home › news ›

UU Relief Camp in Earthquake devasted Pakistan Nominated for Presidential Award

In earthquake devastated Pakistan, the UU Relief Camp under the leadership of Rev. Inderias Bhatti has been nominated to receive the Presidential Certificate of Appreciation for its humanitarian work among the neediest victims. The nomination was cited in 3 daily Islamabad newspapers (Pakistan capital).

In one interview Rev. Bhatti is quoted as saying, "We are a limited resourced group so we do not have much relief stuff to share but even with this limited relief we always share it to build a spirit of compassion, sharing and not as a mercy show to victims in their helplessness. The other intention is to bring the victims to normal life through opportunities of showing and sharing love and laughter."

The Relief Manager of Balakot said that the UU Camp has been cited for this honor because of "the compassion and sympathy beyond tents, clothes, blankets, relief foodstuff, etc. Their jokes, stories and participatory singing are bringing smiles to the faces and joy in the hearts of the victims in their acute losses."

Inderias says that the UU Camp reaches out to the people who are without physical or political power or access to relief stuff. "Though we do not have much to give, we do present whatever we have and help those 'left out' people to be heard. Besides that, we do share stories, songs and jokes to build compassion among the victims. "He goes on to say, "stories like Stone Soup build an attitude of sharing because there are many cases in which people have gathered together a lot of relief stuff and have hidden it."

Whether or not the Unitarian Universalists of Pakistan actually receive the Presidential Certificate of Appreciation next August, it is a great honor to have been nominated. Their work may have become a threat to local Moslem Clerics who find it a converting mission to people in need.

The need is very great and will continue. Inderias has made an appeal for money. They could also use pain medicine, cold and cough medicine, vitamins and food supplements as well as warm winter clothes, shoes, and blankets. Money can be easily transferred to him by Western Union. Clothes and such can be sent by mail. It takes a while. I usually sew it up in an old pillowcase.

—Polly Guild