Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Soup Kitchens - Help Still Vitally Needed




































Please forgive the absence of news about our efforts to help the earthquake victims. As many of you know I have been and am still I hospital following an operation and have been out of touch for the past week.

However, I am receiving reports from our Diocesan workers in the Ica region and can pass on the following information from Pastor Zevallos, who is coordinating our work. His update was written on August 29:


"Today we have opened a fifth feeding point in Villa San Pedro, the Camen area of Ica. So far we have feeding points in San Juan Bautista, El Olivo, El Carmen, San Martín and now Villa San Pedro.... For the opening of the soup kitchen in San Martin the Mayor, Licenciado Jorge Quispe, was present and he gave us an industrial gas cooker, a full canister of gas, two large cooking pots together with a sack of rice, sugar, pasta, oats and beans, two boxes of milk, and various other foodstuffs."

"To begin the soup kitchens in the Chincha and Pisco areas we shall need six cookers and gas canisters, twelve cooking pots and utensils."

Seminarian Pastor Zevallos


Finally, I am proud to say that our seminarians, who have a break from classes this week, are almost all currently down in Ica working in the soup kitchens.... by their own decision.


Pictures show (from top, left to right):

  1. People gathered at one of the soup kitchens
  2. Organising the relief effort
  3. Padre Jesus helping organise the soup kitchens
  4. Homes destroyed by the earthquake
  5. More damaged houses and emergency water butts
  6. The banner of the Anglican 'Emergency Mission'
  7. The seminarians camped out in Ica
  8. The Mayor presenting cooking equipment to the team
  9. Loading the lorry in Lima
  10. Getting ready to leave
  11. Piles of foodstuffs prior to departure
  12. The journey south in the back of the lorry!


Volunteers Minister to Victims of the Earthquake

The medical team of 25 volunteers led by Erica Montoya continues to visit the injured in the hospitals of Lima and to give support to their families. Many, many people face the prospect of returning to derelict homes in which they have lost everything.

Treating people with broken hearts and the fear of not knowing what the future holds is as much part of this ministry as tending to their physical needs. The Diocese has responded generously in providing clothing and food for family members. The photos show the distribution of clothing and relatives being fed as well as people in their hospital beds.

The medical team has been praised by hospital authorities for the conscientious loving care and practical help it is offering. Please continue to pray for this important ministry and, above all, for the people who now have to return to ruined, derelict homes (some of which sadly have been looted) and who have nothing left to start rebuilding their lives with.

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