Pakistan, forgotten in the wake of other natural disasters.

Pakistan (MNN) — In the wake of the past year’s natural disasters, the Pakistan earthquake was third in the line of major disasters.

Myles Fish, president of International Aid, says it’s been largely forgotten by the world. “It’s something to really take note of that if the Pakistan earthquake had happened just one year ago, it would have been the largest disaster that anyone had ever responded to…So our opinion is it just did not get as much public attention, and the public is not as aware of the need there in Pakistan as they have been of the needs that were caused by the tsunami and the hurricane.”

The needs there are desperate, says Fish, and I-A is doing everything they can to respond to the ongoing needs in Pakistan as they responded in Indonesia and the U.S. Gulf Coast, “So we’re feeling rather challenged now, because we believe it’s part of our responsibility to get the word out, to let people know that even though Pakistan did not get as much attention in the press, there have been 80,000 fatalities and there are still thousands of people that are trying to survive in very cold winter conditions in the mountains of Pakistan who are victims from this earthquake.”

International Aid is working through partners already on the ground in Pakistan in order to be more effective. Their role is to provide behind the scenes support of what’s already going on, and Fish says he sees the people of God rising to these kinds of challenges.

“The story that has not been told to the extent that I’d like to see it told yet, is how the church of Jesus Christ really gets engaged and exercises their compassion when disasters like this strike. The response in Indonesia, at least from our perspective, was very much driven by the Christian community that gave us support. And the response in the Gulf Coast states was very much about the local church opening up its doors and truly being a sanctuary for those that are in need. And we’re praying that the church will respond again to the needs there in Pakistan.”

Prayer is urgently needed, and Fish says as believers, we need to be praying for those who are suffering. “All of these people who have been affected are creations of the God that we serve. They’re loved by Him, and I think it’s appropriate for us to have concern about their physical needs.”

Fish continues, “But beyond that we like to ask people to continue to pray that we will have the opportunities to build the kind of relationships that are necessary so that we can share our faith in Christ. Oftentimes in Muslim countries, that’s not an easy thing to do and it takes a great deal of discernment and wisdom for our people on the ground there, but we pray that those opportunities will be presented and that we will be faithful in responding to those opportunities when they come.”

Financial resources are the greatest need International Aid faces in responding to the Pakistan disaster. Fish says they’re grateful for the support they’ve received, but there are still people with severe needs in Pakistan, and support is needed in order to address those needs. If you would like to help, contact International Aid through their information listed below.