Speaking about the conflict in Palestine and Israel after praying the Angelus in St Peter's Square this week, Francis asked the world to "think of the children" who suffer as a result of war.

For "all the children affected by this war, as well as in Ukraine and in other conflicts - this is how their future is being killed" Francis told them.

He reminded them that many children were taken hostage on 7 October during the Hamas attack.

In God's name stop!

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says of the over 200 hostages held in Gaza, 33 are children.

"May they return to their families" the Pope prayed.

"May the hostages be freed immediately."

Francis begged that "avenues will be pursued so that an escalation of the conflict might be absolutely avoided."

This is urgent "so that the wounded can be rescued and help might get to the population of Gaza where the humanitarian situation is extremely serious."

The Gaza Health Ministry estimates over 9,000 people have been killed and 32,000 wounded in Israel's war against Hamas.

"I continue to think about the serious situation in Palestine and in Israel where many, many people have lost their lives" Francis said.

"In God's name, I beg you to stop. Cease fire!"

Widespread suffering

Besides those affected by wars, Francis reminded the St Peter's crowd that other parts of the world are seeing great suffering at present too.

He mentioned particularly the people of Nepal, to whom he expressed his closeness.

They suffered an earthquake that killed 150 people on 3 November.

He also prayed for Afghan refugees in Pakistan who are facing mass deportation.

Source

• Catholic Leader

Year 6 student Ben Pawsey came up with the idea of an art auction to raise money for Nepal because art is his favourite subject, and "hopefully it will help them rebuild their houses and repair all the destruction that was done during the earthquakes".

The charity art auction attracted more than 100 people and donations were made by more than 70 artists and local businesses. Aiming to raise just $1,000 by auctioning their own artworks and works donated by local artists, the students' expectations were far exceeded by what became a community event.

Held on Friday, 5 June, the charity art auction attracted more than 100 people and donations were made by more than 70 artists and local businesses.

"The students felt a special empathy for the people of Nepal because they remember the Christchurch earthquakes and have felt rumbles themselves in Fairlie," says St Joseph's Principal Angela Marshall.

"Some people were concerned by news reports that money was not reaching people in Nepal, so I told the kids to call Caritas and ask whether the money raised will go directly to the people that need it."

Michael Stewart, Caritas' social justice education coordinator, visited the school on Wednesday to receive the cheque.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is a member of a global Caritas confederation that responds to emergencies around the world, and has so far provided much needed shelter, water, food and hygiene kits to more than 137,000 Nepalese people in the worst affected areas of the country.

Caritas is an established, well-respected organisation in Nepal, and is able to channel funds raised for crucial supplies directly to those most in need," says Mark Mitchell, Humanitarian Programmes Coordinator for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand.

"New Zealand and Nepal have close ties, and Ben Pawsey is part of a new generation that continues to strengthen those bonds."

Source

Supplied

The spotlight is no longer shining brightly on Nepal but the human suffering continues.

Rain has already begun to fall and will intensify as the monsoon season begins, bringing landslides and disease to many already desperate communities.

"We are shaken but not beaten; we shall rise as one stronger Nepal. It may take a little longer but rise we shall," says Fr Pius Perumana, Director of Caritas Nepal.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is still appealing for donations to provide humanitarian relief to those affected by this major emergency in Nepal.

Despite the many people that have already been reached, some areas are very difficult to access and Caritas teams are using tractors or travelling on foot to reach some of the more isolated villages.

Thokarpa is a village like this where Caritas has provided relief supplies to people and is supporting a Health Post treating the injured and ill.

Staffed by two dedicated young workers, the post has been able to treat more than 400 people in the past month, despite severe shortages in basic medicines after the earthquakes.

"During the day, we forget our sorrows by treating people. But by the night, we too miss our homes and dear ones."

"That makes us sad, but we are not the only victims here," assistant health worker Ganga Pathak (24) said.

Ms Pathak operates the Outpatient Department services, while her co-worker Rewati Thapa (20) handles delivery cases.

Donations to assist with Caritas' humanitarian response can be made by:

• Donate online using a credit card
• Internet banking - account #03 0518 0211216 00
• Phoning 0800 22 10 22 to make credit card donations

Source

• caritas.org.nz
• Image: caritas.org.nz

Thousands of much-needed tarpaulins and hygiene kits are being distributed to households outside of Kathmandu, including villages in the Gorkha district where the devastating 7.9 earthquake was centred. Although only about 80 kilometres from Kathmandu, these villages are situated in some the most inaccessible areas of the country and include villages that had not yet received any assistance.

