Rebuilding a nation in distress

Santiago – In no more than a few minutes Chile has become a nation in distress. After the devastating earthquake last Saturday, over two million people have become homeless and many are left without food and water. The team of Operation Mobilisation (OM) in Chile tries to reach out to people in need.

“It was three in the morning and we woke up with our building moving. It seemed a dream that became a nightmare as we came to understand what was happening.” Carlos Alberto Correa, field leader of OM Chile, describes the situation he found himself in last Saturday. “The earthquake just touched our country”, he states, “and it was terrible”.

In the streets of Chile’s capital Santiago, the sounds of glasses breaking and people screaming mixed with sirens of police and fire brigade. People stayed outside all night, afraid to go back into their houses.

About 400 kilometers south – in the area of the epicentre – the shock destroyed homes and lives of hundreds of people. The number of casualties has risen to over 700 people. Approximately over two million people have become homeless; a number of villages at the coast is still isolated from the rest of the country. After Saturday, there were more than a hundred minor quakes.

Meanwhile, people started to plunder stores, which makes the situation in Chile even more unsafe. Others hoard up groceries from the supermarkets; food and water have become scarce. The army tries to maintain order. Churches start giving emergency aid – and so does OM Chile.

This Wednesday, the team plans to travel to one of the cities that is heavily affected by the earthquake, in order to make contacts with local pastors and churches. “I’d like to come up with a plan in partnership with the local churches and pastors to bring aid to those who are in need”, Correa states. Blankets, beds and food – his team aims to help with whatever is needed to relief the country.

Before going to the south, the team is having its monthly day of fasting and praying. “Please, pray for the trip and for our Lord’s guidance for the ministry of OM Chile in the next few weeks”, the OM leader requests. “We want to mobilize churches, people and organizations to reach out and help to rebuild the nation.”

He is thankful that all the members of the OM team and their relatives and acquaintances are safe. “We praise the Lord that everyone is fine. The walls in the office have minor damages, but the computers only moved forward and didn’t fall.”

The OM team members in Chile are eager to start helping. “We want to see churches and houses being rebuilt and people to understand that our Lord is great and mighty to save and keep us safe.”