In a short note to Columban Superior General, Fr Dan O’Connor gives us an insight into just one evening in the parish of Badin, Pakistan.
Women and children waiting patiently to be seen by a doctor, Pakistan. Photo: Missionary Society of St Columban
Warm greetings to you from hot Badin.
A number of happenings here in Badin Parish today.
No time for boredom. This evening when much of the city was in darkness because of load shedding (no electricity), we had a few people visit the rectory.
A mother with her baby, born prematurely a week ago, was asked by the public hospital to move on as their one-week admission limit had expired. The baby is being fed via a tube as she is unable to be breastfed. We contacted an Italian Sister, who reminds me of Mother Teresa, and arranged for the baby and mother to go to the hospital in Hyderabad as the nearby hospital is too expensive.
Recently some very poor people needed a place to lay their heads, and so we agreed that they live at the cemetery area. Another family live in a watchman's house at the cemetery to care for the Christian cemetery and keep the dogs away. Sometimes the dogs dig up the shallow graves and then tragically take dead babies. This evening, the newly arrived family fled to the church here as they had been attacked by the people living in the watchman's house. We will have a meeting with the family who live in the watchman's house tomorrow.
A catechist also came seeking food rations for cleaners who had not been paid their salary for some months. We were able to help them.
Time to "hit the hay". Greetings to Kiwi Brian (Fr Brian Vale, Society Vicar). The Black Caps (NZ) cricket team are doing very well but face the might of India tomorrow.
Columban Fr Daniel O’Connor from New Zealand has worked in Pakistan for over 30 years.
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