The people of the Covenant congregations of Tome and Concepcion continue to respond to their neighbors. Some of their activities have changed as the situation has changed. In the refugee camps near Tome, for example, more focus is now being given to helping people find ways to stay warm as they move into Chile’s damp and very cold winter season. In Concepcion, the ministry to the children has deepened as Covenant folk became more aware of the needs of the children – not just from the effects of the earthquake, but also from the prior effects of abandonment and abuse. Our concern is that Chile’s needs have moved off the “radar screen” of general media information and been replaced by new concerns, like the BP Gulf oil spill ecological disaster. Help is still very useful and necessary in Chile and we encourage you to continue to pray and support the efforts of our sister Covenant churches in that country as they serve their neighbors in need.
–Written by Dave Mark, Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean
