(Photos by Globovision)
Pakistan (MNN) ― Pakistan's worst floods in recorded history began more than two weeks ago in the northwest but have since spread throughout the country.
More rain is on its way, which will only worsen conditions for the 20 million people--about one-fifth of the country--who has been affected.
The scale of the crisis threatens to derail tenuous peace efforts to stabilize the country against Islamist extremists.
The United Nations has appealed for an initial $460 million to provide relief, 60-percent of which has made it to the coffers.
"Ahmed" is a partner working with Global Aid Network to address the crisis. He spoke to us from Islamabad, Pakistan. Our (biggest) need is food and shelter. There's no timely food, just one meal a day. Without water, people there are expected to drink from the dirty and polluted water in most of the flood-affected areas."
While some relief efforts have helped survivors with food, water, shelter and medical treatment, there are millions more who have received little or no help at all. Time is against them with no food and only contaminated water to drink. Already, cholera threatens the survivors crammed into the relief camps.
The roads are a mess, and bad weather continues to hamper deliveries of relief supplies. Ahmed agrees. "Aid from the outside is impossible to reach there, only with army helicopters which are limited in number. They are trying to send them some food and other needs. This is a very critical situation, just to give them food and other supplies on time."
Global Aid Network is no stranger to Pakistan. In 2005, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Kashmir. GAIN sent an emergency aid team to assist in providing relief from the aftermath. The team conducted medical clinics, set up water filtration systems, and distributed food and other additional aid.
That network remained in place, so the teams were able to readily mobilize when the floods came this month. Ahmed says they have a team "on the ground collecting some food items from different organizations, and they are distributing. Very soon, we are going to have a short-term medical mission trip in these areas."
It's too early to consider the reconstruction effort: the forecast is calling for heavier monsoon rains, and another flood wave is making its way across the Indus River.
Even after the floods recede, Ahmed says, "We need to keep those people in tent villages for maybe one or two months. After that, they can go back and start their rehabilitation and reconstruction work." Billions will be needed for reconstruction.
As much as they will need to rebuild a broken nation, there is also the broken spirit to contend with. Ahmed says, even where Christians often face difficulty, in a time of crisis all that changes. "When we reach them with the love of Christ, they are astonished. 'What force is behind you? Who brings you here to serve us in difficult areas?' Then we tell them, 'It is the love of Christ that told us to come to you.'"
In the days ahead, a lot of support will be needed to recover from this disaster. "Pray for the teams' safety, and pray for all of their needs in the field. Pray also that people will respond by supporting our work through their finances and [consider] maybe that God might want them to donate to our ministry here in Pakistan."
Click here to learn more about helping Global Aid Network in Pakistan.
