Day 9: BUILD BACK BETTER ... AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP!

Posted from Pakistan on Friday, Jan. 27, 2006
By Katie Roland, Metro Marketing &

Communications Director for New York

Katie Roland (L) & Amber Johnson (R)

are directors with World Vision's

Metro Marketing & Communications

offices in New York and Chicago

Well, we are back in Islamabad now, wrapping up our trip. As I sit here in my hotel room, processing the experiences of the past week or so, I am both overwhelmed by all the devastation and destruction I have seen, and am hopeful for the recovery of this beautiful country. Continued below.






Children are safe at one of World Vision's "Child Friendly Spaces."























Pakistani men working to rebuild their earthquake-devastated community.




















I have been welcomed by the people of Pakistan, in a place that typically has a good deal of apprehension toward Americans. I have met people who are eager to move on with their lives, who are picking up shovels, axes and hammers and are beginning to rebuild where they can.

I have met children who were once too scared to go to school and watched them join in games and singing at World Vision’s Child Friendly Spaces, places that enable them to overcome their fears and rebuild their self-confidence. I have met World Vision field staff who are deeply committed to seeing Pakistan restored and who are humbly and compassionately caring for children and their families.

I have seen amazing partnership between World Vision, the Pakistan Army and other nongovernmental organizations, and know that this rebuilding process is being done with a high level of integrity and a good deal of strategic planning.

And most importantly, I have had the opportunity to get to know some of the people who have been impacted by this quake, to learn their names, to hear their stories first-hand, and to grieve alongside them.

A reporter I spoke with this week asked me how I was handling the suffering I had witnessed. What a difficult question to answer, especially because some aspects of suffering can’t fully be explained. But the one thing I was able to share in my interview is that suffering provides an opportunity for those of us who can help to get involved. It enables people to bring healing and hope to those who might not be able to find it on their own.

As the world helps Pakistanis begin to rebuild their country, a common saying has emerged to frame the rebuilding process: “Build back better.” Though we may or may not know the kind of suffering so many Pakistanis are experiencing, we have an opportunity before us. We have the opportunity to participate in God’s plan for healing in a place that has been shaken. We have the option to pray, to hope, to give in ways that we’ve never done before. And we have the ability to help those in deep need to rebuild their communities better than they were before.

“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,
Behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your pinnacles of agate
your gates of carbuncles,
and all your wall of precious stones.
All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
and great shall be the peace of your children.
In righteousness you shall be established;
You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

Day 8: THEY DESERVE TO BE HEARD

Posted from Pakistan on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006
By Amber Johnson, Metro Marketing &

Communications Director for New York

Katie Roland (L) & Amber Johnson (R)

are directors with World Vision's

Metro Marketing & Communications

offices in New York and Chicago

Perhaps there is nothing so universal as the joy in holding a baby. Four month-old Ajmal snuggled into my arms, oblivious to the fact that he was being held by a stranger. He yawned luxuriously and then gave a delighted toothless grin. Continued below.






Amber with baby Ajmal.










What you're looking at here is the (amazingly intact) second story of what used to be a two-story dwelling ... the first story was flattened beneath it during the October 8 quake, and it came straight down.






Ajmal was born on October 5, three days before the earthquake that took the lives of his parents. His mother died when the roof of their home collapsed, pinning her but narrowly missing the nearby bed where Ajmal was lying. He is now being cared for by his aunt and grandmother, and World Vision child protection officers visit regularly to make sure Ajmal's needs are met. On the day we visited, the baby had a slight cough and the child protection officer made sure the child was receiving proper medical attention.

We left Ajmal's village and traveled by car to a tent village where World Vision operates a Child Friendly Space. On the way we passed a building that appeared to have avoided major damage, though everything around it was flattened. Then a staff member pointed to the thin layer of rubble under the building. What we could see was the second floor; the first floor was completely crushed underneath it.

Once in the village we were joined by 12 women, most mothers of small children. Each had lost family members to the earthquake. Their homes were destroyed, their material possessions gone. Originally from remote mountain villages, the disaster forced them into more populated areas in order to receive the assistance they needed. Many had gone without food or water for almost a week following the earthquake. Now they live in a tent village and feed their children with the few rupees their husbands earn, and with food provided by organizations like World Vision.

Through a translator we asked if the women's children enjoyed attending the Child Friendly Space. One woman, Lalulnisa, a mother of six, stretched her arms wide and said her children love it this much. Other women nodded, stretching out their arms in agreement. One woman said her children care for the staff like mothers; they are more comfortable with the World Vision staff than their teachers, who are often strict.

