• Phoning 0800 22 10 22 (during office hours) to donate a specified amount by credit card;
• Phoning 0900 4 11 11 to automatically donate $20 through your telephone account;
• Donating online using a credit card at www.caritas.org.nz or
• Posting a cheque to: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, PO Box 12-193, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

• Our partner agency, Catholic Relief Services Pakistan, has completed the repair of one drinking water supply scheme in Shangla, which serves around 1,020 people. Six more repair schemes are being developed.
• 2,291 households have received shelter and hygiene kits, with more on the way.
• 17 community infrastructure repair projects for pathways, retaining walls and link roads have been initiated through Cash-for-Work schemes.

We were dressed and ready to go out for the New Years Eve Party. We turned on a night light, turned the answering machine on, covered our pet parakeet and put the cat in the backyard. We phoned the local cab company and requested a taxi. The taxi arrived and we opened the front door to leave the house. The cat we put out in the yard, scoots back into the house. We didn't want the cat shut in the house because she always tries to eat the bird.

My wife goes out to the taxi, while I went inside to get the cat. The cat runs upstairs, with me in hot pursuit. Waiting in the cab, my wife doesn't want the driver to know that the house will be empty for the night. So, she explains to the taxi driver that I will be out soon, "He's just going upstairs to say goodbye to my mother."

A few minutes later, I get into the cab . "Sorry I took so long," I said, as we drove away. "That stupid *** was hiding under the bed. Had to poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out! She tried to take off, so I grabbed her by the neck. Then, I had to wrap her in a blanket to keep her from scratching me. But it worked! I hauled her fat ass downstairs and threw her out into the back yard!"

The cab driver hit a parked car...