Recovery in quake-plagued nations continues amid hardships
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Church members in Peru and El Salvador who endured devastating earthquakes more than a year ago are working to return to normalcy — yet both nations continue to deal with nature's unpredictable, destructive rage.
Several large temblors rattled southern Peru last summer, killing one LDS girl and displacing hundreds of others who lost their homes. Now many who were in the process of rebuilding both their lives and lodgings have again been devastated by mid-July snow storms that hit unexpectedly hard and early in the southern hemisphere's winter season.
"This has really been a double-whammy for some," said Elder Edward Dawsen, Peru's area welfare agent.
The snow storms hit many members living near Peru's Cusco region who were in the process of rebuilding homes that had been leveled by the 2001 quakes. The weather forced many LDS families to once again seek shelter at nearby chapels or relatives' homes.
"The snowfall was so heavy that many homes that had been damaged in the earthquakes collapsed," said Craig Knight of the Church's humanitarian service office.
The snowfall also impacted LDS families living in Bolivia's Potosi Province. While no members lost their lives, the storm killed tens of thousands of llamas, alpacas and other farm animals that are central to the region's economy. Nearly half of the livestock in Potosi were reportedly lost and the remaining animals are at risk because of foliage shortages.
Llamas and alpacas are the lifeblood of many living in Andean regions — providing food, labor and wool.
The Church responded immediately to the crisis. Blankets, food, plastic sheeting and other winter survival items such as UV-protection sunglasses were shipped to impacted areas from warehouses in southern Peru that are operated by the country's civil defense office and stocked, largely, by the Church.
The Church Humanitarian Service Center in Salt Lake City then sent shipments of winter clothing, boots and hygiene kits to Peru to provide immediate assistance and replenish the depleted civil defense warehouses.
Fortunately, a good chunk of Church members who lost everything in the 2001 quakes were not impacted by the storms, Brother Knight said. Still, the Church will continue to monitor the long-term humanitarian needs of the many who lost livestock.
"As we look at the universe, we do not see unexplained chaos or cosmic churning," he said. "It is like viewing a divinely choreographed, cosmic ballet — spectacular, subduing and reassuring."
Meanwhile, people in El Salvador continue their recovery from the Jan. 13, 2001, earthquake that killed 15 Church members and damaged hundreds of member homes.
"Over the past year, the [Salvadoran] members have been able to make progress," Brother Knight said.
After a large initial humanitarian response, the Church has been involved in a number of follow-up projects to address hygiene issues and help rebuild damaged schools and hospitals.
Still, the post-quake country has had to deal with severe drought and heavy rains, along with a dengue fever outbreak. Some Salvadorans continue to live essentially as refugees in temporary shelters.
Again, the Church remains involved, Brother Knight said.
"We continue to work with a number of arms of government."
Church members interested in helping provide humanitarian relief to storm victims in Peru or others in need may do so by:
- Volunteering labor at bishops' storehouses, welfare farms, canneries or
other Welfare Services projects.
- Donating useful items to Deseret Industries.
- Making generous fast offering contributions.
- Donating through the "Tithing and Other Offerings" form by marking the
category "Humanitarian Aid." On forms that do not have this category, write
"Humanitarian Aid" in the category of "Other."
Individuals may send donations directly to Church headquarters by making checks payable to Humanitarian Service or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (write "Humanitarian Service" in the "For" category on the check) and mail to: Humanitarian Service, Floor 7, 50 East North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150.
E-mail: jswensen@desnews.com