The women were grateful for World Vision's help rebuilding their children's self-confidence, but there were many concerns still on their minds. Each wanted a shelter of her own; something more weather-proof than a tent, and something that allowed for more privacy, for more dignity. They worried about their children during the cold weather. One mother said that each time she feels an aftershock, she worries that her children will see her die, just as she saw her parents die during the earthquake.

Talking to these women, and walking through their tent village, built on the ruins of an earthquake flattened neighborhood, I struggle to know how to face so much loss. I struggle to know what I can do to help these women, to help Ajmal, to help Arslan, Kausar, Zainab, and Nimra, whom I've written about in previous entries.

My husband and I have exchanged many emails while I've been in Pakistan, and in an early message he said something that has stayed with me throughout my travels. Cliff wrote, "Remember every person's name and story that you can ... they deserve to be heard by someone even more than they deserve homes."

Is that true? I think it is, because a new home can't restore someone's dignity, someone's sense of self-confidence, someone's willingness to face the next day. Being heard by someone can. The World Vision staff here in Pakistan are good listeners; I tried to listen well to these stories today, even to little Ajmal's, though he is much too young to tell it himself. And I hope to be able to tell these stories to others, through this blog, at churches, in conversations with friends. Perhaps together we can both hear their stories and provide shelter.

Day 8: THE PERSPECTIVE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Posted from Pakistan on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006
By Katie Roland, Metro Marketing &
Communications Director for New York

One precious little child, orphaned by the earthquake, rested in my arms this morning. Ajmal was only three days old when he lost both parents to the October 8 quake. A smiley, playful little guy, he was more than happy to be the center of attention. Continued below.








Katie with baby Ajmal.

Katie and Amber meet with the women of the tent village in Balakot.

Gulzar, whose family died before her eyes, walked seven days to reach this tent village. Shown here with a surviving nephew.

Ajmal is one of many children left without parents after the earthquake. We met him on a home visit with Lumna, one of World Vision’s Child Protection Officers. Lumna’s role is to look after at-risk children in communities affected by the earthquake. She makes sure orphaned children like Ajmal are being cared for by extended family, and have necessary items like warm clothing and milk. She also checks on the health and hygiene of the children and helps them get medicine and hospital care when necessary.

The same day we met Ajmal, we also had the rare opportunity to speak with twelve women in a tent village in Balakot. In Pakistani culture, it can be difficult to speak with women, as they are often confined to their homes or are required to rely on their husbands to represent them publicly. This tradition creates a challenging situation for the women in relief situations, as they are often unable to leave their homes to get the aid they need.

In addition, it can be difficult for men to accurately communicate the children's needs, so aid workers might not always have the best idea of how to help. For a variety of cultural and work-related reasons, men tend to be less connected to their young ones. If you ask a typical male how his child is faring after the disaster, he will say tiki, which means "fine" in Pakistani. However, if you ask a woman, she will tell you that the child doesn’t have enough warm clothing, or that he or she is afraid to go to school, or that the family needs more privacy in order to maintain it's emotional health.

Women are essential in protecting children. And the women we spoke with this afternoon are protectors and survivors, in the most courageous, resourceful sense of these words. One woman, named Gulzar, walked seven days with no food to make it safely to the tent village where she and her orphaned nephew are now receiving aid. Her sister (the baby’s mother) and both her parents died in front of her eyes.

As brave as Gulzar has been, she melted into tears when we asked about her fears for the future. "I pray not to die before my children. And I don’t want to see them die in front of me. It’s too much. It’s been too much already," she said.

As I spoke with these women, I realized that we had different frameworks for the term "future." When I asked what hopes and dreams these women have, I was expecting to hear something about "providing an education for my children," or "owning my own land." But the response I heard was more immediate, more urgent: Warm clothing for my children. My own tent so I don’t have to share with 12 others. A sewing machine so I can make handicrafts and have a source of income.

As a New Yorker, it is difficult to imagine limiting my thoughts of the future to the next month or two. So many choices and opportunities abound! Yet for these 12 Pakistani women and their children, the next few months mean survival. Without a sense of security about the future, it is difficult to think beyond those basic elements of food, shelter, and warmth.

Day 7: A POST-QUAKE TOUR OF PAKISTAN'S RECOVERY

Posted in Pakistan on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006
By Amber Johnson, Metro Marketing
& Communications Director for New York

For safety reasons, we turned our kerosene heater off when we went to bed last night, so we awoke this morning to a very cold tent. I was reluctant to leave my sleeping bag, but needed to be up and ready for our first stop of the day: a tent school that has received support from World Vision. Continued below.

