From Ricardo Rodriguez
Southern Cone YWAM director

Dear friends
Today is a sad day for all of us, because we are just now realizing that Chile is going through its worst crisis in its history.

When the earthquake happened, our houses in the Santiago base, were strongly shaken during the night, at 4 a.m.. Nobody was injured and we didn’t have any damage in our houses or buildings. Remember, that Chile is a country where earthquakes happen often, so we’re prepared in our structures, which have high standards. 

The first reports gave us a false thought that this tragedy wasn’t so big. The number of deaths was small, just like the last strong earthquake back in 1985. After the earthquake, that same afternoon we celebrated 2 weddings and the graduation of the DTS, even though we didn’t have electrical power or water or phones. However, when the light came back and we saw the news, we started to find out about the real damage of the earthquake, the big picture changed for us. We went from a dozen deaths to more than 700 and that is not the final number, there are lots of missing people. To see entire towns disappear because of the tsunamis that happened after the earthquake. To see other towns fell to the ground.

People are getting hungry and are starting to break in to stores and supermarkets in many cities in Chile, including Santiago.

Today the goverment declared curfew in 2 regions. People are missing and although only a few new buildings fell, there are many that the damage is so strong that they are inhabitable. In other words, there are at least 55 thousand families without a house. This earthquake, according to the experts, is the sixth strongest in worlds history. Its 900 times superior to the one in Haiti, and the seaquake was added to all this, bringing more destruction. To see people crying desperately touched my heart strongly.

Tomorrow we have an emergency meeting with the leaders of YWAM Santiago. We still have no contact with YWAM Pichilemu, we have no phone lines, but we heard that they’re fine, although 46 people died in the town, mainly because of a tsunami that went 200 meters into the city. Thanks to the lord, the base is located in high grounds. In Chiloe, in the south, our staff is fine, although we didn’t have direct communication with them but we heard that they are ok. The base is also located in higher grounds so the earthquake was softer. In the bases in the north (Arica and Antofagasta) they barely felt any movement.

The biggest problem is in Arauco, where Marcos Gallardo and his family and another 2 Ywamers, had to move to the hills, to avoid the tsunami. They’re still there along with 15 thousand people. They have no electrical power, water or food. The people broke into the supermarkets before running to the hills and there they distributed all the food with everyone. They only have supplies for 2 days. They receive water by aljibe trucks.

The route that connects Santiago with the south is cut in several points, because bridges have fallen and pavement. Therefore, we can’t get them out. I could speak with him by cell phone, I don’t know how, and he explained to me the whole situation. But now I can’t get a hold of him, I think its because his battery is dead and since there’s no electricity he can’t charge it. He and his family are sleeping in a borrowed car that has no more gasoline. Here, in Santiago there is lack of food and gasoline, but soon it’ll come back  and we’ll be back to normal. In the south, however, this will take several days. To rebuild Chile will demand 30 billion dollars.

Ricardo and Luisa Rodriguez