Anglican Mainstream

Should you and your church wish to contribute you may do so via Anglican International Development at 21 High Street, Eynsham, OX29 4HE, or by donated through the Donate button here earmarked for Chilean Earthquake. If you wish to send funds directly please email anglicanaid@gmail.com for bank details.  All proceeds go to the church in Chile.

The University of Ohio has announced that the city of Concepción, near the epicentre has moved 3.9 metres into the Pacific.  Santiago has moved 27.7 cms to the west, and even Buenos  Aires is between 2 and 3 cms further west than it was before the earthquake. So South America continues to distance itself from Africa!

The list of fatalities is now 479.  There has been tremendous relief at finding groups of  people in the hills fearing tsunamis, or in shelters and refuges unknown to family and friends. The lack of communications did not help.  The list is about half of what was first feared.

One and a quarter million pounds worth of stolen goods has been returned or abandoned.  Either the thieves had the grace to repent, or found they were unable to resell.  In any case condemnation of the looting and pillage has been very vocal.

The Ministry of Education plans 3 shifts of children in some schools as a temporary measure while repairs and rebuilding take place.  The school where Margaret teaches has 9 classrooms out of action.  In Talcahuano, near the epicentre, a secondary school has a trawler sitting in its playground, deposited there by the tsunami.

The quake of course occurred at 3;30 a.m. The first reaction was “Things are always worse at night”, but as the scale of devastation has become known, and we see schools flattened, it  realised that the children were better off at home.

After-shocks still occur several times each day, producing general anxiety – we all become suggestible and stiffen at all kinds of harmless bumps and vibrations.

The Chilean flag flies from many buildings, half-mast sometimes, where there has been loss of life, but usually flying high as a signal of resolution and patriotism.  Cars and taxis bear the slogan “Chile, be strong” whitewashed on to the back window.  One high-rise tower has a gigantic flag fastened flat on its elliptical side and visible for miles as an inspiration and encouragement.

A television money-raising programme which continued for 2 days last weekend, produced 40 million pounds, double what was expected. Air Force helicopters comb the hillsides for people still needing help. It feels as if the whole nation country is focused on earthquake aid. Our own grandchildren are fully involved.  Francisco is loading lorries of aid at a supermarket, Andrea is giving legal advice to those with damaged homes, Ximena is leading a team putting up little emergency houses from packs.  Fernanda travelled south with a large numberof young people from the Anglican churches in Santiago. They travelled in 3 buses and are sleeping in a school, and are clearing rubble, organising children’s activities, helping in the first aid post and helping people feed their cattle. In the coastal village where they are, panic begins with every after-shock, for fear of another tsunami like the one which demolished their homes and took lives too.

We managed to get to three services last Sunday.  Colin preached on the Kingdom which cannot be shaken, from Hebrews 12.  In the evening we heard a sermon on Joel, which taught that all natural disasters are a warning about the Day of the Lord.  We heard some really moving prayers, and felt the warmth and unity of a church whose members had themselves lost walls from their houses, and committed the young people going out to help the victims to the Lord in prayer.

–
Chris Sugden
Anglican Mainstream
www.anglican-mainstream.net

The University of Ohio has announced that the city of Concepción, near the epicentre has moved 3.9 metres into the Pacific.  Santiago has moved 27.7 cms to the west, and even Buenos  Aires is between 2 and 3 cms further west than it was before the earthquake. So South America continues to distance itself from Africa! 

The list of fatalities is now 479.  There has been tremendous relief at finding groups of  people in the hills fearing tsunamis, or in shelters and refuges unknown to family and friends. The lack of communications did not help.  The list is about half of what was first feared.

A million pounds worth of stolen goods has been returned or abandoned.  Either the thieves had the grace to repent, or found they were unable to resell.  In any case condemnation of the looting and pillage has been very vocal.

The Ministry of Education plans 3 shifts of children in some schools as a temporary measure while repairs and rebuilding take place.  The school where Margaret teaches has 9 classrooms out of action.  In Talcahuano, near the epicentre, a secondary school has a trawler sitting in its playground, deposited there by the tsunami.

The quake of course occurred at 3;30 a.m. The first reaction was “Things are always worse at night”, but as the scale of devastation has become known, and we see schools flattened, it  realised that the children were better off at home.

After-shocks still occur several times each day, producing general anxiety – we all become suggestible and stiffen at all kinds of harmless bumps and vibrations.

The Chilean flag flies from many buildings, half-mast sometimes, where there has been loss of life, but usually flying high as a signal of resolution and patriotism.  Cars and taxis bear the slogan “Chile, be strong” whitewashed on to the back window.  One high-rise tower has a gigantic flag fastened flat on its elliptical side and visible for miles as an inspiration and encouragement.

A television money-raising programme which continued for 2 days last weekend, produced one and a quarter million pounds, double what was expected. Air Force helicopters comb the hillsides for people still needing help. It feels as if the whole nation country is focused on earthquake aid. Our own grandchildren are fully involved.  Francisco is loading lorries of aid at a supermarket, Andrea is giving legal advice to those with damaged homes, Ximena is leading a team putting up little emergency houses from packs.  Fernanda travelled south with a large group of young people from the Anglican churches in Santiago. They travelled in 3 buses and are sleeping in a school, and are clearing rubble, organising children’s activities, and helping in the first aid post.

We managed to get to three services last Sunday.  Colin preached on the Kingdom which cannot be shaken, from Hebrews 12.  In the evening we heard a sermon on Joel, which taught that all natural disasters are a warning about the Day of the Lord.  We heard some really moving prayers, and felt the warmth and unity of a church whose members had themselves lost walls from their houses, and committed the young people going out to help the victims to the Lord in prayer.

ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE OVERALL SITUATION IN THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN CHILE

To: Parishes and Mission groups of the Anglican Church in Chile

From: The Diocesan Bishop

Date: 1 March 2010

Beloved in Christ,

May the grace, mercy and love of Christ be with each one of you.

Apart from the VIII Region, the general situation of the church is good. There has been no loss of life, although there is some structural damage to buildings which will need to be repaired during the second stage of recovery.

The little information we have received on what is happening in Concepción, hampered by the breakdown in communications and the supply of electricity, is as follows:

·         The city of Concepción is still isolated; electricity supply has not been established, and due to lack of transport no food, water or petrol is getting through.

·         Around seventy families from our church have been affected. Our brethren are sleeping in tents in three different parts of the city: Manqimavida, San Pedro de la Paz and Las Lomas.

·         As the families are grouped together they can share cooking pots and maximise the few provisions they have between them.

At an emergency meeting, the Diocese decided to take help to the area. We called upon our churches, both in Chile and abroad to help carry out the following plan:

1.      It is very important for the church to unite and mobilise, to help, first of all,  our brethren in the churches in Concepción, and then the other seriously affected towns in the VII Region.

2.      We would like to support those affected in an integrated way (body, mind and spirit)

3.      We are asking pastors and lay leaders to create and organise prayer networks in each church, so that ultimately the Lord may be glorified in this whole situation.

4.      Churches in the metropolitan area of Santiago are asked to help with funds, non perishable goods, nappies, bottled water and blankets. Please get in touch with this office if you need help with transport.

5.      God willing, on Tuesday 2 March I hope to take a truck of goods to Concepción. Another truck is due to leave for the coastal area of the VII Region at the same time.

6.      On Wednesday 3 March a lorry will depart with goods for Concepción.

7.      In Concepción itself we will need to evaluate the situation on the ground.

Finally, we remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ ^“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me'.”

In the service of Christ

Rt Revd Hector Zavala

Diocesan Bishop