Arslan, 11, survived the collapse of a school building when many of his fellow students did not. His parents also perished.

Lining up for morning songs.

I could hear the school even before I could see it: the sound of children's feet stomping the dusty ground, the squeak of playground equipment, the chatter of teachers' voices. As we walked into the schoolyard the children crowded around us to shake hands and introduce themselves. They were eager to be photographed, and even more eager to see their faces on the screen of my digital camera.

We were introduced to one little boy, a shy, thin 11-year-old who looks not a day older than eight. Arslan survived the collapse of his school building during the earthquake, but many students did not. He also lost his parents, who were killed in a landslide following the earthquake. Arslan now lives with his grandmother. When he began coming to this tent school, and to World Vision's Child Friendly Space, he seemed reticent to join in the activities. Staff often found him standing at the edge of the crowd, quietly observing the other students at play.

Today, Arslan is still quiet. But his teachers report that he has begun to play again and is slowly regaining confidence. Recovery won't be quick for a child who has lost so much, but Arslan won't have to recover alone.

After a few minutes the children began to form lines and four older boys led the school in their morning songs. Then, with a discipline that was fitting for a school supervised by the military, the children marched off to their tent classrooms. Major Ali, the school's principle, gave my colleagues and me a tour, pointing out the resources World Vision has provided: a large, warm tent used for child friendly space activities and for assemblies; space heaters and winterization materials for keeping the individual tent classrooms warm; a swing set, slide and merry-go-round for play. The children also had notebooks, pencils and other school supplies from World Vision.

We were also introduced to Kausar, a young woman about my age who is a facilitator with World Vision's Child Friendly Space. As Kausar awaited the beginning of the day's activity, she quietly told us her story. Her seven-year-old son was killed, along with 26 classmates, when his school building collapsed. Kausar also lost her mother and mother-in-law; her husband was wounded and is still hospitalized. She now lives in a tent village, and works at the Child Friendly Space because she says it meets her people's deepest need. For this young mother who has experienced so much loss, her work allows her to mend the hearts of children like the son she lost.

I've now been in Pakistan for one week, and one thing has become obvious to me: the Pakistani people are committed to doing the difficult physical and emotional work needed to recover from the earthquake's devastating effects. As a World Vision staff member, I'm proud to come alongside them, supplying some of the resources they need to mend hearts and homes.

Days 6 & 7: SLEEPING OUT IN BALAKOT

Posted in Pakistan on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006
By Katie Roland, Metro Marketing
& Communications Director for New York

I awoke this morning at 3 a.m., feeling icy-cold in my sleeping bag. Despite the five layers of clothing (literally!), the sub-zero sleeping bag, and the two thick blankets I used, I was still shivering. Continued below









A young Pakistani girl at one of World Vision’s Child Friendly Spaces in Balakot sports a New York Yankees baseball cap.












A tent village in Balakot.










Arslan lost both parents to the October 8 earthquake and is now attending programs at World Vision’s Child Friendly Space, located near his tent village.










The interior of a tent in a typical survivor village.











Saique is the village organizer at one of the tent villages in Balakot.

Amber and I joined the 1.9 million people in the Pakistan who are estimated to be living in 300,000 tents in earthquake affected areas when we decided to camp out in tents in Balakot. By most standards here, our sleeping conditions were posh. In addition to our cold-weather gear, the people who hosted us (true to Pakistani hospitality) provided us with their most comfortable surroundings: a winterized tent and a kerosene heater.

For safety reasons, we turned the kerosene heaters off before we went to sleep, enabling us to experience a very small piece of what life is like in these camps. As I lay awake in the early morning hours, my thoughts darted between the hacking coughs and barking dogs that echoed throughout the camp, to the hundreds of thousands of people who face these –2 degrees (Celsius) nights on a regular basis. These people do not have the luxury of “bucking up for a few hours” until they return home; rather, they need to figure out how they will survive the next few weeks and months of the harsh Pakistan winter.

I thought of all the children I had seen running around the camps earlier in the week and wondered how they were sleeping. Did they have anything but their thin shirts and skimpy sweaters to protect them from the freezing cold? Were they at least cozy in their tents with their families? Or were they among the hundreds of children who lost parents and siblings to the quake?

When the sun finally rose, I was able to walk around the camp and talk to people. I met a shy young boy named Arslan who lost both his parents in the quake. Arslan was dressed in a thin blue button down shirt and cotton sweater. He was wearing a baseball hat and had a striped scarf tied around his head for warmth.

