Updates from Chile Following February 27 Earthquake

The following updates were posted to keep Canadians abreast of developments following the earthquake on Saturday February 27, specifically pertaining to the congregations of the Anglican Church Diocese of Chile. To access the normal Home page for this website, simply click here.

That Saturday was Bishop Colin and Barbara Bazley's 50th anniversary. To read "Gold Among the Rubble . . . an Anniversary with a Difference", click here.

For Canadians who wish to offer financial support to Chilean victims of this earthquake, SAMS has created a relief fund which is transferred directly to the Anglican Diocese of Chile to use where it encounters the greatest and most immediate need. For information or to make a donation, click here.

March 3, 2010, From Pastor Sergio Sapunar, in Concepcion:

"We finally can e-mail again and I send you news about the earthquake in Concepcion. The truth is that the 8.8 earthquake affected our homes like nothing ever seen before. Almost all of our things were destroyed, all our dishes, TV, pictures, furniture, etc.  In truth there are only a few items we were able to rescue. Through all of this we saw the infinite mercy of our Lord. Very few homes of our brothers and sisters were damaged and thanks be to God, until now we know of no-one in the congregation who was hurt.

"However, there are now about 1000 dead in the area. Our buildings (church) were damaged, yet they did not fall. You can see serious structural damage and it looks bad, especially since they are more than 90 years old. We put our trust in God that with time these damages can be repaired and the congregation can resume regular worship in our building.

"In all of this we have seen the hand and the love of God. He is always there when we encounter difficult moments and we all must remember that our God is faithful and powerful!  In Jesus, Sergio Sapunar

March 2, 2010, News relayed from Tim & Peti Webster:

We have had an e-mail from Lucila at the Centro Yachal:     'We are all well, praise the Lord! I can honestly say that these were the most frightening three minutes of our lives. When the quake started we gathered to go downstairs to leave the house, but there was no way we could even approach the stairs. The movements were terrible and so strong that you could not move without getting hurt. We ended up huddled together in prayer and were ever so grateful when it was finally, after what seemed like an eternity, over. Interestingly enough, a few days before the Earthquake, Valentina, our daughter came downstairs one morning and told us that she had a dream about a huge Earthquake..."  

All at the church of San Joaquin are well and as of yet we have not heard about any damage to anyones' homes, the Church or the Centro, PTL! " . . .  Peti 

March 2, 2010, From Bishop Tito Zavala, via Ricardo Tucas:

"Bishop Zavala asked me to reply to your message, with gratitude for your concern and prayers on our behalf.  He could not do it himself, as he is now travelling to the devastated region of Concepción, which holds three of our urban churches and is near three other rural congregations in the High Mountains of Bio-Bio."
 
Four days following the massive earthquake in Chile, many towns are still completely isolated. Andy Bowman, until recently a USPG Mission Companion in Concepcion, has reported: "From the communications we have had with people in Santiago in the north, the situation in Concepcion seems desperate. Half a million people in Concepcion are isolated, without water, electricity, shelter and food. Shops have been looted and civil unrest appears to be widespread. Seven thousand Chilean troops have been sent to the area to maintain order."

The official death toll from the earthquake is 724. However, as the full extent of the situation becomes clear, this is likely to rise. Emergency aid is trickling in, Andy adds, after an air bridge was established between the airports in Santiago and Concepcion, both of which were badly damaged. The 8.8 magnitude earthquake on Saturday morning was so powerful it brought down buildings and bridges 500km away in Santiago. In the following three days there were 168 earthquake-severity aftershocks of between 4 and 6.9 magnitude.

In discussions on Monday with Bishop Tito and social worker Rosa Cortes, who works for the Anglican NGO CAMDES based in Concepción, the two indicated that the situation in Concepcion is critical. The four Anglican congregations there are camping together in three sites for safety and for sharing the small amount of food available. There is a well at one of these sites, so community worker Felipe Saravia is transporting water to the other two sites, where there is no water. All of the bridges across the river are either destroyed or severely damaged, so transporting water is a dangerous activity.

Anglican Churches in Santiago are sending a fleet of vehicles to deliver food supplies, emergency equipment, nappies and blankets. The vehicles set off on Tuesday, with Bishop Tito in one of them himself, however the roads are completely cut in at least four places. The journey will take at least 10 hours just to get close. The closer to Concepcion one gets, the worse the conditions of the roads, so the last part of the journey might have to be made by boat along the ocean coast.

Please remember the families and congregations in the South of Chile in your prayers at this difficult time.

March 1, 2010, From Presiding Bishop, Gregory Venables, to the dioceses of the Southern Cone (translated from Spanish):

"We are writing to you let you know that we have been in touch with Bishop Tito in the Diocese of Chile office this morning.

"The internet service and communications in general have been partially restored and working in the Diocesan office. Bishop Tito would like to assure you that both he and Bishop Abelino, the office and pastoral staff and their families are well. Their concern is that the only place they have not been able to make contact with so far is Concepcion, one of the most affected areas.

"Currently Bishop Tito and his diocesan team are coordinating the work to make contact with each zone. The pastors are going out to visit each member of their communities and churches to evaluate the situation and check on any damage which has taken place. The road and air transport situation is very complicated, but they hope to be able to drive to Concepción in the next few days with relief and gifts to help in the area.

"For the moment, meetings and retreats planned for the next few weeks have been postponed until transport can be re-established. The bishop and the whole community are grateful for your prayers and support. The main thing they need is calm, clarity and sensitivity as they make decisions in this emergency situation. We will be in touch with you when a clearer picture emerges over the next few days as to the specific needs of our brothers and sisters in Chile.

"We will stay in touch with you.

