Miller (left) hands out relief supplies to earthquake victims. Photo courtesy of THE REV. JOHN MILLER View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

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Pastor sees devastation

Culpeper minister returns from Pakistan shaken by earthquake devastation and determined to keep helping victims.

By DONNIE JOHNSTON

Date published: 11/15/2005

WHILE Americans are worrying about how they will pay heating bills this winter, the Rev. John Miller knows some 3 million Pakistanis left homeless by an Oct. 8 earthquake have a more pressing concern.

"They just want to survive the winter," said the Culpeper County minister. "Right now, the cold is their enemy."

Miller, pastor at Alum Spring Baptist Church, just returned from an eight-day emergency mission to Pakistan. There, he helped deliver tents, blankets and raincoats to the people of Bagh, a town in the Pir Panjal Mountains about 100 miles south of Islamabad.

The quake measured 7.6 on the Richter scale. The latest Pakistani government estimate puts the death toll at more than 70,000.

After seeing the devastation, Miller understands the Pakistani government's concern that as many as 100,000 displaced men, women and children may die this winter if they don't get adequate shelter.

"The worst is coming because of the winter," he said.

Although tent cities are rapidly being constructed, Miller discovered two fundamental problems in persuading displaced residents to move to a central location where government aid can be dispensed more easily.

"I found that the people in that region don't really hold formal title to their land and if they leave someone else can just come there and take it from them," he said.

"Second, many of these people still have family members buried beneath the rubble of their homes, and they refuse to leave."

Miller noted that the Pakistani government lacks enough heavy equipment to clear the debris quickly.

So, said Miller, the people stay close to their destroyed homes. In an already weakened condition, they risk dying from exposure during the coming months of cold, rain and snow, he said.

Given only three days notice, Miller dropped everything to answer an international Christian call to help. He went to Pakistan with a team of Hungarian Baptists, who have a working relationship with the Virginia Baptist Mission Board.

Arriving in Islamabad by plane, he and two Hungarian men traveled all night by truck over dangerous mountain roads to take supplies to Bagh, a town of about 10,000. Because of uncertain conditions, each of the six trucks in the convoy had an armed guard, Miller said.

Reaching Bagh in early morning, the veteran of many religious mission trips was taken aback.

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Date published: 11/15/2005