Peru
(MNN) — In the wake of Peru's
magnitude 8 earthquake, humanitarian aid was swift to appear in the affected
urban areas. But some of the rural areas
are seeing a slower response.
The quake left over 600 people dead and more than 10,000
wounded, according to the U.N. At least 16,000 homes were completely
destroyed. Many roads in mountain areas
are broken, which makes the relief operations extremely difficult. Government
officials have asked Samaritan's Purse to take over administration of aid in
this region.
In the most-affected areas, many people are living in the
open in cold weather, with no access to food and clean drinking water.
Compounding matters, HCJB Global's Sheila Leech says the
hospital in the region where they're working was completely destroyed by the
quake. The problems were made worse by the lack of a field hospital. "We
have not been able to do surgery. We've
been setting bones out in the open air on the patio of the house or in the
small little room at the side of the house where we're working on the patio." However, the team was able to address some of
the medical needs of between 230 and 250 patients.
Leech says their medical team is headed to some of the
isolated areas crippled by looters.
"The people there were telling us that they have not received any
aid, and they are afraid to come to where we are in San Clemente because they are afraid of
looting; they cannot leave their homes."
Leech says teaming with the church will help their outreach
to the community. "Samaritan's Purse has been setting up community
kitchens in all of these places through the local church, and we'll be
complimenting their services by offering healthcare to the people in those
areas."
Samaritan's Purse is also providing enough materials for 700
temporary shelters. Teams will build one shelter using the plastic and bamboo
framing, and then train local people and provide materials and tools for them
to build shelters in their areas.
Pray that God will meet the physical and spiritual needs of
the earthquake victims. Pray, too, for
safety and wisdom for the teams. Click here if you can help.