When the earthquake hit, Arslan’s parents were cutting grass on the side of a a mountain when a landslide overtook them. Arslan was not allowed to look at their bodies because they were too disfigured. Home, family, and an entire village is a lot to lose at such a young age, and being left to grieve by himself would probably have been more than Arslan (or anyone) could bear.

Fortunately, his grandparents began to care for Arslan, and they brought him to the programs at World Vision’s Child Friendly Space, a place where children can play, draw, learn, and begin to express their emotions as they heal from the trauma of the quake. When he first arrived, he did not want to play with the other children. But, in taking time to interact with World Vision’s staff, and to express himself through drawing and games, he eventually became comfortable enough to participate in group activities.

Adjacent to both the school grounds where we met Arslan, and the tent village where we stayed, is another tent village. This village is comprised of a row of approximately 20 tents spaced one foot apart. We wandered through this area and met Saique, the village organizer. As village organizer, Saique makes sure the tents are kept clean. She also ensures sick children are taken to the hospital and that the village is free of sanitation issues.

As we walked along the row of tents, I asked Saique if she would be willing to show me inside. We chose the closest 10 x 8 foot tent. As we entered the tiny space, I asked Saique how many people slept in there and was shocked to hear the answer: 10!

To date, World Vision has distributed more than 7,000 tents to communities like Saique’s. We have also distributed more than 1,000 shelter kits (corrugated galvanized iron, wire, and wire cutters); nearly 3,000 rehabilitation kits (shovel, pick ax, work gloves and other basic tools); and 6,000 winterization kits (quilts, plastic sheeting, rope and mattress) to affected families in the region.

In addition, World Vision has established 15 Child Friendly Spaces throughout the earthquake region to help meet the emotional and physical needs of children like Arslan. Though Arslan may have a long way to go to recover from the trauma of this earthquake, World Vision is committed to helping Arslan and children like him, one life at a time.

Day 6: DEALING WITH THE ELEMENTS

Posted in Pakistan on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2006
By Amber Johnson, Metro Marketing
& Communications Director for New York

• 1 top-quality mummy sleeping bag
  
• 2 layers of long underwear, top and bottom
  
• 1 fleece sweatshirt
  
• 1 stocking cap
  
• 2 pairs of gloves
  

My packing list for our overnight trip to a tent village in Balakot, ground zero for the earthquake damage, indicates just how serious I was about keeping warm. When my colleagues and I decided to spend one night in a displaced person's tent, it was 50 degrees and sunny outside. But as we pulled into the camp the sun began to set, I began to rethink the decision. Did I really need to experience the cold in order to feel compassion for the Pakistani people who lost their homes in the earthquake? Continued below.







My neighbors in our tent village high up in the foothills of the Himalayas.







Armed with my cold-weather gear, I followed one of the camp's leaders to our tent, at the end of a rocky dirt road in a broad river valley. There I came face to face with a fact of Pakistani culture: the Pakistani people are too hospitable by nature to allow a guest to sleep in anything but the best accommodations available. Our hosts had prepared a winterized tent with two beds (three blankets each) and a space heater.

Most families who were displaced by the earthquake don't have such luxurious accommodations. In fact, just recently a camp manager showed me a tent (just tarps hung over metal poles) that was, at best, 10x12. Ten people were sleeping in it, and the odor that emanated from it was evidence of the cramped quarters.

Despite our posh surroundings, last night was a cold one for me. My nose, host of the only uncovered skin on my body, felt like an icicle, and I shivered in my sleeping bag until well past 1 a.m. Lying in bed, unable to sleep, I could hear people stirring and cars passing on the road that winds through the valley. This isn't how I would want to live, I thought. And Pakistan has been having unseasonably warm weather. What would it have felt like if it was -10 degrees ... with wind chill?

Last week World Vision distributed 8,500 kerosene heaters to families in the Hazara region. It was cold and rainy during the distribution; my colleagues here have shown me video of shivering children carrying kerosene heaters back to their tents. Since November World Vision has distributed over 30,000 quilts, 24,000 sheets of iron for building snow-proof temporary shelters and 12,000 tarps and 6,000 kits for winterizing tents and other shelters. In total, over 64,000 people have received assistance from World Vision, including my neighbors last night.

A Pakistani man told me that a local legend says fairies visit this valley in the wee hours of the morning. I didn't see any evidence of this, and the tourist hotel Fairy Land, whose signs still remain, was flattened in the earthquake. But I do believe that there is a spirit who will keep these children and their families warm throughout this winter. And I pray that spirit will use the work of World Vision and the generosity of our donors to help.

