Little by little the aftershocks are becoming milder and the nervousness is going away. The food is available normally at the local supermarkets and the water service has come back to most all of the houses in the regions affected by the earthquake. There is no fear of sackings and the curfew is only a memory of almost two months ago. Children have come back to classes and everything seems pretty much normal in most of the cities in the seventh and eight regions of Chile. However, this kind of disasters leave scars and wounds that are difficult to heal and a pain that does not easily go away. This is especially so for a number of Message believers that had their houses destroyed by the quake and the tsunami in that fateful day of February 27.
After talking to some of the families affected in their homes and that lost their personal belongings, we have an accurate list of the needs for these precious saints that lost their houses. Some of them are still living in tents outside their houses and desperately need to rebuild walls and roofs as Chile enters wintertime and the rainy season. The Lord has been gracious to hold the rains longer than usual. These rains typically start at the end of March, and here we are almost in midst of May and they have not arrived yet. This has been only the grace of God for His people.
Very soon we will be taking care of some of these urgent needs and wood beams, corrugated steel plates, cement, bricks and limestone panels will be provided for the believers that need this help right now. Some of them have called the VGR office (that for the time being is working at the house of the distributor, due to the great damage that the office suffered during the catastrophe) and have expressed their gratitude for the help that VGR has given providing a way so the offerings and help can come to them. It is a wonderful feeling to know when help is on the way.
Additionally, there was great anticipation for a new shipment of material that arrived to Penco in the last few days. Everybody rejoiced to hear that our Spiritual Food has arrived in due season for us. It seems that natural as well as spiritual Food has a new meaning for the believers in Chile. The distribution has started already and some have said that it takes more than an earthquake to keep God’s children from receiving the manna from Heaven. Thanks be to the Lord for His care for us and for providing everything we need in our lives.
Brother Jefte