e are doing our best to help the homeless in the wake of cyclone Sidr. We offer help and comfort to all those in need without distinction”, says Bishop Bejoy D’Cruze, OMI, of the diocese of Khulna, with regard to the situation following the cyclone which affected about 8 million people. “We have priests, religious and lay people working in various fields. The local Caritas office is fully occupied providing assistance. Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity are helping those most in need- women and children and the elderly, providing material and spiritual aid. We have made available our resources and our structures to help the people”, said the Bishop who says more international aid is needed.
“Life here is precarious - said Bishop D’Cruze -. My house was also affected by the storm which destroyed the lives of thousands of people. The government and the NGOs are still counting the number of victims, between 10-15 thousand and trying to assess damages. Some areas have not yet been reached by humanitarian aid. This is an emergency because harvests have been lost and the people have no access to clean water ”.
We see that the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate in Bangladesh were among the first to offer help to the disaster victims. Typhoons in July and August left thousands homeless and cyclone Sidr, in November made things even worse. The OMI community in Dacca, has united with other religious to assist over 1,650 families who have lost loved ones and material possessions.
The different Christians present in Bangladesh are working together to help those in need
with an ecumenical committee. The members include Caritas Bangladesh, Christian Aid, Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh, Church of Bangladesh, Koinonia, Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh.
(From Fides Service)