Team Field Updates (sent via cellular and email)
TEAM CONCEPCION: (Mar 12 - 3:20pm local)
Friday: both relief teams are heading back to santiago, yesterday team from iloca had to evacuate with villagers to hills as a 7.2 earthquake hit with a tsunami warning, they stayed an extra day to continue reconstruction of homes.
Concepción: after the tsunami warning we were able to return to boca sur and Candelaria, neither of these districts have received government aid, we are working with two sister churches in these areas, distributing aid to the most needy, we hope to maintain these relationships and through them extend the kingdom in this region.
As we return to Santiago we now enter into a second phase of relief. first phase was, and remains, providing aid for urgent needs such as food and water to those who had not received any. The second phase, reconstruction, has already begun in iloca which is working on damaged homes as well as building shelters for those who lost everything...it is only three months ‘til winter and we need to move fast.
Long term third phase will involve developing means of sustenance for those who now have no way to provide for their families. A simple example are the fishermen who have no nets or boats to continue their trade.
The months and year ahead will be filled with opportunities to show God’s love to many whose lives have been momentarily shattered.
TEAM CONCEPCION: (Mar 11 - 10:01pm local) C. Kallestad
We began our day in Iloca before heading to Concepcion. A half an hour before entering this costal town I notice that most houses are severely damaged. Many signs say "tambien necesitamos ayuda Aqui" (We also need help here) As we go through Iloca we see houses completely overturned, and the rest torn to shreds. Complete destruction. one of the three waves that hit was over 50 feet high.
the school in iloca was washed away, parents don't know when or if their children will start classes again. Two young girls say they can’t forget the car lights going under the water, taken by the wave, some with passengers inside. Saw and talked to fishermen, their nets and boats are gone, they have no way to work.
Concepcion: we arrive as people are moving quickly towards higher ground, everyone fearful because of a new tsunami warning (3 major aftershocks hit Chile during lunchtime). See one family still living in tent , we met them last week, their house was washed away, have nowhere else to go, all they can do is wait and hope help will come. Mother of family tells Clint we are the only group of people she has seen come back. Gathered in a circle and prayed with families living in tents on hill top overlooking the ocean praying for protection and peace.
TEAM CONCEPCION: (Mar 11 - 8:48pm local)
Call from the team. Got everything distributed. Many conversations with people who are really starting to get scared. Our aid is only the 2nd or 3rd that they have received in almost two weeks now. People are so unsure of so many things and don't have work or anything else to fall back on. No boats, no nets, offices destroyed, stores destroyed, they don't know what they are going to do. We need to press on and share the hope that we know. They were blessed to be able to spend more time with people today and listen to them. There is a lot of psychological damage done to people's lives too. Keep praying for this hard hit area please.
SANTIAGO HOME OFFICE: (Mar 11 - 5:31pm local time)
We have heard from the team in Iloca and praise God they are all safe. They headed up into the hills with the people from the village. They will be staying out there over night. In the meantime the teams are distributing the aid they have taken in. The country has been rumbling all day and continues to do so. It all started early this morning with some 5+ quakes then moved into the 7 and 6 range around lunch time just as the country was swearing in it's new president.
SANTIAGO HOME OFFICE: (Mar 11 - 1:37pm local time)We have made contact with Team Concepcion. They did not feel the quakes in the car but couldn't understand why the traffic was so heavy coming up from the coast. We have not reached the Team Iloca. The ground is still rumbling beneath us today.
SANTIAGO HOME OFFICE: (Mar 11 - 12:28pm local time)
This morning at 11:30 we experience a 7.2 aftershock that lasted for over one minute. Within 15 minutes we experienced a 6.9 that lasted for about as long. As this update is being typed the ground continues to move. We have teams in Iloca and Concepcion today where tsunami warnings have been issued and we have no cell phone coverage.
PLEASE PRAY for their safety and for the safety of the people of Chile!
DIEGO: (Mar 10 - 1:52am local time)
We are heading back South after loading up with a new truckload of food supplies for Concepcion and Iloca. This time there will be one large team heading for Iloca to bring relief items and building supplies. From that team we will be sending off a smaller contingent to Concepcion to deliver much needed food supplies. There is also a small team from of children’s workers that will arrive in concepcion on wed to help the children deal with the trauma they are going through.
Blessings
DIEGO: (Mar 9 - 8:44pm local time)
Friday, after distributing aid in the Penco sector of Concepcion, we spent the night in Los Angeles due to the 6pm military curfew in Concepcion.
The next day we entered Concepcion on the other side of the river. Concepcion has basically been split in two since two of the three bridges that connect the city have been destroyed. The third bridge is operable thanks to a mechanical bridge that the government was able to put up.
We were able to reach San Pedro de la Paz, Candelarias and Boca Sur, normally rough areas that had not been hit by the Tsunami but had been heavily damaged by the earthquake and the subsequent lootings and vandalism that took place. The people there were still in fear and had not received aid of any kind.
One family we visited told us of the preceding nights when they and their neighbors had to arm themselves to protect from looters that were scouring the neighborhoods. Since then the military has put things under control and some normalcy is returning.
