On Sept 9th I went to Islamabad, Pakistan for 4 weeks as an unpaid volunteer for Partner Aid International as they respond to the terrible floods. PAI provides shelters, food, first aid, etc & is also setting up long term development projects so the people can once again provide for themselves. Please donate if you can. I have paid all my costs & PAI provides free accommodation. That means that 100% of your donation will go straight to the flood relief work.

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Sep 28 More news from the Punjab: the people do have clean water and some food. BUT in the flood zone there are many problems: all the houses have collapsed; large stagnant pools of water are breeding mosquitos; all the crops have been lost; 90% of possessions and 33% of livestock were swept away; there are no toilets at all; the people have for centuries been trapped in extreme poverty in a feudal society where poverty is seen as normal.

The national government is ineffectual and in crisis. But NGOs and the Army are working well and beginning to sort out solutions at local level.

Sep 20 A southern office has been set up. Our northern office in the North West frontier area has real terrorist danger; we are praying for the safety of the staff.

Sep 17 Earthquake!! 6.3 on the Richter scale. My building (8 storeys high, & I'm in the basement) swayed for 15 seconds ... but no damage. All of northern Pakistan was affected. Amazingly no major damage, no deaths.

Sep 14 Great news: PAI has received $800,000 approx. for education outreach (landmines awareness training, flood risk minimisation, post-trauma counselling) and flood relief (clean water, sanitation, hygiene).

Sep 13 This week coming PAI staff are going south to set up a new field office in southern Punjab, and from this new base relief projects will be launched for clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.

Sep 11 Today is simultaneously Eid + 9/11 + the day a US Pastor was going to burn a copy of the Quran ... so we are keeping well out of sight to avoid risk.

For local TV coverage of current events in Pakistan visit mms://ams01.egihosting.com/ExpressEnglish

Sep 11 PAI is trying to open up new field operations to decontaminate the water wells (as the floodwater recedes) by pumping out the sediment/ sewage/ debris, chlorination treatment, and then flushing them, ready for use. Until that is completed people continue to drink the surface ground water, which is filthy ... and they get dysentery + diarrhoea.

Sep 10 A message to all donors: I am amazed & humbled at the generosity of so many people - your donations are making a huge difference. From my heart I say "thank you".

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