Day 5: A TRIP TO WORLD VISION'S CHILD FRIENDLY SPACES

Posted in Pakistan on Monday, January 23, 2006
By Amber Johnson, Metro Marketing
& Communications Director for New York

A rousing game of "Duck, Duck, Goose" may not seem like therapy to the outsider, but for nine-year-old Nimra and other children like her, a good game can go a long way to making life feel a little more normal. Continued below.





Children at one of World Vision's "Child Friendly Spaces" play a game of blindfold hide 'n seek.





I met Nimra this morning at one of World Vision’s Child Friendly Spaces (CFS). A CFS is a place where young earthquake survivors can sing, laugh and play. World Vision staffers provide games to increase self-confidence, help children express their emotions and begin to move past the horrors of the quake.

Nimra is an outgoing girl who seems at ease in her environment. But when her school reopened after the earthquake, Nimra was afraid to leave her mother and aunt. Though no one in her elementary school was killed, 287 girls died at the high school near Nimra’s house when the concrete roof collapsed.

Nimra began attending World Vision’s CFS, which operates just a short distance from the tent her family now occupies. Playing at the CFS helped Nimra become more comfortable being away from her home; as she came to enjoy time with her friends she was less frightened to return to school. Now, Nimra’s mother is happy to report, she is back in school and doing well.

World Vision operates 15 CFS's in the earthquake zone, serving about 700 children each weekday. One girl I played with today, 11-year-old Zainab, took a ring off her finger and slid it onto mine as we were parting. I protested, but she insisted I keep the gift. I was uncertain what to do, so I spoke with Noor, my World Vision Pakistan colleague.

“It is good that you keep the gift,” Noor told me. “These children feel emotions strongly and she is learning to express them by giving you this ring.”

For Nimra and Zainab, World Vision’s Child Friendly Space offers a safe place to test new emotions and deal with fear and anger, the earthquake’s residue. That’s quite an accomplishment for a simple game of "Duck, Duck, Goose!"

Day 5: A TRIP TO WORLD VISION'S CHILD FRIENDLY SPACES

Posted in Pakistan on Monday, January 23, 2006
By Katie Roland, Metro Marketing
& Communications Director for New York

“And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets” (Zechariah 8:5).

It is an awesome thing to stand in the middle of utter destruction and hear the joyous sounds of children laughing and playing together. World Vision’s Child Friendly Spaces provide a first step to recovery for hundreds of Pakistani children who are still traumatized by the horror of the quake. Continued below.







Katie plays with children at the Child Friendly Space in Ghari Habibullah.










World Vision's Child Friendly Space in Gharhi Habibullah, a town near Balakot.










Two boys play “the rabbit game” at World Vision’s Child Friendly Space in Gharhi Babibullah.









Nimra, a young girl from the village of Gharhi Habibullah, attends World Vision's Child Friendly Space programs after the earthquake.







Today, I met a young girl named Nimra, a nine-year-old who was too scared to go to school until she attended World Vision Child Friendly Space in a town near Balakot. Child Friendly Spaces are a safe place for children to laugh, play and sing to overcome the trauma of the earthquake and return to a normal way of life. Though Nimra’s school was not damaged in the quake, 287 girls died in a school right next door.

Nimra had a beautiful smile and was very content and happy when we played with her. She was engaged in games like “duck, duck, goose” and “head, shoulders, knees, and toes” and interacted beautifully with the rest of the children. Her mother, Seemi, said that the staff at World Vision’s Child Friendly Space helped her regain the confidence she needed to return to school.

Nearly 50 children were playing alongside Nimra this morning. Throughout the earthquake zone, World Vision has established 15 Child Friendly Spaces, which care for more than 700 children daily during the week. World Vision’s long-term goal is to double that number, helping a total of 1,500 children heal and find hope in their futures.

Day 4: SUNSET IN BALAKHOT

Posted in Pakistan on Sunday, January 22, 2006
By Amber Johnson, Metro Marketing
& Communications Director for Chicago

The road from Mansehra to Abbottabad is 40 minutes of stomach-churning twists, tight corners and busy traffic. I traveled it this morning with several World Vision team members in Pakistan on our way to church.

Though Pakistan is a 95% Muslim country, there are a handful of Christian congregations; this morning we joined the members of an Anglican church in a liturgy offered in both English and Urdu, the local language. Worshipping with Christian brothers and sisters in a Muslim country was a beautiful moment of shared faith, and also an illustration of the paradoxes Pakistan offers.

Later in the afternoon I witnessed another paradox: the beauty of the sun setting over Pakistan’s mountains, and the valley below, where survivors of the October earthquake are settled in chilly temporary shelters among the ruins of their homes.

