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El Salvador Slowly Rebuilds After Winter's Earthquakes
September found over 100 representatives from many El Salvadorian churches, government officials, humanitarian organizations including Operation Blessing, Feed The Children, Compassion, World Vision, and World Relief as well as entrepreneurs and members of poor population collaborating on a long-term reconstruction plan for El Salvador. Rallied together by former OBI El Salvador center leader and current AERDO (Association of Evangelical Relief and Development Organizations) liaison Alejandro Amaya, for two-and-a-half days the group examined social issues including medical needs, women's issues, and environmental concerns.
"[This has been an] exciting conference. We helped draft a vision statement for a coordinated collaborative effort to assist in the reconstruction of January's earthquakes," commented Dick Kohl, OBI Director of Disaster & Medical Relief. "We believe God has called us [OBI] to be an instrument of collaboration with in El Salvador." Through the developed vision statement, the poor's integral needs (housing, food, medical education, spiritual) will be better served.
When disaster first struck on January, OBI was able to send funding as well as instant energy in the form of candy. In partnership with Feed My Starving Children, OBI has also been able to provide nearly a quarter of a million meals to earthquake victims. In order for Americans to understand the magnitude of this disaster, it would be fair to say the equivalent of 80 million in the United States would have suffered in a similar tragedy!
"We believe the church has a very important role in social activities. Welfare began in the church," shared Mr. Amaya. "OBI has helped through this effort, to inspire and strengthen the unity of the church in El Salvador, by helping to bring together Christian leaders with different backgrounds and facilitate the networking among churches and ministries. This is what pleases God (John 17)." He was in El Salvador, 20 minutes away from the fault, while the second earthquake hit. "I saw poles bouncing like drunkards!"
At the conclusion of the AERDO sponsored conference, relief plans included rebuilding community schools and providing drinking water.
With many organizations and individuals now united, the long rebuilding process won't seem as tenuous.
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