FOLLOWING the devastating terrorist attacks in the US, it is difficult to imagine how anything good could come from it. But it certainly has brought the international community together, which has recognized the fact that it is not just the families of those killed in the US who are in need of aid, but also the Afghan refugees who face an uncertain future trapped on the borders of their own country with little food and shelter to sustain them.

In a show of inter-faith solidarity, Roman Catholic and Islamic aid agencies have joined forces to respond to the refugee crisis in Afghanistan. Cafod — the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development — has pledged financial support to Islamic Relief’s humanitarian programmes in Afghanistan. The agency still has local staff in the country who stand ready to distribute what food stocks remain in their warehouses.

Other staff in neighbouring Pakistan have joined the desperate race to pre-position supplies of food, water, blankets and tents to cope with the massive influx of refugees.

Dr Hany El Banna, director of Islamic Relief, and Julian Filochowski, director of Cafod, recently said in a joint statement: “The crisis faced by the world today is not a war between Islam and Christianity or a conflict between Muslim and Catholic. Our agencies are proud to be working together to support the poorest and most vulnerable people whose plight has been both highlighted and exacerbated by recent events.

THE following are from actual resumes:

* “Personal: I’m married with 9 children. I don’t require prescription drugs.

* “I am extremely loyal to my present firm, so please don’t let them know of my immediate availability.”

* “Qualifications: I am a man filled with passion and integrity, and I can act on short notice. I’m a class act and do not come cheap.”

* “I intentionally omitted my salary history. I’ve made money and lost money. I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. I prefer being rich.”

* “Note: Please don’t misconstrue my 14 jobs as ‘job-hopping’. I have never quit a job.”

* “Number of dependents: 40.”

* “Marital Status: Often. Children: Various.”

* “Here are my qualifications for you to overlook.”

 

REASONS FOR LEAVING THE LAST JOB:
* “Responsibility makes me nervous.”

* “They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 every morning. Couldn’t work under those conditions.”

* “Was met with a string of broken promises and lies, as well as cockroaches.”

“I was working for my mom until she decided to move.”

“The company made me a scapegoat — just like my three previous employers.”

 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
* “While I am open to the initial nature of an assignment, I am decidedly disposed that it be so oriented as to at least partially incorporate the experience enjoyed heretofore and that it be configured so as to ultimately lead to the application of more rarefied facets of financial management as the major sphere of responsibility.”

* “I was proud to win the Gregg Typting Award.”

 

SPECIAL REQUESTS & JOB OBJECTIVES:
* “Please call me after 5:30 because I am self-employed and my employer does not know I am looking for another job.”

* “My goal is to be a meteorologist. But since I have no training in meteorology, I suppose I should try stock brokerage.”

* “I procrastinate — especially when the task is unpleasant.”

 

PHYSICAL DISABILITIES:
* “Minor allergies to house cats and Mongolian sheep.”

 

PERSONAL INTERESTS:
* “Donating blood. 14 gallons so far.”