Order amidst Chaos
SANTIAGO, Chile
27 April 2010
When an 8.8 earthquake struck Chile on February 27, 2010, local LDS Church officials knew exactly what to do. Because of the already-established Church welfare organization in Chile, people were able to receive relief quickly and efficiently.
Local leaders knew where to locate food and what kind of transportation to use. With this knowledge, supplies were distributed to those in need almost immediately after the earthquake struck.
LDS Church members in Chile volunteered their time and energy to aid in the relief effort. Some took days—even weeks—off work to help those in the hardest-hit areas of the disaster. Young men, young women, and missionaries have dedicated long hours helping with the relief effort. Community members from many different faiths are grateful for the shelter, clothing, hygiene kits, water, and other provisions that they have received through the generous service and donations of LDS members.
The donations didn’t come only from the LDS storehouse in Chile and U.S. shipments from the Church; they also came from Chilean members. Carlos H. Amado, area president for the Church in Chile, remarked, “I was touched in my heart that many members of the Church have a year’s supply, but instead of being selfish and keeping it for themselves, they went out and shared what they had with their neighbors.”
While the death toll in Chile was relatively low, other statistics are sobering. Hundreds of people have lost their jobs, and unknown hundreds of businesses have been destroyed, vandalized, or lost revenue because of the direct and indirect effects of the disaster. The recovery has just begun.
Thanks to the Church’s long-established humanitarian organization, leaders in Chile have no reason to fear that full recovery will be possible. Juan Carlos Barros, area welfare manager for Chile, is ready for the challenge of meeting various needs. The Church is meeting the emotional and temporal needs of people who have lost their houses. “We are putting together a Chilean group of LDS psychologists,” Barros said. “We will survey emotional needs, provide guidance to Church leaders, and provide printed materials. We will also determine the level of need each victim has. The same pair of shoes doesn’t fit everybody...We will provide what is needed for people to help themselves.”
