Sunday afternoon in Muzzarafabad

Asaleem alekum (forgive the spelling) or peace be with you,

This is the formal greeting here, although many rather use English with the 'americans'. We are in M-bad for the day, and have seen more devastation than I believed possible. It is set in a valley and whole sections of mountain are gone, taking houses with them as they crush the city below. We could see houses standing just 50 feet above the landslide, seemingly untouched. But as we get closer, nothing is untouched. House after house crushed, some to rubble, others merely collapsing upon themselves, killing all inside. Now people live outside, not trusting the buildings to hold (there goes a chopper - they are a constant presence, trying to carry supplies into the mountains.) while they sleep.
THere are tent villages everywhere, run by a myriad of local and foreign ngos. I don't know what will happen in a month when the snow comes, and I don't think they do either.
THere is a field hospital that encompasses a huge open air cricket stadium. Dozens of tents, dotting the fields as we travel the mountains above.
Weep for these people. There is so little that can be done and yet everyone is working madly to do something. And yet I sit in an internet cafe just off the main drag, the music playing, the computers are running, and business as usual. The only sign I can see of the earthquake is a crack in the cement wall beside me.

We are doing well - living in a small tent village of our own. We eat some meals with our hosts, enjoying wonderful Pakistani food - which they say is similar to Indian, but not as spicy. We will meet this afternoon with a village elder to determine a plan of work for the next two weeks. I think we are getting closer to some more 'productive' work. Although I hesitate to say it that way, as I believe we have done good work already. The tentative plan is to split into two groups, one staying at the NGO's compound, improving the buildings there, making the hospital more functional. Many hospitals have been destroyed and this is the only one for miles.
The othere group will head into the villages, helping to catalyze construction. We will offer some workshops on rebar and cement pier construction but most importantly we will work side by side with people whose homesare destroyed. THe destruction has to be numbing. So many listless people, losing the will to rebuild. We will attempt to offer hope.

We had a good worship service this morning - the eight of us are feeling strong and connected to each other. God is good.

I must go - time to meet the others.

Love,
Jon UB