Shared experience of a visit to Chincha and Pueblo Nuevo

ALC/CLAI, LIMA, Perú, August 22, 2007

In the letter that follows, Bishop Jorge Bravo C. of the Methodist Church of Peru Taxi Heathrow Airport shares the experience of a visit on August 18 to communities affected by the recent earthquake.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Se¨lah (Psalm 46:1-3)

Lima,

August 20, 2007

Dear brothers and sisters,

I share with you the experience of going to the disaster zone of Chincha and Pueblo Nuevo, 200 kilometers to the south of Lima, at the initiative of the Emergency and Solidarity Committee formed for this occasion.

A solidarity caravan made up of 10 persons between men and women took foodstuffs, supplies and consolation to our brothers and sisters in those zones. This was made possible through the support offered by the brothers and sisters of the District of Lima and Callao, who bought foodstuffs and supplies worth approximately US $366.00, and the help of the Council of Methodist Evangelical Churches of Latin America (CIEMAL in Spanish) through sister Alicia Paredes, and US $500.00 from the Program for Childhood, Adolescence and the Family. In like manner, we received support from Methodist Congresswoman María Sumire and brother Guillermo Yoshikawa, Director of the America School of Callao, with the transportation needed.

We left the church’s central office early Saturday morning, August 18, with the sole purpose of taking consolation and foodstuffs. Some 20 kilometers before arriving, we found a long line of cars and trucks carrying a large quantity of provisions. The line was some 4 kilometers long and brother Angel, Pastor Samuel and I walked the distance to find out what was happening. There was a problem with the road which had been destroyed on a corner bordering a precipice. Being able to get through took a long time and after 3 seemingly endless hours we were able to get past to the city of Chincha. At that point we knew that we would not be able to go to Pisco and to Ica, as there was no way through at all to be able to do that.

Upon arriving at Chincha around 3:00 p.m. we were met with the great surprise of hearing that the trucks and pick-up trucks carrying supplies were being robbed. We then had to avoid the traditional route for a different one that would take us to Pueblo Nuevo.

Thanks be to God, we arrived at the Methodist Church of Pueblo Nuevo. We immediately unloaded all that we had brought and handed it over to the Emergency and Solidarity Committee of that zone, made up by Pastors Elizabeth Tasayco, her husband Manuel Uchuya and Superintendent Pedro Uchuya. The panorama was one of desolation. Nearly all the houses had been destroyed and there were people in the streets without any food and with nowhere to sleep.

We visited with the brothers and sisters, bringing consolation and help to them. Some brothers and sisters gave witness to how the Lord had saved them from death and a greater misfortune. Disaster and pain were the common denominator of them all. There were many dirty faced children, adolescents cleaning up the debris, women cooking in a shared pot and elderly persons sitting in the street. We visited Chincha, Pueblo Nuevo, Los Jardines and Lomo Largo-Sunampe. In each of these we had moments of prayer. The Emergency and Solidarity Committee will do the corresponding distribution of the aid and later inform the Bishop’s office.

While we were having a coordination meeting in the church, which was cracked, the earth began to tremble again because of another quake. This happens repeatedly. The people left their remaining houses again, fearing another earthquake. We were particularly saddened at knowing that they had no water, food, light, kerosene or flashlights for the night. In addition to that, they were being robbed by thieves during the night.

We returned to Lima with this scenario of desolation, with the hope of being able to return and continue to help these people through prayer and with material aid. On the way we have received the solidarity of different Methodist churches, institutions and brothers and sisters, from within the country as well as from abroad. God willing, the next caravan will leave bound for Pisco and Ica.

Bishop Jorge Bravo C.

Methodist Church of Peru

Committee:

Sister Elizabeth Carrizales de Bravo,

Sister María Escalante,

Sister Janett Rojas,

Sister Isabel Cabezudo,

Rev. Samuel Aguilar,

Dr. Paul Alfaro,

Brother Luis Ruiz,

Mr. Tito Tardío,

Brother Angel Mercado