Ana Torres Fonseca
One month after the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela, particularly the coast of La Guaira, the humanitarian emergency is more urgent than ever.
There are still hundreds, even thousands, of people missing under the rubble. Hundreds of families have lost their homes. In the face of this disaster, the Church continues to provide both material and spiritual aid.
MONS. RAÚL BIORD
Archbishop of Caracas
We know that food and sustenance are important, and many organizations, including Caritas, are providing them. It's also important to offer comfort, a spiritual word. These encounters are very difficult, the stories are very hard to hear, but they are also moments when people are grateful for the presence of a priest, a nun, or a deacon who brings God's presence and helps them pray.
During a meeting with the executive director of Aid to the Church in Need, the archbishop outlined the next steps to be taken in the hardest- hit areas.
MONS. RAÚL BIORD
Archbishop of Caracas
The priority is reconstructing lives and recovering. The time will come to rebuild schools, hospitals, churches and other buildings, but that's the next phase. For now, our mission is to support, comfort and help people put their lives back together. Later, we'll focusing on repairing schools and hospitals, because life goes on. Children need to get back to school, and the sick still need care.
According to official government figures, 5,000 people have died and nearly 17,000 have been injured. There are currently 107 temporary shelters operating in different areas, serving about 21,000 people each day.
MONS. RAÚL BIORD
Archbishop of Caracas
People don't want to leave. In some cases, we know it's impossible to recover their loved ones because they're buried beneath 14 or 15 floors of concrete, but people keep searching. They do it because they want to give their loved one a proper burial in a cemetery or a columbarium, and have a place to pray and grieve.
Archbishop Biord says more than 35 churches suffered damage in the earthquakes. Aid to the Church in Need has already allocated $113,000 to provide immediate assistance to survivors.
Caritas Venezuela has received 14,700 tons of relief supplies. With more than 8,000 of those already delivered to those in need. The numbers are staggering, but behind every statistic is a Venezuelan family whose life has been forever changed by this tragedy. They need more than help to survive, they need a reason to hope.
