We have been hit hard, but there is not time to cry
Confusion, consternation and suffering. But for the Church in the areas destroyed by the tsunami and for the missionaries who work there, this is also a time of solidarity and mobilisation in helping the people most affected by this tragic event. This is also a reality for the survivors now facing the threat of epidemics ? typhoid, diarrhoea and hepatitis – that tend to develop in situations of this kind. Many of these people are also coping with their grief for their loved ones who have died and the need to bury them quickly but with respect.
The damage to church structures is generally limited, but in some dioceses the Christian community has been hard hit. And in this predicament the local bishops, together with missionaries and religious, are often the points of reference for the organisation of aid and support for those who are left without a house or worse, without a family.
The General Council has been in contact with our brothers in Sri Lanka, India and Malaysia, who have informed us that they and their families are safe. We feel in communion with their people, especially with so many who have lost their families or belongings in this tragedy.