Our last stop of the day was in Balakot, where virtually no building is left standing. We drove past camp after camp of tents (most just tarps covering metal or timber frames) where survivors moved following the earthquake. Women and children carried empty bottles to small streams to gather their drinking water; men sifted through the rubble of crumbled homes, looking for salvageable materials.

Though I had seen many photos and often imagined what the devastation of this earthquake would look like, I was still shocked by what I saw in Balakot. Children walk across rubble, bricks are piled two stories high, tangles of metal rods poke through crumbled concrete; the few intact buildings stand at unnatural slants.

Government officials and aid experts estimate it will take three to four years for this town to return to the way it was before the earthquake. How many winters, I wondered as we drove past, will these families live in tents?

The sun was setting as we left Balakot to return to Mansehra, and we stopped along the way to take pictures of the light as it settled on Pakistan’s mountains. In the distance, we could see peaks covered with snow and a sparse crop of trees. In the foreground the hills almost glowed with the color of the setting sun. And in the valley below was yet another settlement of tents -- warmed, I hope, by the last rays of the day’s light.

Day 4: A VIEW OF THE DESTRUCTION IN MANSEHRA

Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006
by Katie Rowland, Metro Marketing
& Communications Director for New York

It is 5:45 a.m. and I am sitting in our guesthouse in Mansehra, deepening my newfound love for Nescafe and powdered creamer and taking in the habitual Muslim call to prayer. One lone male voice calls out to our compound, inviting us to join him and 95% of this Muslim country in prayer. In the distance, I hear faint voices respond, signaling the time of reverence this community is entering. It is a beautiful moment.

At 6:00 a.m. the voice calls out again. Other than this strong, monotone cry, I hear no other noise, aside from my little gas heater simmering in the corner. Within minutes, the call fades away and all is quiet. I’m left to my emails and early morning reading.

It’s 8:00 a.m., and Amber and I are headed out to meet with Frank Lyman, World Vision’s Relief Director for the earthquake response. Frank gave us a detailed overview of World Vision’s relief plans and strategies, which we learned varies greatly due to Pakistan’s geography and political climate. In some regions, we partner with the Pakistani army, in others; we work with local nongovernmental organizations. In all areas, World Vision conducts a needs assessment and strategically provides items and support that the people need.

Prior to October 8, World Vision had only 14 staff in Pakistan. But in the months after October 8, our staff size grew to 72 people. To date, World Vision has provided aid that includes food, warm clothing, winterized tents, and tools and materials to build temporary shelter to more than 64,000 people affected by the quake.

By noon, Amber and I were seated in the back of a small Anglican church in Abbottabad, a town about an hour away from our guesthouse in Mansehra. In a predominantly Muslim country, it was amazing to find this small church and worship alongside these committed, welcoming people. With five World Vision staffers in our midst, we comprised one-fifth the congregation!
2:00 p.m. -- After the service, we traveled to Balakot, where much of the earthquake damage occurred. As we drove into this town, nestled between beautiful snow-capped mountains, we came acres and acres of rubble. The sprawling wreckage of collapsed buildings, leveled homes, and multiple landslides was overwhelming.

6:00 p.m. -- We are on our way back to the World Vision guesthouse. My mind is full of the crumbled scenes I just witnessed, yet in the midst of my whirling thoughts, one thing stands out about my experience in Balakot: the spirit of the Pakistani people. Balakot was alive with movement. The people were busy constructing temporary shelter and rebuilding their homes with tools and shelter items provided by agencies like World Vision.

Though it will take years to fully recover the region, World Vision is committed to the long-term relief, recovery, and rehabilitation of this beautiful place. In partnership with other relief organizations and the people of Pakistan, the plan is to "build back better" and continue to work together to provide hope for the fallen city of Balakot!

Day 3: FLIGHT TO MANSEHRA

Posted from Pakistan on Saturday, January 21, 2006

By Amber Johnson, Metro Marketing Director
for World Vision in Chicago

After three days in the country, I am convinced that Pakistani drivers use their horns more than their brakes. Whether it's on busy highways or narrow city streets, drivers going both directions use the center lane to swerve around pedestrians and other cars in a series of near misses punctuated by constant horn honking. Continued below.








The United Nations helicopter which flew Katie and Amber to Mansehra.













Katie and Amber enjoying the ride inside the UN helicopter.
















Vendors hawk their wares at the Mansehra bazaar.











