hi folks,

also wanted to update u on the NBA situation in the earthquake zone.A team of around 55 persons are in Rapar Taluka of Kutch, havong set up camp at Balasar - abt 7 kms from the pakistn boarder.the deaths in this area are ltd. but the destruction to housing is almost complete.Our team is doing excellent work out here and has therefore been given 32 villages to look after instead of the original 25.Not a single govt. of Guj or central govt team or help of any sort had reached here so far.now, the haryana govt. has sent a group and have promised tents.the leader seems sensitive and genuinely concerned.hope help arrives soon.in the meantime,electricity and the ph. line seems to have been repaired.

Medha is touring some of the saurashtra and kutch areas too - with another set of 40 odd persons, but we have not heard from them so far. relief and aid is coming in.thanks to all who have sent in the support or mobilised it. a truckload leaves for rapar on the 7th afternoon with a group of around 15 persons. please do not collect clothes. the people here do not wear saris or even pants.in a village of 3000 survivors, about 15 persons wear pants , said nandini. Tents hopefully will come in soon via haryana govt. we are buying tenting and sending it -- but only what we have already ordered. will wait and see about sending more. as ofto-day, the requirements are blankets, warm clothes, bajra,wheat / atta. we have very generous donations of the above, but we are dealing with 32 villages!! the people arte sleeping out in the open and the temperature at night is 2 degrees.

love, pervin