“This catastrophe comes in difficult times for Ecuador – wrote Msgr. Julio Parrilla, bishop of Riobamba, in Ecuador –. The excesses of nature always accompany us: previously we had the winter floods, and before that the eruption of Cotopaxi volcano. Now, this terrible earthquake has thrown the country in a critical situation. Economically, recession had put us in serious difficulty. Now it will certainly be hard to go ahead and efficiently face this enormous chasm that opens under our feet. But, as is always the case in our community, grief highlights solidarity””.
The province of Manabí is one of the areas that have suffered more from the 7.8 degree seism that struck the coast of Ecuador. The tragedy so far caused 499 dead, thousands of wounded and thousands of homeless people, without food and water.
The solidarity of the Salesian Family continues all over the country. The theme “We can help in some way” has become a commitment for all the Salesians in Ecuador and the world all over. The members of Casa Don Bosco in Guayaquil are collecting food and mattresses and are collaborating to make coffins for the victims of the quake.
“The Salesian community is trying to sustain directly two sectors, in the zone of the parish of ‘Tarqui del Canton’ and in the area of the ‘Crucita’ parish, in Manta. It is estimated that around 5.800 families in Tarqui can be helped, including the “San José” Institute in Manta, and 1.200 families in Crucita. These 7.000 families are comprised of an average of 6 persons per family, so the beneficiaries can number in total 42.000 persons, thanks to the contribution coming from all over the world”.
Ecuador needs help: “let us not abandon it”. It is possible to donate one’s contribution on www.salesianmissions.org/ecuador or on www.misionessalesianas.org/ and visiting the webpage www.salesianos.org.ec