For this reason alone I was grateful when we learned we were able to take a United Nations helicopter flight from Islamabad to Mansehra, the basecamp for World Vision operations in the earthquake zone. The helicopter not only gave us a safer (and faster) trip to Mansehra, it also gave us a bird's eye view of Pakistan. We flew over cities and villages that stretched for miles, terraced farm land, and deep valleys; in the distance we could see the snow covered mountains, a beautiful site.

As we neared Mansehra, I began to notice little outcroppings of tents gathered on the edges of fields and in vacant lots in the cities: two here, a dozen there, 40 or 50 in a few places. These tent villages are temporary shelters for some of the 3 million people affected by the October 8 earthquake. Some of these shelters are winterized, with quilts and mattresses and kerosene heaters to keep children and their families warm. But many of the shelters are not suitable for cold weather, a frightful fact considering that winter temperatures in Pakistan hoover near freezing. The Pakistani government reports that 500,000 people are still in serious risk this winter.

Poverty compounds these concerns. In the earthquake zone, 85% of the popluation lives below Pakistan's poverty line; this means they are living on less than $2 a day. Many are without work. Before the earthquake, unemployment was around 16%; now it is 65%.

Today we also went to the Mansehra bazaar, a section of town with crooked streets and crowded alleys, every inch of both lined with vendors selling scarves, chickens, jewelry, and other treats. It was a busy, hectic, industrious place, and it confirmed my observation that the Pakistani people are hard working. They are committed to rebuilding their own country, and I believe they will, with the help of World Vision and other organizations.

Day 2: IN ISLAMABAD

Posted from Pakistan on Friday, January 20, 2006

By Amber Johnson, Metro Marketing Director
for World Vision in Chicago

Faisal Masjid, the Islamabad mosque that can hold 100,000 worshipers, was quiet when Katie and I visited this morning. With marble floors and a massive gold plated chandelier, the mosque is a stunning and somber piece of architecture. A security guard who kindly offered a tour told us it was built in phases over 12 years, finishing in the late 1980s.

Phases are something we're learning about here in Pakistan. As a bystander to an emergency situation, watching news reports from the comfort of my American home, I often think of the recovery from disasters as happening in phases. First there's emergency relief: treating the wounded, burying the dead, helping lost children find their families, providing food and shelter during the first few days. Next comes the recovery phase: providing temporary solutions until more permanent ones can be established, building makeshift shelters, identifying sources of food and clean water, giving children an outlet for their emotions.

Finally there's the reconstruction and rehabilitation phase. In Pakistan this means "building back better" ... better construction of schools, hospitals and homes to withstand future earthquakes, better training on how to handle an emergency situation, improved education and health care systems to care for children and families.

In some parts of earthquake-affected Pakistan, communities are moving neatly from the second phase into the third. This is in part thanks to help from organizations like World Vision, who have provided winterized tents and shelters, food, and medical care. But in other parts of Pakistan the communities are still facing the daily struggles of the first phase.

Last week, a mountain community of 4,000 people was discovered to have received virtually no emergency assistance. World Vision is now partnering with other organizations to provide quilts, mattresses, and winterized tents that will be hand-carried by high-altitude porters into this remote village. This community is still in phase one emergency relief.

We leave tomorrow for Mansehra, a region that was grealty impacted by the October earthquake. We'll work in villages in all stages of the process, and hopefully be a small part of moving children and their families a day closer to recovery, to reconstruction, and to rehabilitation.

Day 2: IN ISLAMABAD

Posted from Pakistan on Friday, January 20, 2006
By Katie Rowland, Metro Marketing & Communications Director, New York

Like four stakes clamping down a bright white tent, the pillars of the Shah Faisal Mosque stretched into the sky. The geometric building nestled at the base of the Margalla hills can hold up to 74,000 people at once.

Because today is Friday, Pakistanis go to mosques like Shah Faisal for special prayers between the hours of noon and 2 p.m. Many shops and restaurants are closed down during this time out of respect for Islamic religious customs.

This morning, we visited the Shah Faisal Mosque, which is one of the largest in Asia. By custom, we entered the building barefoot, leaving our shoes with the guards at the door.

After visiting the Mosque, we returned to the World Vision office for further briefing on our programs. We learned that 85% of Pakistanis live below the poverty line, on less than $2 per day. The earthquake compounded an already sober situation as more than one million people lost their livelihoods in the aftermath.

Various nongovernmental organizations fear that the loss of income for adults will force child survivors out of school and into work. To protect children from entering the workforce too early, World Vision has established more 15 "Child Friendly Spaces" in the earthquake region.

