ASIA/THAILAND - “Most of the members of the Catholic parish at Phuket survived because they were in church for Sunday Mass, then the seaquake struck, but they lost everything and will have to start life all over again”, says PIME Father Claudio Corti on mission in Thailand

Phuket (Fides Service) - Missionaries of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions PIME are sending aid to Thailand through Father Pietro Bancha, parish priest in Phuket, the Thai area most affected by the tsunami. In a letter to Fides Father Claudio Corti PIME, on mission in Thailand, said most of the Catholics in Phuket are safe because they were in church for Sunday Mass when the disaster struck. The church is situated in the hills. He explains in his letter: “But they have lost everything they had: homes, fishing boats, nets and other tools, small businesses and they will have to start all over again. There is also a danger that many more people may die in epidemics of cholera and skin diseases”. Father Corti said many children have been separated from their parents and many are now orphans. Some families have been reunited thanks to photographs shown all day long on local and national television. In the meantime a home is being built for a hundred children found wandering around alone.
“Now - the missionary said - attention focuses on the survivors. At the moment there is enough food for everyone, in fact help from the centre and north of Thailand was most generous. What is needed in food which can be stored, and cooking utensils. The parish priest in Phuket and his groups have opened feeding centres and are taking food to remote areas”.
Padre Claudio ends his letter with an encouragement not to lose confidence in the love of God, because God alone knows the answer to the many “whys” heard in the life of humanity and the history of the world. Help can be sent to Thailand through PIME in Milan (tel 02-43820555) or e-mail to Father Claudio (claudio@loxinfo.co.th ). (Agenzia Fides 5/1/2005 righe 33 parole 347)