"Thank God we still have enough to eat and we still have some cows left. But what we urgently need is a tarpaulin of our own....Having my own tarpaulin [seems like] some kind of luxury to me," says a resident of Marchugaun - a small village of about 120 inhabitants 30 kilometres from the epicentre.

In place of a village nearby lies only rubble. Around 90 percent of the houses have been totally destroyed and people are mourning the dozens of casualties. Those who survived spent nights out in the open, in the rain, until relief goods arrived.

"The impending monsoon season will bring more distress and the additional risk of disease outbreaks, so temporary shelter is essential for those still without a roof over their heads," says Mark Mitchell, Humanitarian Programmes Coordinator for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand.

An estimated 8 million people have been affected by the Nepal earthquake and the Government reports that 13 of the 75 districts in the country have been severely impacted. Meanwhile, the death toll continues to rise past 7,000, with thousands injured, and more than 3 million people are in need of food.

Caritas is also providing food, clean water and sanitation, and counselling for those traumatised by the disaster, and the worldwide Caritas network has pledged 3 million Euros to the emergency response. This initial two-month response project aims to provide water purification tablets, hygiene kits, temporary shelter and other crucial items to 20,000 vulnerable households in the worst-affected parts of the country.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has a long relationship with communities in Nepal and has worked alongside Caritas Nepal for more than a decade to support farmers in developing strong small farming and agro-business co-operatives. This has helped to improve the lives of rural poor, ensure food security and create sustainable economies for these communities.

For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Communications, Marketing and Fundraising Advisor Crispin Anderlini on 021 190 9908 or email to crispin@caritas.org.nz

To donate to the Caritas response in Nepal and help provide immediate needs to people in Nepal:

Text NEPAL to 833 to donate $3 to Caritas' relief work in Nepal
Call 0900 4 11 11 to make an automatic $20 donation to Caritas's work - a debit in the name of 'Caritas' will be added to your next telephone bill.
Donate online at www.caritas.org.nz
Phone 0800 22 10 22 to make credit card donations

Source

• Suppied

Mitchell is a humanitarian programme coordinator for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand.

He has just returned from Vanuatu.

He arrived there just three days after Cyclone Pam hit.

Now, though dates had not yet been confirmed, he will soon be heading to another disaster zone - Nepal.

He expects to head over in a couple of months.

He was not going immediately because "we don't want to be sending people if it is not people that are needed."

"What is needed is money and support."

Caritas already has staff on the ground trying to get the country back on its feet.

For more than ten years Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has worked with its counterpart in Nepal to support farmers, developing strong small farming and agribusiness cooperatives.

They are now using these long established relationships to reach some of the most marginalised communities in the country.

Caritas in Nepal is a well-respected partner of the Nepalese Government for humanitarian relief work and is negotiating to continue directly implementing its response to the earthquake.

"Our Caritas network is supporting the Caritas Nepal team as they prioritise emergency shelter, trauma counselling, food, clean water and the hygiene materials people desperately need," says Mitchell.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

Caritas responded rapidly to the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that happened on Saturday.

It was centered 10 miles below the surface, less than 50 miles from the capital of Kathmandu.

Assessments are coming in and Caritas teams in-country are organising the response.

Straight after the earthquake the airport was closed, so Caritas members made plans to send aid overland from India.

"Rescue is the first priority. Lots of people have lost their homes and are out on the street or in open spaces, so we will be looking to provide them with food and temporary shelter," said Caritas Nepal director, Fr. Pius Perumana S.J. in Kathmandu.

He said that there has been lots of physical damage, electricity has been down, making communications difficult and roads are blocked.

"Lots of houses have fallen down and there are lots with cracks. Thank God it was during the day and on a holiday, as many people were outside when the quake happened."

"Caritas has a very strong disaster response team who have been responding to other emergencies like the landslides that affected communities in Nepal in August 2014," says Anna Robertson, Programmes Coordinator for Nepal.

More than 3000 are already reported to have been killed by the quake and subsequent avalanches triggered in the Himalayas.

The death toll is expected to rise.

Donations to assist with the humanitarian response can be made by:

• Donating online using a credit card at www.caritas.org.nz
• Internet banking - account #03 0518 0211216 00
• Phoning 0800 22 10 22 to make credit card donations

Source

• Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
• The Atlantic
• Image: Time.com