A CHURCH minister has launched an appeal to raise cash to re-house the people of an Indian village devastated by floods during a massive cyclone.

Dave Bullock, pastor of the Full Gospel Mission Church, Stanley Street, Brierfield, visited the Indian state of Orissa earlier this month to see the on-going clean-up after the disaster in November.

The horrors he witnessed and the plight of the people in Orissa persuaded Dave, of Clitheroe Road, Brierfield, to help in whatever way possible.

The full impact of the devastation, which killed up to 10,000 people and left 150,000 children orphaned, hit home with sickening force when Dave stepped into a ditch and on to the decomposing body of one of the cyclone's victims.

The church has strong links with Living Hope Ministries, a Christian organisation based in New Delhi which runs an orphanage in a part of Orissa which escaped the floods. The relief work by Living Hope has already started.

Ten children from the devastated area arrived at the orphanage at Christmas and Living Hope was able to supply a starving village with a lorry load of rice to last several months after raising £3,000.

Now Dave is helping to raise £20,000 for a longer-term project to re-build 150 mud and straw homes in Almo, an isolated village that was flattened by flood waters. He wants to gather enough cash to send a team of builders and materials out to Almo to show the villagers how to replace the former straw roofs with corrugated tin, which will be better able to stand the annual stormy season.

"The scenes of devastation were horrendous," said Dave, who was accompanied to Orissa by a Bolton church minister. "Once the car stopped and you got out you were hit by the stench of human flesh and you knew a body they hadn't found was nearby.

There were funeral pyres all the way along the road where people had simply put wood on top of a body and set it alight.

"All the trees were flattened and the area was simply devastated. Villages and crops were ruined by sea water which washed 18 kilometres inland. "We were meant to be there four days but after two we'd seen enough and it was so emotionally overwhelming we had to get out of there."

The orphanage in Dharamgarh was opened to children affected by the tragedy after the orphans there asked if it could take them in.

"We raised enough money to convert part of the dining room and put five bunks in there," said Dave. "I've got five of the 10 people I need to sponsor each child £10 a month and once we've got all 10 we'll look to go back and bring more children to the orphanage.

"People have been really good already, but we need help to help the people out there who have been left with nothing."

Any business and individual who can help by sending donations is asked to contact Dave on 01282 698080.

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