Safe and Sound/Youth Dramas

Hey everyone, first off - we are all safe and sound after the tsunami alert - nothing really happened here, thank the Lord! May Japan and the Japanese people be in your prayers these next few weeks, I know we have talked to many Chileans who have said that the first few weeks after something like that are really difficult with all of the aftershocks that continue to occur.

On another note, the kids have been doing some really cool dramas at Saturday night youth group, they did this one last week - you should really check it out if you haven't seen it already. It is so cool to see our youth really growing in their faith and challenging themselves and others.

You guys rock!

Blessings,

Jordan and Missy

Anniversary

This last Sunday marked a major event here in Chile, the anniversary of the earthquake of 2010 and following tsunami. The entire weekend was a reminder of how fresh this event still is in the minds of the Chileans that lived through it. Thinking on the fact that a year has now passed since the earthquake hit, it also is a reminder of how much reconstruction still needs to happen. There are still thousands living in temporary houses, some still without running water. There are still people without work, struggling to regain the lives they had.

Please, pray for these people who still feel so displaced.

Temporary Housing Community

In honor of those who worked, and continue to work, on reconstructing the region around Tome and Dichato our church held a breakfast last Sunday. We invited fireman, policeman, and others who responded to the initial needs of the people after February 27^th.

Breakfast Table Groups

We also invited those who have been elected presidents and secretaries for the temporary home encampments. Though living in temporary housing themselves, these people are still responding to the day-to-day needs of those living in the camps of houses that the government constructed after the earthquake.

Getting to Know One Another

The breakfast was a big success, leaders from our church were spread out among tables to dialogue with those invited as to how they are feeling now, a year later; how they felt like the church responded to the situation; and simply to share their stories.

Our Table

We were placed with a few people from the camp in Dichato we worked at with the group from Merge, along with some women who live a bit outside of Dichato. It was a good time to simply talk and share what it happening in our lives, where we came from, and what the Lord is doing. The two women are sisters, and they have begun going to a free school offered in their camp to get their high school equivalency diploma. They were very sweet, and though their lives were completely turned upside down from the earthquake, we've really never sensed any bitterness – from anyone we've talked to.

Jordan Setting Up

All that to say, keep praying for these people! They are coming up on their second fall/winter season without permanent homes, so pray for the Lord's protection to cover them and their families. Pray also for guidance in how we, our church, and other aid organizations can come alongside of them!

The Last few days...

So there has been a lot going on lately around here. we will start with this video clip



So in case you hadn't heard, we had our first official earthquake since we have been here on Friday the 14th (somewhere between 6.8 -7.1 depending on your source), it was really odd because we were out working in a field (as you can see in the video). Before this weekend, we have felt tremors, and they have been a little weird, but to be standing on dirt and feel an earthquake was all together a weird experience. in the 72 hours since this earthquake there have been a lot of tremors, and a lot of strong ones nearly 10 over 6 on the Richter scale.

Panchi, Paula, Missy, and Alejandra at the camp

Pastor Luciano drinking juice with lunch

The youth pastor, Fernando, head pastor, Luciano, and I discuss something important.

The amazing thing is that people just go on with their daily business as if nothing is going on. Saturday we went back out to the church camp for the bible classes for the youth, then ate, and played soccer for a while. Today (Sunday the 14th) church was canceled because many people went to other cities to be with their families over the weekend, so Pastor Luciano and I went up once again to the camp to start cutting trees down for firewood.

one of the piles of wood we cut today, we need around 1500-2000 pieces to make it through the winter

All in all things are slowing down a bit, as it seems the summer is slowly winding down to a close. It is about time for the students to head back to their classes, parents are also are finishing up vacation time. We are looking forward to a different season of work down here!

We have a few prayer requests:
-Sleep for us
-Church building, We are building a new building as a church down here, are they are a few funds issues right now, Pray the and mis-understandings would be resolved.
-Peace for the people of Tome and the whole region, and us about all the tremors.
-Unity for the body of Christ in Chile

Thank you all so much for your continued prayers and support
Jordan and Missy

Tremor Today

We wanted to share a prayer request with you for the people of Chile, and especially in our region where the earthquake was so strong. Right now tremors (small earthquakes) are part of living down here, there are many theories about why the region is so active, but in reality no one can really prove why the earth in this area is so volatile right now. Below is a short video of a tremor that occurred today during the church service, the tremor was around 5.5 on the Richter scale, and from the information I have found on it was pretty shallow. It was one of the strongest tremors I have felt since I have been here.




The speaker on this day was the youth pastor (Fernando), and he did a really great job of keeping everyone calm, as many of the people in the church were standing and about to  move to safer parts in the room.

We would ask you to pray for the people of Chile about the fears that many of them have about more earthquakes and tsunamis.Especially as the one year anniversary of the earthquake comes nearer (27th of February).

Blessings!
Jordan and Missy

Merge Team Visit!

Last week we had a super busy week hosting a Merge team from Wisconsin. They were a great group, 12 in all. They stayed in host homes in Tome their first night and the rest in an emergency shelter camp that is in Dichato, the nearby town that was destroyed after the earthquake.

Team on their day off exploring Dichato

They spent the week really working hard to bring running water to 28, that's right, 28 houses! Jordan and I weren't sure they'd be able to do it all in a week, but they were super motivated and a very encouraging sight to the people living in camp. They were able to dig trenches to each house, put in all of the pipes, and install sinks and showers outside of every home. (For just about a year, the homes have had no water to them, and so the people of the camp share 6 port-a-potties and 4 showers built shortly after the earthquake. They get their potable water from 2 large cisterns at the entrance to the camp and use that to cook and clean with. The showers are connected to a non-potable water source that comes from the hill nearby.) After finishing the installation at each of the houses, the team built a new tower for 2 more water cisterns, to bring more water from the hill to supply each house water to wash and cook with. It isn't technically potable, but it can be boiled.

Team with members of our church and people from Dichato

The team left with only the connection in the hill left to finish. The people are so close to having water in their homes, the contractor we were working with is finishing it up this week – so hopefully we can get a video up of some homes with running water soon!

Team with finished water tower

Jordan and I each had roles on the Merge staff, I was in charge of meals and he was in charge of the translating for the construction project. Cool right? It was really fun being part of the Merge experience, and Jordan did an AMAZING job translating. We had a great week, and made some great friends, from both Dichato and from Wisconsin. Thanks guys for all the hard work you did!!