Peru Earthquake
Last night at 6:41 PM a massive earthquake struck Peru. I was on the 5th floor of the residential building where we live in Lima when the earthquake struck. The whole building was shaking, and I could see other nearby residential towers and office buildings also shaking. There were huge white lights flashing in the sky. People screaming and crying everywhere. Very apocalyptic. I ran down 5 flights of stairs to escape from the building, with debris, glass, rocks, building scaffolding, and platforms falling all around me.
The damage is heaviest about 4-5 hours south of Lima, in Ica, Chinca, and Pisco. Already 350 dead and 1,000 injured. 60% of houses in Ica collapsed, as did churches, hospitals, and prisons. Many prisoners escaped. Sounds a little bit like Paul and Silas in prison (Acts 16)! Many Lima citizens are trying to take buses to the south today to help out family there, but parts of highway are destroyed, plus the local bus companies are now gouging customers to travel there!
Local news says to prepare for more, stronger tremors today and tomorrow. There were also tsunami alarms all last night in Lima.
The girls at the orphanage in La Victoria are doing well, but very scared. Many of the older girls were returning from school when the earthquake hit, but thankfully they all made it back home safely. We are going to try to visit them as soon as possible. We are also already trying to form an FRC Lima earthquake relief plan here.
Psalm 23:4 (NIV) - "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
The damage is heaviest about 4-5 hours south of Lima, in Ica, Chinca, and Pisco. Already 350 dead and 1,000 injured. 60% of houses in Ica collapsed, as did churches, hospitals, and prisons. Many prisoners escaped. Sounds a little bit like Paul and Silas in prison (Acts 16)! Many Lima citizens are trying to take buses to the south today to help out family there, but parts of highway are destroyed, plus the local bus companies are now gouging customers to travel there!
Local news says to prepare for more, stronger tremors today and tomorrow. There were also tsunami alarms all last night in Lima.
The girls at the orphanage in La Victoria are doing well, but very scared. Many of the older girls were returning from school when the earthquake hit, but thankfully they all made it back home safely. We are going to try to visit them as soon as possible. We are also already trying to form an FRC Lima earthquake relief plan here.
Psalm 23:4 (NIV) - "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
posted by Stephen Guschov at 8:38 AM
3 Comments:
You are on our prayers... God Bless you and give you opportunity to show the Love of God on this sad moments.
Steve, God's got your whole country wrapped in his arms...you are all in good hands. Totally lifting you up, man. Lead well, HP
Steve wrote on the Messenger last night:
"We're filling up a minivan with supplies tomorrow, bound for Pisco, the hardest hit area, and we're also putting together an FRC Lima relief plan for the area hit by the earthquake. We may go to Pisco next week for 1-2 days to deliver relief supplies in person with FRC Lima people.
I'm going to do another blog in the morning with an update. I'm also going to be teaching live this weekend at FRC Lima on "When Disaster Strikes."
The highway to Pisco is heavily damaged, that is the problem in getting supplies in. They're using the Plaza de Armas as an open-air morgue right now.
An FRC Lima member has family in Pisco. They are homeless now, so we're sending them tents, blankets, water, etc"
Blessings:
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