"Fraternal greetings in Christ

++Gregory Venables,   Presiding Bishop,   Province of the Southern Cone of America.

February 28, 2010, From Colin & Barbara Bazley:

"We are so grateful for your prayers and those of many people all over the world. It was the 7th strongest quake of all time since records began. It was terrible here but we were some distance from the epicentre. We went to Providencia church today and met people from Concepción who had come to Santiago before the earthquake and now can't get back. One of them told me that her husband's business premises had been razed to the ground and he was going to declare himself bankrupt tomorrow."

February 27, 2010, From Colin & Barbara Bazley:

"Thanks for your note. It was truly a mind-boggling experience. We were shaken awake at 3.34 this a.m. and I got out of bed in our top 24th floor flat and ran to the room where our guests from Bebington, David and Ann Renison, were sleeping, As I ran along the corridor the first of the huge jerks occurred and threw me from wall to wall. I eventually got their door open and David came to the door where we both sank to the floor. We stayed there wedged as best we could, he against the bed and I against the door while the jerks continued.

"It seemed never-ending and while I was there, I remembered that this was our Golden Wedding Day and in between all the other succession of thoughts I smiled to myself! The noise was deafening with crashes and thumpings as things slid around, roofing banging continuously. The lurching of the building was as if the top of the building was like the end of a whip as it jerked from one side to the other.

"When the movement stopped I went back and found Barbara trying to get out. It was very hard as three pieces of furniture had fallen down flat, with books and other stuff all over the place, so she had to climb over the bed in the darkness. The electricity had cut out immediately. The mobile phone rang and it was daughter Katherine asking if we were OK. We managed to get some clothes on, and shoes as well because there was glass all over the place, Two bottles of wine broken with contents all over the kitchen floor.

"Then son-in-law Enrique arrived. It was dark as there was no electricity, nor water or gas either. He had climbed up the 24 floors to our flat as the lifts weren't functioning, carrying torches and some anoraks. He led us down and outside into the patio where we all gathered with the Lagos and Enrique's mother.  We just sat there on some seats for a couple of hours and Fernanda plied us with bottled water. Then we were allowed back into (other daughter )

"Margaret's flat on ground floor. Katherine and Rodrigo then arrived with flasks of tea. After a while it was decided we should go back with them. We spent the rest of the night and up to mid-morning there. Then David and I went back with grandson Francisco to collect some essentials - medication, clothing, etc. We were able to get into the one lift working up to our flat on the top (24th) floor, gathered stuff out of the total mess there and left it to be cleared up another day. We then went back to Katherine's where we had a lovely comforting lunch.

"We had planned to have a celebratory meal tonight but in view of the devastation decided to put it off till later on. There is so much devastation up and down the country, 740 dead, many more injured. Most new buildings have held up as they are built with modern anti-seismic methods. Most of us felt it would be inappropriate, though some didn't want to deprive people from earning much-needed cash at this time. But it was an 8.8 earthquake (more than Haití in fact) and there are1.5 million. homeless.  The main Pan American highway motorway joining the major cities North to South has been broken in several places as bridges have collapsed. Here in Santiago the airport has been badly damaged. Concepción, 500 km South of here is a total mess. News is very jumbled at present. We'll prepare a proper letter soon. But we are grateful to the Lord for his care and praying for those who have suffered far more than we have.

"It wasn’t the Golden Wedding we had planned. But to see the way our families here have pulled together, gave us and our visitors so much care and love, made it a real golden day for us. Sammy, Enrique and Margaret’s son, had very concerned communications with his girl-friend, Peggy, a Chilean Christian girl who is on a two-year contract at a Christian school in Taiwán, received a text message from her. She quoted Isaiah 54:10: “The mountains may disappear and the hills may come to an end, but my love will never disappear. My promise of peace will never come to an end”. My Psalm this morning was number 138, and verses 7 and 8; “Though I walk in the midst of danger, yet will you preserve my life...the Lord will complete his purpose for me. Your loving kindness, o Lord, endures for ever; do not forsake the work of your own hands”.

"We stayed at Katherine and Rodrigo’s overnight. It was a quiet night, with just a few small after-shocks that didn’t wake us. We look forward to going to the Providencia church this morning to worship with God’s people. We value your prayers more than we can say."

February 27, 2010, From Sam Lago, SAMS Ireland Mission Partner:

"First thing to say is that this not as bad as the earthquake in Haiti. Chile was much more prepared in terms of infrastructure than Haiti was. The earthquake here released about 500 times more energy and the destruction comparatively is not nearly as bad.

"Having said that, things are quite difficult. Currently in my home, there is no electricity, phone or gas, though thankfully running water. Most supermarkets are closed, but there are small corner shops selling water and basic goods. The lines for petrol go round corners, as rumours are spreading about fuel shortages. Other than that, generally Santiago is okay.

"Where things are really bad is in Concepción, Chillán, Talca and the surrounding villages and towns in the south. There has been very bad communication with no one really knowing what has been going on as the phone lines have been down and mobile phone signals are weak and unreliable. The news we're now getting is quite disturbing: riots, looting, people trapped under buildings and even hundreds of people having escaped the local prison. On the coast some towns have been hit by tsunamis (though things are calmer now on that front). Prayers are really needed and appreciated for:

(1) social stability: that the military may get there soon and establish some sort of order, even if Martial Law is needed for a few hours and

(2) for the church to accompany and help people in the midst of
strategy, and that Jesus Christ may be lifted up in word and deed in this situation.

"Thankfully, the news from the Concepción church seems to be okay in and of itself. We've heard news of many of the church's families staying together and sharing food and lodgings, as things are much more difficult there."