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Baptists Send Emergency Aid TO ECUADOR

aptists in Ecuador and other countries offered emergency relief to those affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the country on April 16. The Baptist World Alliance sent an initial sum of US$15,000. At least 661 persons were killed, more than 27,700 were injured and several were missing. Three Baptist church buildings were destroyed, about 110 houses belonging to Baptist families were lost and some 79 damaged. Almost 1,000 Baptists were known to have been affected, including 16 pregnant women and more than 420 children. Life in the South American nation was severely disrupted. More

than 280 schools were damaged or destroyed and the beginning of the new school year was pushed back to August from its usual start in May. Tourism, a major income earner for sections of the country, such as Manabi, the province that incurred the greatest impact, experienced a setback due to the damage or destruction of hotels and attractions. Agriculture, another major economic source, suffered due to damaged fields and crops. The government of Ecuador and the humanitarian community estimated that 720,000 people were in need of humanitarian assistance. “We would be very thankful if the BWA could help us with

any kind of economic support to help us meet the great needs,” wrote Parrish Jacome, BWA regional secretary for South America and executive director of the Union of Baptists in Latin America. Jacome lives in Guayaquil, the largest and most populous city in Ecuador. “We have reports of destroyed church buildings and families of the churches that have lost their homes and some of their relatives.”

“The ravages are heartbreaking in 15 to 20 cities and coastal

towns,” said Milton Bustos, president of the Baptist Convention of Ecuador. “We are coordinating the work through the Baptist Convention of Ecuador and its 15 regional associations and are gathering aid for the five regional Baptist associations that were affected,” he explained.

Israel Baptist Church in Guayaquil said “we’re getting bottled

water, canned food, dry food, powdered milk, tents, basic hygiene products, portable batteries, lamps and kitchen utensils” to earthquake victims. Jacome, the congregation’s pastor, declared

the earthquake as “one of the most terrible events to have happened in Ecuador.”

“The Baptist Convention in Ecuador and all the churches

have organized to send support and coordinate help coming from abroad,” Jacome said. “We are sending teams to the most affected areas for relief.” Days after the earthquake, he said “the response team is still finding people alive under the wreckage. He told Christian Today that Ecuadorians are “facing a complicated and difficult situation.” A Rescue 24 team comprising Hungarian and North Carolina Baptists in the United States arrived in the country on April 18. The team included three medical doctors, two paramedics, one first aid specialist, one humanitarian assistant professional and two translators. They worked with Ecuadorian Baptists to assist with search and rescue and to provide medical assistance, sanitation and temporary shelter to those in need. Rescue 24 indicated that the earthquake damaged communications, transport and sewage systems, making it difficult to conduct rescue operations. At a provincial emergency coordination meeting, Julio Cesar

Quinonez, governor of Guayas Province, welcomed and thanked the Rescue 24 team. He issued a letter of request to Rescue 24 for medical and humanitarian assistance and promised all necessary administrative support. BWA General

Secretary Neville Callam assured the

Ecuadorians of the support of the global Baptist family. “You can be assured of our prayers for all those affected by this difficult situation. We also want to assure you of our desire to express solidarity with you as you seek to respond to the needs that exist,” Callam told Bustos.

“May God grant patience to all those who have to deal with the consequences of the earthquake and strength to those who lead the recovery process. May the inexhaustible grace and mercy of God be made clear to all of you,” Callam said. “As a Baptist family we express our commitment to help and

solidarity in these difficult times. Together we can show God’s love to people who are suffering,” declared Jorge Quintero of Chile, a vice president of the BWA. “May God strengthen the Baptist people of this country and provide them the courage to encourage and comfort the afflicted.”

DONATIONS

may be made online at: www.bwanet.org/give or sent to:

Baptist World Aid c/o Baptist World Alliance 405 North Washington Street Falls Church, VA 22046 USA

24 BAPTIST WORLD MAGAZINE