Child Friendly Spaces are places where children can rest, play, and develop a normal routine in a safe, friendly environment. World Vision staffers provide things such as games to increase self-confidence, basic hygiene training to improve sanitation, and movement workshops to enable children to relax, laugh, and help them forget about the horrors of the quake.

Tomorrow, Amber and I will head north to the town of Mansehra, a region that was severely impacted by the earthquake. While in Mansehra, we will begin to work in the Child Friendly Spaces, providing assistance wherever we are needed.

Day 1: ACCLIMATING TO ISLAMABAD

Posted from Pakistan on Thursday, January 19, 2006
By Amber Johnson, Metro Marketing
& Communications Director, Chicago

After 16 in-flight hours and almost as many hours waiting at airports, Katie Roland, a colleague from New York, and I landed in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Stepping out of any airport and into a new country can feel like stepping onto the set of a movie, and this is especially true of Islamabad where the sights and sounds of Pakistan greet you as you inch through the crowd outside the airport. From the airport sidewalk we could see the shadows of mountains in the distance, and in the foreground men bowed in prayer, veiled women shuffled past, and merchants heaped delicious smelling food onto plates in their market stalls. This is definitely not downtown Chicago.

One of our first stops was to the World Vision Pakistan headquarters. There were only 14 staff members on October 8 when the earthquake struck. Now there are over 120; some serve in Islamabad but most are in regional offices where they are able to work closely with those who were most devastated by the earthquake. I'll meet several of these staff members on Saturday, when we travel to the Mansehra Region to help with the relief efforts.

At the World Vision offices we received briefings on the earthquake relief work, on cultural sensitivity, and on security. The staff impressed me with their industrious professionalism and their eagerness to help two traveling Americans learn about Pakistani culture and the effects of the earthquake. The staff showed us samples of food and shelter kits (photo at left) that have been distributed to families whose homes were destroyed. These simple resources -- so inexpensive by American standards -- will help these families survive through the cold Pakistani winter.

On our way to check in at our hotel we stopped at a market and bought tunics, long, flowing blouses that Katie and I will wear along with scarves that cover our heads and shoulders. Modesty in women is extremely important in this culture and as World Vision staff members we want to show our respect by dressing appropriately.

We crossed eleven time zones to arrive in Pakistan and our bodies are weary and jet-lagged. But just spending time with my Pakistani colleagues is energizing. I'm proud to be a part of this team.

Day 1: ACCLIMATING TO ISLAMABAD

Posted from Pakistan on January 19, 2006
By Katie Roland, Marketing & Communications Director

We stepped off the plane into the warm, misty Pakistan morning. When I left New York, temperatures were barely above freezing and I expected the thermostat to be even colder here. Today, however, we have 60 degrees of sunshine -- a perfect climate in which to experience the colorful energy of the Pakistani people.

The sights and smells of Islamabad greeted me within seconds of exiting the airport: cars merged into one heap, trying to escape the airport parking lot, lively women in brightly colored tunics selling a rainbow of decorative souvenirs, savory meats and seasoned rice simmering in booths, waiting to be purchased and enjoyed by anyone passing by.

In the distance, we could see a beautiful backdrop of mountains -- a majestic, serene contrast to the hustle and bustle before us.

I’m traveling with my co-worker, Amber Johnson, from World Vision’s Chicago office. We arrived today in Islamabad after nearly 16 hours in the air and a six-hour layover in London. I’m told that we crossed 11 time zones on this journey! And after a full day of briefings, training, and unpacking, I’m certainly beginning to feel the time difference catching up with me.

We began our day at the World Vision Pakistan office where our hospitable staff briefed us on World Vision’s ongoing programs and emergency response efforts. We saw firsthand the survival kits that World Vision is distributing to earthquake survivors and learned that in some regions World Vision is moving into the rehabilitation phase of the response, while in other regions we still need to distribute basic necessities, such as food and winterized tents.

Just last week, World Vision Pakistan staff found 4,000 people who had not yet been reached since the October 8 earthquake turned their world upside down. It was encouraging to hear that even three months after the disaster struck, our team is still searching for pockets of isolated people, looking to help wherever we are needed most. Providing simple resources, such as a food pack or emergency kerosene stoves (pictured at left) will enable families to survive throughout the winter.

In just a few short hours since my arrival, I have been awed by the respectfulness and courtesy of the Pakistani people and I am very thankful for the hospitality and professionalism of the World Vision Pakistan staff. It has been a joy to learn more about this city and World Vision's earthquake response programs in such a beautiful setting. But, we'll need to enjoy the warmer temperatures while we can. In a few short days we’ll face the more extreme cold when we head to World Vision's programs in the high-altitude villages.