[Anglican Communion News Service] Due to heavy, sustained rainfall in recent months, the Church of Pakistan, United has urged Anglican sisters and brothers to pray for those in their province who have been impacted by the floods.
The local church has also been involved in distributing relief items such as baby food and sanitation kits for women, as well as providing prayer and counseling services for those affected by the ongoing period of extreme weather.
According to Amnesty.org, Pakistan contributes just 1% of global greenhouse emissions annually, yet faces some of the highest risks from climate disasters.
The group also reports that these “unnatural disasters fueled by climate change are increasingly the norm in Pakistan. Floods, droughts and heatwaves – previously once-in-a-century events – have become a near-annual event.”
Anglican churches all around the world are on the frontline of the devastation caused by climate change, responding to the climate crisis with emergency and disaster relief, as in the case of the Church of Pakistan. In addition to responding to crises, Anglicans are also driving proactive creation care initiatives.
The Lungs of the Earth seeks to amplify environmental and advocacy work from Anglican provinces around the world and celebrate the work of Anglican environmental activists, including Green Anglicans and the Anglican Communion Environmental Network.
It is also an invitation for Anglican churches to act to “restore and protect the Lungs of the Earth,” focusing on three vital ecosystems: oceans, forests and ice caps.
The statement from the Church in Pakistan, United follows.
A Call to Prayer and Solidarity Amidst the Devastating Floods in Pakistan
As Pakistan endures one of the most destructive seasons in recent memory, we invite you to join us in prayer and action.
Since June of this year, the nation has been ravaged by a relentless monsoon. Flash floods, overflowing rivers and landslides have devastated homes and livelihoods.
More than 805 people have died and thousands injured in the carnage. Entire families have been killed in this devastation (confirmed by the National Disaster Management Authority). Some bodies will take a long time to find, as rescue workers make their way through the wreckage of destroyed homes and disrupted lives. Roads and bridges across the country lie in ruins.
The urgency continues, as warnings go out that flood waters from Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej continue to overflow toward the Indus, risking wider inundation, through August and beyond.
At this time, I urge you to join us in crying out to God for Pakistan, particularly those severely affected at this time, the frailest, the most vulnerable: homeless, grieving and lost. As the flood waters spread out and drown vast parts of the country, we are reminded that God is with us.
May your prayers spread out like a vast tent, covering the nation. The struggle will continue as we try once again to recover from the damage and move towards restoration.
As I urge you to pray, I ask you to remember the rescue services and those in positions of authority and governance as they strive day and night to serve those who are affected. We are blessed by brave first responders, aid workers, pastoral care teams across the land.
May God grant wisdom and a heart of compassion to our leaders as they help us navigate these troubled waters.
— The Most Rev. Azad Marshall, moderator/president bishop, Church of Pakistan and bishop of Raiwind