Pray for Chile
Mission agency, SAMS Ireland, ask for prayer for Chile following the devastating earthquake and especially for the two Chilean fusion programme volunteers who are in Ireland at the moment.
You can stay up to date with the situation via the SAMS Ireland website.
Chile is situated in an area know as the "Ring of Fire" which circles virtually the entire Pacific perimeter. The earthquake measured 8.8 and stuck the country at 06:34 GMT on Saturday. Te strike occurred at the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates, just off shore and at a depth of about 35km (20 miles).
SAMS Ireland has a long standing relationship with the Anglican Church in Chile. Sammy Lago who was with us recently for a one year parish placement in Belfast has just been in contact with an update saying that there is still no news about the Churches in Concepción. We're having a hard time getting any information from the city and what we’re getting is generally not good.
Prayers should go out for:
(1) social order, as there is news of people looting the supermarkets in the city of Concepción
(2) quick response from the government in dealing with all the emergencies
(3) the testimony of the Church in the situation.
In Santiago there are still several places with out the basic services (including the building where I live) but other than that, thing’s are alright, with intact infrastructure (or at least mostly) and local small businesses selling water and goods.