Relief efforts in Venezuela are continuing in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes of Wednesday, July 24th. With two earthquakes over a magnitude of 7 hitting within a minute of each other, severe damages have been wreaked throughout the city of Carcas, with homes and livelihoods destroyed, and hundred of lives lost.
Br Deiby Fuenmayor MSC sends regular updates from Caracas, where he is working alongside Fr John Jennings MSC and a whole team of volunteers and relief workers to provide crucial support to those impacted by the earthquakes.
Emergency shelters
In an update on Friday, July 3rd, Br Deiby wrote that he has been visiting the various shelters that are currently in place, with Monsignor José Manuel León, auxiliary bishop of Caracas, and Fr Gerardo Guillén. These temporary shelters have been set up in areas such as car parks and sports courts, to provide urgent care and emergency relief to affected communities.
“The majority of those sheltered in these temporary locations have been forced to leave their homes out of fear of aftershocks or major structural damage,” Br Deiby writes. “These families remain outdoors as a preventive measure, waiting for the authorities to carry out the necessary technical inspections to verify if their homes are fit and safe for their return.”
Two official shelter facilities have been set up within the Santa Cruz parish, which will house about 800 people from La Guaira State who have tragically lost everything. “They have lost their homes, their belongings, and, in many cases, family members, leaving them in a situation of total vulnerability,” Br Deiby explains.
“Support teams are visiting shelters daily, distributing basic supplies, food, and the necessary assistance to meet their day-to-day needs in the midst of this crisis.”
A letter from Br Deiby
In a letter to Irish Provincial Superior Fr Joe McGee MSC, dated Monday, July 6th, Br Deiby sent our most recent update.
“I am writing to inform you that, so far, the Parish of the Holy Cross and our support centre continue to provide direct aid to almost 2000 people. We are visiting the parking lots and designated shelter areas daily, monitoring for safety, as well as the three large refuge camps already set up.
Currently, we have begun a vital programme of humanitarian, spiritual, and psychological support. We have several people on board specialising in these different areas, and, from July 12th to August 3rd, we will be supported by between five and six seminarians from the archdiocese in recreational and sacramental activities together with neighbouring parishes and auxiliary bishops. We also continue to support those centres outside our jurisdiction with medicines, mattresses, and clothing, working alongside the Archdiocese and Caritas to help those that we can.
We thank God that people of goodwill and great faith continue to support with us food, medicines, medical supplies, and everything they have within their reach. We are very grateful for the compassion and generosity of Sacred Heart benefactors who are helping us through the Mission Office in the Irish Province also. Today, I will be taking part in a meeting of the emergency committee of the Archdiocese of Caracas to coordinate new strategies. We greatly appreciate your financial support and prayers, as this process of relocation and recovery will last for several months.
God bless you always. We will continue to keep in touch.”
Grateful for generous hearts
Br Deiby has also sent a video update, to give us a short glimpse into how the aid work is progressing. Please see below for an English transcript of the video commentary.
On the morning of Thursday, July 2nd, the Auxiliary Bishop Elect of Caracas José Manuel Leon, together with the Vicar for Pastoral Ministry, Fr Ricardo, and Bro Deiby Fuenmayor MSC, made a pastoral visit to the refugees in the eastern part of Caracas to accompany, console and understand the reality of the difficulties being faced by each community in the wake of the earthquake.
Bishop José: This is a situation which certainly merits our attention, meeting our brothers and sisters who have been deeply affected and those who need our support and help.
Br Deiby: We are here to support those who have been so affected by this terrible earthquake. The people living here, have not lost their lives as a result of the quake, thank God, but they have lost their homes. We have visited about a thousand or so people, assessing the situation and bringing them the help that you have been supplying with such generous hearts.
We have also been in Pro Patria this morning. There is a team of a hundred or more people providing support at the shopping centre there, and there is also a refuge centre which has already welcomed about 100 people from La Guaira and expects to welcome about another 300 tomorrow and the day after.
Here in this zone, there are about 500 people who are all supporting each other, and receiving help from the Archdiocese support teams.
Bishop José: What we are trying to do is reconstruct lives with faith, hope, and love. We are beginning the reconstruction with faith, because what remains now is such a huge challenge. The attention that we can give to these brothers and sisters, our love and care, is so important, not only in a practical and material way, but also in a spiritual way, making them part of our family, part of ourselves… This is the challenge we are embracing as an Archdiocese. May God bless each and everyone.