Chile Earthquake Response
A devastating magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck Chile early Saturday, February 27, 2010, shattering buildings and bridges, killing at least 78 people and setting off a tsunami that threatened every nation around the Pacific Ocean — roughly a quarter of the globe.
| Updates |
September 27, 2010
Article on EPES by the Harvard School of Public Health in the Harvard Public Health Review [PDF]
September 21, 2010 Doors of Hope – Pentecostal Church of Chile Trauma Healing [PDF]
August 16, 2010 Newsletter Update from Global Ministries partner EPES (Check pages 2 and 3 for earthquake recovery updates)
July 27, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xaf71cryLZ0&feature=channel
A brief video from EPES (in Spanish) discussing work with children recovering from trauma.
June 22, 2010 Earthquake in Chile and the Response of Solidarity of the Pentecostal Church of Chile
May 25, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if6GV-3v-U4
A brief video on EPES’s response to the earthquake in Chile, and its strategy towards rebuilding with the communities. Volunteers, staff, health promoters and neighbors voice their concern, pointing out that communities must have voice and action in the reconstruction process, so they won’t be pushed aside by top-down decision-making. EPES stands for Educacion Popular en Salud, and its an NGO based in Santiago and Concepción, working for 28 years towards dignity, empowerment and health.
May 3, 2010 Update:Recovery and Reconstruction – Popular Education in Health (EPES) Second Phase of Recovery
April 15, 2010 Update:EPES Update on Work with Children Recovering from Trauma
March 23, 2010 Update:Facing the Emergency – Popular Education in Health (EPES) First Phase of Recovery
March 16, 2010 Update:Playing Earthquake
March 12, 2010 Updates:Letter from Rosario Castillo, Executive Director of EPESGlobal Ministries Partner Educacion Popular en Salud (EPES) Provides Emergency Water to Earthquake VictimsPentecostal Church of Chile Housing and Trauma Recovery Project Update from Elena Heugel, missionary in Chile
News from Elena Huegel, Global Ministries missionary in ChileUpdates from One Great Hour of Sharing (UCC)Updates from Week of Compassion (Disciples)
| How You Can Help |
- Pray for the people of Chile their leaders and emergency and emergency response workers.
- Include Chile in prayers during Sunday’s worship services.
- To give a gift for Chile Earthquake Relief, go to:
| Background |
A devastating magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck Chile early Saturday, February 27, 2010, shattering buildings and bridges, killing over 700 people and setting off a tsunami that threatened every nation around the Pacific Ocean — roughly a quarter of the globe.
Damage was particularly heavy in Concepción. That city, Chile’s second-largest metropolitan area, is located only 70 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter.
A tsunami warning was issued throughout the Western Hemisphere, and in Hawaii, low-lying areas there are being evacuated. The tsunami already reached Peru, with some coastline damage.
Chilean President Michele Bachelet declared a “state of catastrophe” in central Chile and said the death toll was rising.
In a letter written Saturday morning to Rev. Ulises Muñoz, Bishop of the Pentecostal Church of Chile; Rosario Castillo, Director of EPES (Popular Education in Health); Dora Canales, Rector, Evangelical Theological Community of Chile; Rev. Felix Ortiz-Cotto, Global Ministries Latin American and the Caribbean area executive expressed concern and best wishes on behalf of Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. In the letter Ortiz-Cotto shared, “We know about your witness of perseverance in hard times.”
Week of Compassion of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and One Great Hour of Sharing of the United Church of Christ are sending the initial emergency support of $2,500 each to the three partners organizations in Chile.
Global Ministries has received news about Elena Huegel, Global Ministries missionary to Chile. Her brother communicated that that she was with a group of leaders of the Pentecostal Church of Chile at the Shalom Center. She talked by radio to Bishop Munoz and said that she and the group are fine. For updated news on Elena, click here: Elena Huegel
Church World Service (CWS) emergency staff have been in contact with colleagues on the ground in Chile, who report their people are safe. CWS has worked in Chile to provide emergency preparedness training and assistance to the country’s sizable population of Colombians, displaced to Chile by conflict. CWS works with two Chilean agencies, FASIC (Fundacion de Ayuda Social de las Iglesia Cristianas) and IMECH, the Methodist Church of Chile.
As part of the international ACT Alliance network, CWS will work to provide emergency assistance such as food, water and shelter to those affected by this disaster. CWS staff continue to be in contact with people in Chile and colleagues in other ACT Alliance agencies to ensure a timely and responsible response. CWS staff are also preparing for a tsunami response in Hawaii should any be needed.
Additionally, CWS staff have been in contact with the Hawaii Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. CWS has long ties in Hawaii with the VOAD and with the United Church of Christ, a CWS-member denomination.
One Great Hour of Sharing and Week of Compassion solidarity grants have been authorized for three Global Ministries partners in Chile and Church World Service to support immediate response initiatives.
Global Ministries staff, along with One Great Hour and Sharing staff and Week of Compassion staff are monitoring the unfolding disaster situation and we will continue to update this site.
How You Can Help:
- Pray for the people of Chile their leaders and emergency and emergency response workers.
- Include Chile in prayers during Sunday’s worship services.
- To give a gift for Chile Earthquake Relief, go to: