Well the World may have forgotten the earthquake but it is still affecting the lives of many Peruvians.
Here is a translation of a part of an email from Richar and his family, who live in a poor shantytown in the south of Lima:
Here is a translation of a part of an email from Richar and his family, who live in a poor shantytown in the south of Lima:
Richar, Marinela, Angie and Anita
“The earthquake was terrible – it shocked us and Mari and the girls were crying…the neighbours went out into the streets all shocked. Some of them were knelt down in the street, others praying and others prayer-chanting. But in Ica, Chincha and Cañete (towns south of Lima) many more people were affected. The news was terrible last night – a baby died because of the cold, because they didn’t have a house or food and so many things are going on. It is by the grace of God that we are fine.”
Our friend Humberto in Arequipa informed us that the main road between Lima and the towns in the south has been destroyed so to get to Arequipa from Lima you now have to fly.
“The earthquake was terrible – it shocked us and Mari and the girls were crying…the neighbours went out into the streets all shocked. Some of them were knelt down in the street, others praying and others prayer-chanting. But in Ica, Chincha and Cañete (towns south of Lima) many more people were affected. The news was terrible last night – a baby died because of the cold, because they didn’t have a house or food and so many things are going on. It is by the grace of God that we are fine.”
Our friend Humberto in Arequipa informed us that the main road between Lima and the towns in the south has been destroyed so to get to Arequipa from Lima you now have to fly.
Photo from the BBC
The media has been threatened for criticising the governments handling of the crisis and there have been reports of 5 officials in the province of La Victoria taking money intended for the relief fund. (See http://www.livinginperu.com for more information)
On a more positive note, people in general are rallying together to help those in need. One of our missionary friends is taking some guys from the Shanty town church he works with down to Cañete this week. They will be taking 4,000 bread rolls as well as clothes, blankets, basic foods and toiletry kits donated by the local communities to help those in need. It is humbling when the reality is that many from those communities barely live above the breadline themselves.
