We read from the website focolare.org
Pakistan is experiencing a real humanitarian and health emergency today. The monsoon rains, also caused by climate change, which began to hit in mid-June 2022, have brought a third of the country to its knees. There are approximately 33 million displaced people, or 15% of the entire population, and there are more than 1,500 deaths and over 700,000 homes destroyed. The danger of diseases such as typhoid, cholera and dengue is growing day by day and the needs are becoming more and more urgent. The megalopolis of Karachi, one of the places where the Focolare Movement has been present for some time, has not been hit as hard as other centers, which are difficult to reach even under normal conditions, such as the provinces of Sindh, southern Punjab and Baluchistan; however, “the displaced people are arriving here too and we are moving to organize aid in the reception camps” say some members of the Focolare. In addition, many of the Focolare Movement, of various ages and vocations, do what they can to respond as a community to the most pressing needs, some even open the doors of their homes if necessary, as happened to Abid, a young father, who welcomed sixteen Muslim people who had lost everything into the first floor of his home. The largest city hit by this flood is Hyderabad. Matthew, a gen, that is, one of the young people of the Focolare Movement in the area, writes: “Now the situation in the center of the city is safe, but the neighborhoods near the Indus River are still in danger and some parts have been evacuated. The next two weeks will be very difficult.” In these days, fear mixes with a clear awareness, generating an internal, instinctive strength that looks to the other and, with renewed courage, mobilizes and networks. “As Youth for a United World a few months ago we set up a group called “The spirit of giving”, we are Catholics and from the Anglican Church of Pakistan – continues Mathew’s brother, Hanan – we met together to make a plan, to understand what and how to do to lend a hand. You might think that we can’t do much or that it’s too little, but we told ourselves that everyone can give something, that we have to move hearts”. And that’s how these kids, knocking on every door in their neighborhood, going into shops, collected about 5,000 rupees, while another 2,000 arrived providentially in response to a flyer shared on social media. A desire to donate, which starting from an experience of dialogue, was transformed into service and action. Among the many people in difficulty, it should not be forgotten that in these areas one of the groups most at risk are the nomadic Hindu communities: “Our families’ tents were on a plain. With the flood, people took refuge on a raised part of the land that is now surrounded by water, it’s as if they were on an island from which they can no longer leave” say some kids belonging to these communities. Gathering around the people affected and starting targeted relief and support initiatives, especially there, where the resources to do so are scarce, is not just a desire, but seems like a real priority, for everyone. In response to all this pain in Karachi, in a rather poor neighborhood on the outskirts of the city, a small group of gen took action immediately: ” We activated a collection point through which many people passed: some brought food, water or clothes; some left money in a box placed at the entrance” says Rizwan. ” I saw that there were not many clothes for the children – says Soiana – so I started sewing for them, using some fabric that I had and that was left over from my work”.
