Letter from Camille 3-15-10

Hello,

Well I am happily still working hard in post-earthquake Chile. Actually, I hesitate to say post because the aftershocks are really strong and pretty consistent. Last Thursday morning we had one that was 7.2 or something like that. Its so crazy. Here in San Javier, things are much more stable than before. I wouldn’t say back to normal because a lot has changed, but it has all stabilized which is nice and we are able to go back and do what were always doing only different. Sometimes we don't have electricity and sometimes the earth is shaky and sometimes there are people screaming and panicking in the street....but its all going well.

Last week we were able to visit my first Sector, Consitución, which is 1.5 hrs away from here by bus. It was hit very hard by the earthquake and a huge Tsunami that destroyed half the city. It was so crazy to see the streets I walked destroyed. I was happy to know though that all the people I know and love there are doing just fine as far as being alive goes. Many have lost there homes (including 3 people I worked with and one of my best friends Kathy), but they are surviving. I was SO proud to see how well the church handled the situation. The church is so prepared! So many organizations had to wait a few days to distribute food because they didn't have any to give out right away. But the church was prepared and has been sending huge trucks every other day. And the members there are amazing. They all get to the church building at around 10 and spend all day going from place to place serving where they can and distributing food, clothes and water. The fact that the church is still standing there is a miracle as well. The tsunami hit the church hard but didn't even shake it. All the buildings surrounding it are down and they found a ton of fish in the parking lot but nothing got inside. And right away the church sent a generator so that the chapel could have electricity and running water so people can go there and bathe in the baptismal font and plug things in...its really quite a miracle.

Speaking of Constitución, one of the first men I taught in Chile, Gastón, is from Consitución and he has been coming to San Javier to come to church (for the past 2 weeks) just so that he can thank me for working with him. He is so funny and it has been so great to see him! He said that he immediately thought about what he had been taught and how much he had changed when the quake hit. I’ve talked about him a lot before...he was the one who was an alcoholic but completely changed his life around. Anyway, he said that he thinks he would have been dead if he had never changed because now he is healthy and strong and protected and was able to run ½ a mile with two children in his arms before the tsunami hit...sounds crazy I know....I can’t believe this is real life for us now...Anyway, he also said that he is really grateful that the church always talks about being prepared and about food storage because he had enough food to last him until they could go out and buy again...

Well, as you can tell I am incredibly blessed to be serving here at this time. Thanks for your concern and your prayers!

Hermana G