MADISON, Wis. -- Local families with loved ones in Pakistan and India are pitching in to help any way they can after the devastating earthquake.

The tears, devastation and heartache reach across thousands of miles to Madisonian Mohammed Hashim.

His family lives in Southern Pakistan.

Luckily they are OK.

But his army brother Cpl. Tariq was sent to the front line.

"He's probably coordinating all the efforts," said Hashim. "Probably doing some excavations, probably him and his people will be picking up bodies."

The bodies disturb Mohammed the most.

He says mobilizing help is hard because of the country's terrain.

Now, memories of a peaceful Pakistani life are all that are left.

"The children you've seen in your recent vacation trip are going to school carrying a bag and will never be able to go back to that school because they aren't coming out of that school," he said tearfully.

But help is on the way.

Babar Basir is coordinating relief efforts on the UW campus.

His family was 100 miles south of the quake, but some have traveled to the devastation.

"There's a lot of doctors in our family," said Basir. "So a lot of them are going up north and making sure everything is okay. They were shaken by events but they seem to be handling it well."

Basir is putting flyers around campus to let others know how they can donate.

But for now, Basir and other Muslims believe the earthquake, in this holy month of Ramadan, is a sign from God.

"We need to go back to him because we don't control what happens, God does," he said.

"I think my mother will be very proud of her children helping with relief efforts," said Hashim. "In the next couple of days an organization will form to connect Pakistanis in Madison with those impacted by the disaster."

The Red Cross is also accepting donations for their emergency response to the country. Call 1-800-HELP-NOW to donate.