Greetings in the precious Name of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Yesterday in the afternoon I went to see Brother Alejandro Chavez from Hualpen after receiving news that he was in need of food and supplies. I called him first to confirm that these news were accurate and sure enough, our brother had the confidence to tell me that the last few days have been difficult for him in this aspect.
He told me that many of the families in his church had their houses damaged and that they need to be repaired and reinforced for the coming aftershocks that we will be having for the next months. He told me that six families were with him in his house and using the tabernacle as a shelter to sleep during the nights. Two families have found a place to rent and have left his house, but still four families and many more brothers come to eat at the church and to be with their pastor.
He also told us of three families of believers that were so shocked with the earthquake and tsunami that they are living in the hills nearby and that he has tried but has not been able to make them come back to the city. He says he can understand them as this experience was so shocking for them. He goes every two or three days to provide them with some supplies.
The Lord was gracious to one sister from his congregation that lived in the O’Higgins building downtown in Concepcion. This building collapsed in the last seven or eight top floors and are due to be demolished. The sister could barely escape with her son before those floors fell on top of each other.
In the morning, I looked for a food store outlet to get some groceries and supplies and filled my truck with, flour, yeast, oil, sugar, sodas, rice, spaghetti, tomato sauce, noodles, milk, napkins, paper towels, toilette paper, tuna fish cans, cookies, bathroom supplies, tomatoes, eggs, avocados, coffee, tea, butter, and water. I left him some money to get propane gas for his stove as well. He was so happy and thankful to receive all this and sent his appreciation to everybody at VGR for thinking about and consider them at this time.
I told him that I would be calling him next Friday to see how long this batch of supplies will last him to coordinate and see how much of a help we are able to provide for them in the future.
Brother Chavez told me that this time has been so difficult for him as he lost his job for the future months as all the places where he and many believers worked as contractors and labors are shut down because of damage in their premises. This is the case of almost all the big companies in that area as Huachipato steel mill, Foster Wheeler powerplant and Enap oil refineries.
He feels for his people and does not have a heart to dismiss them and send them home as they are scared and feel protected staying close to their pastor. He has tried to make his supplies last as much as he can and the Lord has been good providing the daily meals that have been enough for them but lately the food has been more scarce. It is for this reason that he was so happy to see the way the Lord Jesus prepared VGR to be aware of his condition and providing this so much needed help for them.
I will continue in close contact with Brother Chavez and his congregation to see how they are as this is a wonderful privilege that we have to serve our brothers at this time.
He told me when we say good bye to him that it was so precious just to think that they have received spiritual Food for years from the office and now they are receiving a natural amount of food that will nourish them as well.
He asked me to send his greetings on behalf of his congregation to Brother Joseph Branham and Brother Michael Weerts in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is all I can report for now on the activities today in the disaster zone here in the eigth region.
God bless you!
Jefte Quian