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The Chilean Earthquake and the Assumption, March 6, 2010

Both the Religious of the Assumption and the Augustinians of the Assumption have communities in Chile and were there when the massive 8.8 earthquake struck on February 27, 2010.

We thank God that the Sisters and Brothers are unhurt. They are now able to minister and be of aid to those who have not been as fortunate.

They write to us of their experience:

Santiago, March 6, 2010

To the Assumption Family

Dear Sisters, Family and Friends,

We are trying now to put into words all that we have lived during these days so that you can help us pray to the Lord on behalf of all our suffering brothers and sisters in Chile.
We ourselves have been spared, but the experience that we are left with is that of the “God Alone” of Marie Eugenie.

It is hard to begin this story….At dawn of Saturday, February 27th, we were awakened by very strong movement which lasted almost three minutes, but which for us felt like an eternity. It’s incredible, but it’s almost as if Nature was transformed – so difficult to describe. At first we didn’t know what was happening. Everything was moving in a violent way. We could hear the rumbling of the earth and the sound of windows crashing and objects falling. Outside, people were screaming and in the house the alarm went off and the bells at the entrance of the house began to clang – a terrible noise. After what seemed like forever, the ground stopped moving and the sky became very bright. Night seemed to have lifted and the moon seemed to have grown in size. Almost immediately it became dark again and bitterly cold. As soon as we could we went to our neighbors who welcomed us with open arms. We stayed with them for some time and then returned to our house to wait for morning to break, but night continued until 8:00 a.m. It felt interminable.

We finally were able to find a radio and it was then that we discovered the magnitude of the earthquake that we were experiencing. We stayed at the dining room table listening to the radio and sharing with each other what our first reactions were. Each one had her own story: one stayed seated on her bed looking out the window at the sparks that were shooting out of the earth -- brilliant colors of orange, purple, etc.; another stayed at the door of her room watching how the books of the library were falling; and another went down the stairs to open the door so that we wouldn’t be trapped and ended up staying there so that the door wouldn’t close.

Telephone service in the city was cut but we still had ours, so we opened our house so that all our neighbors could call their families. This was a beautiful moment. Many, many people came and were able to communicate with their loved ones.

All we can do now is sing of the mercy and goodness of God and say that the Lord has done marvels for us because we are well and our house has not suffered any damage. If we just cross the street in Via 8, so many people have lost their homes. Crossing to Via 8 ½, the apartment buildings are totally destroyed, as well as the place known as the Olympic Villa. The residents have had to leave and those who have stayed are sleeping in tents in the plaza. It is a situation of much suffering.

And then, losing all sense of time, we began visiting our neighbors. We started by checking in on the elderly who were alone or sick. The only thing we could give them was a comforting and encouraging hug. We have continued to do this. Then we began to call on our friends and visit those who were in most difficulty. We reached the Olympic Villa, then went to our neighbors of Cruz Gana. In the evenings we visited the neighbors closest to us who live in the block behind Brigida Walker school. We listened and listened…this has been our mission these past days.

The whole country is suffering and experiencing its vulnerability. Until now we have lived thinking that what mattered was strength, success, reason. The earthquake has reminded us of how fragile we really are…we have returned to being human.

In the earthquake many memories, feelings, histories, customs, values and traditions fall away and time is divided between a “before” and an “after”…..these remain in the soul, in the imagination, in our body, and in memory.

Our task is to accompany and care for the mental and spiritual health of our brothers and sisters. The Chilean Church reminds us that the catechetical challenge is to do what we can so that we do not lose our humanity. Our mission is to listen with respect, accompany and be with our people, respect the mystery of suffering and enter into the sacred dimensión – like Moses before the burning bush – helping to find meaning in this experience.

It has been beautiful to see how the Chilean government has responded to those most affected by the earthquake. We feel that it has done everything possible so that help may arrive quickly. The country is very long and narrow and the earthquake has affected regions 3 – 9, including the archipelago of Juan Fernandez – almost 80% of the country. The aftershocks continue, and yesterday there was a strong one of magnitude 6.5 in región 2. There has been damage to 350 kms of roads and this makes it very difficult for help to reach many areas. The President has responded to the most devastated areas since the first moments of this disaster and we have felt her very close and very human.

Well, dear Sisters, family and friends, thank you for your nearness and your prayers. May this experience of suffering and solidarity that the Chilean people live today be an opportunity for all of us to return to being more human and more fraternal.

United in Jesus,
The community of Chile: Margoth, Jacqueline, Esperanza

Please click here for news of the Assumptionist priests and brothers in Chile.

If you would like to send any monetary donation to help the Assumption Sisters help their people rebuild from the earthquake, please send them to:

Assumption Sisters

c/o Sr. Mary Ann Azanza, RA

11 Old English Road

Worcester, MA 01609

Please make checks payable to Religious of the Assumption.

All donations will be acknowledged and are tax deductible.

Thank you.

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