, this is the second great tragedy and a
great disaster in the region. Tsunami affected the Southeast part of South
Asia, while this terrible Earthquake affected the Northwest part of the
South Asia.

As we all know the South Asia is the region, where mostly people are very
poor, it is a highly populated area and mostly people are living in joint
families in very small houses. The income of these people is very small. The
economical position of the countries in South Asia is also very low. When
any calamity or any natural disaster hit this region, the people of the
region suffered a lot. As here after the earthquake many people are
suffering a lot, they lost their lives, possessions etc. Those places are
very far away in the Northern mountainous range of Pakistan and India. And
in the winter season, the roads and other means of communications usually
become closed in those areas, due to heavy snowfall. The people of these
areas need your prayer-support.         

Luke Fodor

Program Assistant

Young Adult & Higher Education Ministries

Episcopal Church Center, 5th Floor

815 Second Avenue

New York, NY  10017

1-800-334-7626  ext 6158

212-716-6158  (direct)

212-490-6684 (fax)

lfodor at episcopalchurch.org

www.episcopalchurch.org/myp

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