We were team of six persons again and all took very active part in serving needy people. We have been praying and waiting anxiously for the time to leave and finally we started our journey with prayers. We bought thermal jackets and blankets, woolen caps and mufflers from the money Woodmont Hills Church of Christ sent. We reached Islamabad and had breakfast in a restaurant. Then proceeded to Qalanderabad, Balakot.
First of all we met Christian people, almost 20 families and held a short prayer with them. Their houses were damaged badly and there were many cracks but no one from Government authorities went to help repair their houses. I have already planed to distribute cash to those victims. So we gave $ 200 to each family for repair of their houses. They are very happy and thankful for this act of kindness.
We had prepared 100 packets. Each packet contained 10 kg wheat flour, one kg rice, 1 kg sugar, 1 kg cooking oil; one tea leaves packet, one liter milk pack and 2kg Rusk. These 100 packets were arranged with the help of brethren and members of Lahore church and our friends. Also Muslim friends and our Muslim neighbors took part in this supply. We distributed blankets and jackets where it was very much needed in groups, individuals and families, inside their homes and some at the time of open distribution in the coaster van. There were three dangers faced by us while we were there. Weather was bad from 2nd day on. Heavy rain did not allow us to make open distribution freely and we had to call needy people inside the van and gave them packets, Jackets and blankets. The temperature was below zero. There were many agitation processions of the Muslims against cartoons sketched by the westerns. We had two times narrow escape from these processions. We could not do open distribution in the markets since a big problem could be created.
Anyhow every thing was done in the way we wanted to do. Actually God took care of us. We don’t know how we were safe miraculously and we praise God for this. The roads were slippery because of rain and snowfall. Mud and stones were on the road from land sliding. One van slipped, turned over and fell down, which was going ahead of us. We again thank God that He saved us from slippery roads. We were very much disturbed physically and spiritually by knowing of two families where two real brothers died from chilled winds and many were still sick and beaten by the weather. We prayed specially for these families and provided them more food, blankets, jackets and money. These families need continuous help, care and hope in Christ that He will arrange for their needs. We had to stay in the hotels for night and after taking good rest, again got busy in daytime. We covered more than 1800 km distance moving up and down on hill areas, going & coming back to hotels for night stay.
