Earthquake

Being in the northern part of Peru, where we barely felt Wednesday's earthquake, I can't report much beyond what the newspapers are saying. What I can say is that it appears very little damage occurred outside of the Ica - Pisco area -- but the damage there was considerable. The good thing about an earthquake hitting a more rural area is obviously that there are less casualties; the bad thing is that the rural parts of Peru are the poorest parts, and their houses and infrastructure are more likely to fall apart.

Our mission just sent out this e-bulletin. It is nice to be close enough to a third-world disaster for once to be able to help directly. I would like to go visit the area myself when it's a little safer (it's a 12 hour bus ride directly down the coast from Trujillo).

Also, a local Knoxville news channel did a story on the earthquake, interviewing two of our missionaries coming down to Peru in the next few months. Click here to view.

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Earthquake in Ica, Peru Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, As many of you know, a massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Peru Wednesday evening at 6:40pm, killing hundreds in the southern cities of Pisco and Ica. One church in Pisco collapsed during a memorial service, which alone has left an estimated 200 dead. The quake thankfully did little damage in the capital city of Lima 90 miles away, a city of nearly 10 million where many more might have perished. The mission's own RUF pastor John Ferguson, with his wife Heather and their children Colton, Jason, Justin, Kevin and Miranda, and our SALI director Caleb Sutton, all happened to be in Lima at the time and experienced some of the panic that occurred there. In northern Peru where our mission works, we felt the tremor, but did not suffer any damage. The people of Peru are responding to the disaster and sending aid to the affected regions. As a mission, we will also be sending aid through the local church and/or the National Evangelical Council of Peru, which has already taken steps to collect needed items. If you would like to give to our brothers and sisters in need, you may send your contributions to the following address: Christian Missionary Society Re: Earthquake Relief Fund PO Box 53363 Knoxville, TN 37950-3363 We will pledge to use 100% of any contributions received by Thursday, August 23 toward buying emergency supplies for those left without water, electricity or shelter, and 100% of any contributions received afterward toward ongoing care of the victims of this natural disaster. Thank you again for your prayers. In His Grace, the Peru Mission team