Blessed Relief for Quake Survivors

Report Compiled by Pakistan Relief Team (Originally in Chinese)

On October 29, 2008, Balochistan Province of Pakistan was struck by a strong earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale. Several hundred lives were lost and tens of thousands of people were injured or rendered homeless. The Ziarat District was the most severely hit, with about 80% of the houses destroyed, forcing the survivors to take shelter in tents. With local temperatures expected to fall to minus 20 degrees Celsius in the winter, thick tents were needed to survive the cold winter.

On November 11, a relief team comprised of fellow initiates from Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand reached Quetta, the capital of Balochistan. With the US$15,000 relief fund contributed by Supreme Master Ching Hai, we purchased 20 metric tons of relief materials, which included rice, cooking oil, sugar, lentils, tea leaves, matches, flour, blankets and medical supplies. We then went to Kawas, one of the most heavily affected areas, to distribute the provisions to the people. The surplus supplies were delivered to Mr. Yaqoob, a local leader, for further distribution to people in need.

Among the relief team members were three doctors from Indonesia, who set up a mobile clinic to render treatment and distribute medicine to villagers near Kawas. At the end of the relief operation, they contributed the surplus medical supply to the army medical camp in the village of Wam.

During this relief work, we were deeply impressed by the generosity and friendliness of the local people. When we distributed the relief materials to them, they insisted on giving us a big bag of apples, which were of great value to them. We pray that, with God’s blessing, these beautiful and benevolent people will soon resume their normal lives.

Description	Amount	Receipt
Food (rice, cooking oil, sugar, lentils, tea leaves, flour)	594,500	P1
Blankets	450,000	P2
Medical supplies	143,608	P3
Total	Rs. 1,188,108 (US$15,000)

* Throughout the relief operation, fellow initiates paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation expenses.

To view the Humanitarian Relief Activities by the Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association, please visit: http://www.GodsDirectContact.org.tw/humanitarian
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