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| Natural Disaster, Unnatural Suffering |
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Pakistan’s 2005 earthquake devastated millions of lives, but Columbans and others have given survivors new hope and homes. On October 8, 2005, Pakistan was changed forever. Just before 9 that Saturday morning, a terrible earthquake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, struck the Hazara district of northern Pakistan, bringing untold death and destruction to millions. The Columban Center House in Lahore, almost 500 miles from the epicenter, swayed for a few minutes, giving me the sensation of being seasick. I cannot begin to imagine what it must have been like for the people of the Hazara district. The official Pakistani government estimates were 80,000 dead, 60,000 injured and more than 3 million left homeless. Most aid agencies working with the survivors, however, agree that these figures are grossly understated and that the death toll is near 300,000 and possibly more. The cities of Balakot, Bagh and Muzaffarabad and many surrounding villages were destroyed. This was certainly the worst natural disaster Pakistan has ever experienced. Northern Pakistan is an area of stunning natural beauty, with seven of the world’s 12 tallest mountain peaks, including K2 (the world’s second-tallest mountain known locally as Chogo Ri [“The Great Mountain”]), Nanga Parbat and Rakaposhi. It seems ironic that this area of majestic beauty and peace should witness such suffering and pain. 
Workers used materials from destroyed homes and building materials bought with the help of Columban benefactors to rebuild homes ruined in northern Pakistan’s October 2005 earthquake.
But once the shock and grief of the destruction settled, one of the real positives was the outpouring of goodwill from across the country: special camps were set up to collect food, tents, warm clothing, medicine, etc., which resulted in a steady stream of trucks heading north with this aid. Many doctors, nurses and ordinary people volunteered their services and spent time helping out in the devastated area. The international community, too, was enormously generous with nongovernmental organizations from nearly every country in the world providing support. We were amazed at the generosity of our Columban benefactors worldwide as donations poured in to help us help those suffering from the earthquake’s aftermath. My own involvement began here in Lahore, in far eastern Pakistan, when I visited hospitals where the injured were being treated. I discovered that some of the injured and displaced were living in rented accommodations in the parish where I work in northern Lahore. Most survivors went to stay with relatives or friends in cities and towns all over the country as they obviously could not survive the severe winter of northern Pakistan without homes. The survivors I saw arrived in Lahore with little more than the clothes they were wearing and were often living together crammed into just one rented room. We began helping them, thanks to the donations from Columban benefactors, and provided each family with blankets, cooking utensils and regular food rations. We provided medical treatment for hundreds of victims, taking them to an excellent orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Afzal Hussain, whom we grew to know well. Each family had a tragic, heartrending story to tell. One typical tale was that of Mrs. Rashmijan Aziz, who moved with her seven children to a one-room flat arranged for by a cousin. Her husband, Aziz, was found dead when the roof of their home collapsed. Their 5-year-old son, Waqas, was in his arms, unconscious but alive. He later recovered, and Dr. Afzal treated his broken leg. Over the winter, we helped more than 100 families until they all eventually returned to the mountains to try to rebuild their lives and homes. 
George Taj (left) and Columban Father Liam O’Callaghan overlooked the new homes they helped build for earthquake victims in the mountains of northern Pakistan.
It was at this time, with substantial donations from Columban benefactors in hand, that I had the idea of helping these people whom we had come to know rebuild their homes in their towns and villages. With the help of an army architect, a simple home design was created, which the architect claims is earthquake-proof. The design enabled us to use available materials, such as wood, clay and stones, salvaged from the fallen homes. This, of course, greatly helped us keep down the cost as the only other materials needed were corrugated sheeting for roofs, plywood for ceilings and cement and steel for foundations. Another thing in our favor was that many men in the area are skilled carpenters and stone masons, so they helped rebuild their own homes. It cost us only about $1,800 to rebuild each house. In March and April 2006, we held community meetings in Butt Sangra and Kara, the two villages from which we knew most of the people we helped in Lahore. We discussed the reconstruction project, drew up a list of the people to be helped and contracted with supervisors for the work. The rebuilding project began at the end of April, but not without headaches. The worst obstacle was an unusually bad monsoon season in July and August, including a 10-hour overnight rain that disrupted the work, washed away roads and caused landslides. By February 2007, however, the project was complete. We have built 258 houses in Butt Sangra and Kara. Through hard work and the generosity of Columban benefactors, all these families are working to bring their lives back to normal. Once again, they have houses to call homes. Columban Father Liam O’Callaghan was ordained in 1997 and first went to Pakistan on mission in 1995. He is the vice coordinator of the Columbans’ Pakistan Mission Unit.
Columbans in Pakistan
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