We were able to get more foodstuffs and water to two sister churches in the area that began to distribute to the hardest hit. These families also had gone without food and clean water for over a week. The gratitude of these brothers and sisters was overwhelming and their love for the people of their own communities was so evident. Pray that they would continue to be a beacon of light for their communities of Boca Sur and Candelarias during this time of pain and fear.
As we left the area that evening we passed through the coastal town of Coronel also struck by the Tsunami. There we found tent cities on the top of the hills. These were people who had fled their homes in the wake of the Tsunami. We were able to give out the last of our water to families with babies and children. The last family we were able to help was living under a tarp after losing everything. The mother was curled up with her adult son who was severely challenged both physically and mentally. Their gratitude for a bottle of water was heartbreaking…
We have returned to Santiago to gather more supplies and organize the next wave of relief. Our churches have volunteers organizing the foodstuffs in family packets. The government is now moving rapidly as well and reconstruction of basic homes has begun. Tomorrow (Wednesday) we will be headed back to Iloca with supplies and a clean up/ construction crew. Our team there has identified families that desperately need shelter before the rains begin in earnest. Be praying for all of those with no homes at this point. The first rains began to fall on Sunday night in Concepcion and on Monday further north. This complicates the living situation for so many who are without shelter.
We will go from Iloca to Concepcion to deliver another shipment of food aid. Please keep us in your prayers as we travel to these locations. The roads are severely damaged and travel time is at least double what it once was. Thank you for your love, concern, prayers and donations for the people of Chile. It has humbled and overwhelmed us at the same time.
May God Bless you!!
Doug
IAM FOUNDING FAMILY: (Mar 6 - 8:46pm local)
Dear Extended Family,
In 1985 our family of five members never thought we would relive anything similar to the terrifying earthquake we experienced here in
Chile in March of that year.
Last week we lived the experience again, though in the darkness of
deepest night this time, the original five plus one additional son, a
son in-law and 2 daughters-in-law, four grandchildren and one to be
born in July.
After the earthquake in 1985 the Lord laid upon my heart Isaiah 58.
Please take time to read this chapter. With the generosity of the USA
believers, the Chilean Church went to the streets to help.
After several months the Libertad Church saw the words from
Isaiah 58:12 become prophetic,
"Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with dwellings."
Not only has our family and team grown over the years, by God's grace,
but so have the amount of churches.
Because of this growth, needs and opportunities to come alongside the
devastated country of Chile have vastly multiplied.
We want to thank those who have already responded with tremendous
generosity.We implore others to join us in this tremendous opportunity to bless the Chilean nation.
Isaiah 58: 6-7 "Is this not the kind of fasting that I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"
After 33 years here in Chile we want to thank those who have been with
us from the beginning, encourage those who have joined us in these
recent years and invite those who are considering to join us in this partnership to do so now in this time of great need.
May the Lord continue to bless all of you.
The IAM Founding Family
TEAM CONCEPCION: (Mar 5 - 11:55pm local)
What a day. I told the team mision cumplida, pero con gusto a poco. There is so much need and it felt like we were providing so little.
Our hearts were broken when those who were gathered around our humble distribtion center of three pickup trucks began to applaud. They discovered that the food came from donations of churches in Santiago and Lautaro. They told us that we were the first to come and help them. They had gone for a week without food nor clean water.
When we actually arrived at the waterfront the destruction was total. The tsunami had destroyed everything. We passed out the rest of what we had and the gratitude of those who had lost everything was incredible.
The thankfulness for a simple bag of rice or a bag of noodles was heartwrenching.
Please know that we are so grateful for each prayer and each donation for the people of Chile. Without all of you...we aren't doing this. We go in God's name and to Him be the GLORY!
TEAM CONCEPCION: (Mar 5 - 11:30pm local)
Spoke to Diego tonight. They are emotional drained. The people in Penco just outside of Concepcion had not seen outsiders for the entire week with aid. The food, water, and diapers were so well received. People realized that they weren't from the government but came as servants of God and they started clapping. To God be the GLORY! People in Penco are eating and drinking clean water tonight because of your efforts in the name of our Lord. We want to keep these supplies going in so keep spreading the word about the site. Paz.
TEAM ILOCA: (Mar 5 - 11:26pm local)
Team posted a video of their first trip into Iloca with aid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJafItZIdg4
TEAM ILOCA: (Mar 5 - 3:15pm local)
Second trip to iloca. Arrived back in Maipu at 2:30 a.m today. hundreds of homes destroyed government still has not been able to help in hardly anything. The Phillips Family and Culto.com took food for the second day. Los Heroes and Culto.com hope to adopt this town for extended help. Several hundred tents are needed. Water and food is needed. We are designing a prefab house with a builder and supplier that is economic and quick to set up.
TEAM CONCEPCION: (Mar 5 - 3:03pm local)
Arrived penco Area where the people had not yet received anything.
Our supplies went fast. So much need. People drsparate.
TEAM CONCEPCION: (Mar 5 - 9:32am local)
arrived los angeles Ten pm. Only one entrance to city open. Curfew at six pm. Military on streets. Stopped by military with machine guns and rifles. Police escorted us to commisary to give us a salvoconducto (pass) to be able to transit freely. Arrived at Toño (pastor) after eleven. Woke up to quake of over six. Aftershocks every fifteen minutes. Last one longer and stronger than first. now on the road to concepcion.