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A letter from Fred and Margie Stock
in Pakistan |
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November 21, 2005
This past month has opened our eyes to a new world—one
in which most of the people around us are suffering physically,
psychologically, and spiritually because of the devastating earthquake
on October 8. Within moments, more than 74,000 lives were lost,
and the homes, shops, roads, livestock, water supply, and the
livelihood of countless hill people were totally destroyed or
severely affected. We have had the privilege of listening to their
stories, praying with them, and trying to let them see God as
a loving Father who has spared their lives for a purpose and is
able to heal and to provide for their needs in amazing ways. |
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Arif walking on crutches. |
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We visited Balakot, a city of 50,000
before the quake, and were horrified at the total destruction there.
Even three-story hotels were reduced to rubble, with the roof lying
at ground level. Schools collapsed on countless students and teachers.
One school had been cleared by army equipment, and mass graves were
marked where whole groups of students who couldn’t be identified
were buried. It was heart-rending to see parents sifting through
the piles of school bags and copybooks to find those belonging to
their children. Many of the patients at Bach Christian Hospital
are from the Balakot area. It is estimated that 90 percent of the
population were killed both in Balakot and Muzaffarabad, the capital
of the part of Kashmir governed by Pakistan. |
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In other villages nearby lives were
spared, but most buildings left standing are dangerously cracked
and don’t provide protection. There have been about 1000 “aftershocks,”
including one that measured 6.0 on the Richter scale and caused
the death of 90 more people when damaged walls collapsed. So people
remain jittery and prefer to sleep in tents. |
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Praise items
- Praise for a wonderful response from Pakistanis all over the
country. Immediately after the quake people collected food,
clothing, cooking equipment, and plastic tarpaulins to protect
from rain and cold and delivered these to those villages that
could be reached by road. The army soon took control and has
been coordinating the efforts of the many NGOs that have been
sent from various other countries to help meet this crisis.
Praise that the major in charge of the Balakot area is a Christian
who has greatly facilitated efforts to bring relief to this
area.
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Dr. Luke with Nasareen.
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- Praise for Samaritan’s Purse, a charity connected to
Billy Graham and his son Franklin, who asked Bach Hospital what
equipment they needed to meet this emergency. The staff listed
everything they could think of. To the delight of all, Samaritan’s
Purse sent a 747 plane stacked with all kinds of highly technical
medical and surgical equipment, as well as hospital beds, wheelchairs,
walkers, crutches, etc. One surgeon and two technicians accompanied
the plane to help set up the various machines and teach the
staff here how to use them properly. It was just like Christmas!
Everyone was rejoicing and praising God!
- Praise God for pleasant, mild weather. Rain and hail fell
the first two days after the earthquake, greatly multiplying
misery and hindering rescue efforts. We have had only two days
of moderate rain since. Most days have been mild and sunny with
good visibility for the helicopters bringing supplies. Winter
has been delayed, which is a great mercy! Pray it will be slow
to come and mild. Otherwise many lives will be lost. Thanks
to many of you who have sacrificially sent gifts to various
organizations to help meet the needs here. We are truly grateful!
The needs continue to be overwhelming, but God is at work through
this crisis.
- Praise for two prayer teams of women who came at separate
times to pray for Pakistan. One team came to Lahore and Rahim
Yar Khan. The other concentrated on Karachi. Our PC(USA) missionary
colleagues George and Gail McBane reported great blessing from
both teams.
Prayer items
- Pray for adequate supplies of tents and food to reach those
who need them most. Helicopters are trying now to place nets
full of food and other urgently needed supplies on the ground
near families camped in places that are inaccessible by road.
This is a very expensive and difficult operation. Pray that
thousands will be spared from cold and hunger.
- We were shocked and greatly saddened on November17 by the
sudden heart attack and almost instant death of Dr. Harold Fast,
56, who had worked many years at Bach Hospital in the past.
He and his wife Alfreda returned to help in earthquake relief
for three weeks. That morning he flew by helicopter with supplies
for temporary shelters and aided in setting up two such homes.
He rejoiced in the gorgeous view and the chance to help village
folk he knew. On the way down that evening his heart stopped,
and CPR failed to revive him. Pray for Alfreda as she joins
their four young adult children in Winnepeg, Canada, where he
will be buried. He was much loved.
- Pray for us as we return to Rahim Yar Khan on November 21.
Our daughter, Sara Treece, and her little son Joshua will be
visiting us until early December when her husband David joins
us. Much of December we will be in Karachi awaiting her new
baby, which is due about New Year’s. Pray for them.
- Pray that the “Train and Multiply” materials will
be ready for printing soon, as the McBanes are hoping to start
using them by the latter part of January. This will be the start
of a new effort to train laypeople both to grow in faith and
to share their faith with others.
- Pray for Workers’ Meeting from November 28 to December
1. Praise that it will be held in the New Life Center, which
was leased to George McBane once again. This will be the first
meeting back in that much-loved place.
Thanks so much for your letters and prayers! We have been strengthened
and blessed by them.
In Christ,
Fred and Margie Stock |
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