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Reaching Out to Earthquake Victims in Gujarat -- Part 1

Written by FCF's Delhi-based Project Managers in India, David and Hema Mooney

(For more photos, click here.)

On January 26th a massive earthquake shook Gujarat State in Western India. Even a thousand kilometers north in New Delhi, our house shook for a full 30 seconds. Reports coming in portrayed widespread death and destruction in Gujarat. There was total confusion and chaos at first as no one knew where to start to bring relief to those affected by the quake, while meanwhile tens of thousands of bodies lay trapped and buried under the rubble of their houses.

Project Manager Hema Mooney distributing blankets to earthquake victims.

FCF Project Managers, Hema Mooney, hails from the region where the earthquake struck amplifying her concerns for the people suffering from the tragedy. Along with friends from the local community who were able to mobilize quickly, we collected two large truckloads of food, blankets, tents, medicines and water. Meanwhile we assembled a team of nurses, doctors, counselors and volunteers and headed off to the earthquake site.

After two days of travel, our team reached the villages of Bhuj and Bachau which were hardest hit. There were no buildings left standing and rubble was everywhere. The army had been called in to keep the peace and survivors were sleeping out in the open as they were afraid of the tremors that continued daily.

Thankfully, the quake hit on Republic Day, a national holiday in India, and many people were outside participating in parades and celebrations and not inside their houses or many more people would have perished from falling debris.

For the next 10 days our team distributed food, water, blankets and medicines to the survivors, tended to the injured, listened to and comforted those who had lost loved ones, and put up hundreds of tents as temporary shelter for those who had lost their homes. Altogether we stretched our relief supplies to help six villages in the earthquake area.

Volunteers distributing relief supplies to the survivors from one of the truck loads of goods we brought to the earthquake site.

We took special time to comfort and care for the children who had lost parents or brothers and sisters. We did our best to put smiles on their faces and laughter in their hearts and showed them there was hope in spite of the unexplainable tragedy that had touched them so personally.

Back in Delhi, we continue to mobilize volunteers who are driving down tons of supplies to assist the needy. We have organized other teams to help with counseling and follow up of those suffering psychological trauma.

Please keep these volunteers in your prayers and any support you can send to help our relief teams will be greatly appreciated.

Hema Mooney with children who had lost their homes. In the background is one of the tents supplied and erected for these children and their families.

Reaching Out to Earthquake Victims in Gujarat -- Part 2

For more photos, click here.