CMS has confirmed Australian missionaries in the Chile quake zone are safe but there are concerns for local churches in the worst-hit area, the city of Concepción.

CMS officials have made contact with all Australian missionaries and sydneyanglicans.net has also confirmed Cesar Guzman and his family, who spent time in Sydney during Moore College training, are also safe.

However they have called for prayer for those in the direct line of the earthquake, the Concepción area, 300 kilometres south of the capital Santiago.

Most of the CMS missionaries are in Santiago although Graeme and Jane Peters and family recently returned to Australia from working in Concepción.

CMS is involved in the work of the Centre for Pastoral Studies (CEP) in various areas of Chile.

Contact has been made to confirm the safety of the Charles and Shead families, Frances Cook and Lesley Doy (in Santiago) as well as the Hallyburtons in Antofagasta, north of Santiago.

The Swans are currently in Australia on Home Assignment.

A group from Viñá del Mar including CMS interNational Ministry Partners Pato and Dagmar Oyarzun were at a Summer Church Camp in an area to the South of the earthquake. They felt a shake but had no idea of the magnitude of the disaster.  The journey home will be a difficult one for them because of the bridges that have been destroyed.

First hand reports from missionaries will be posted on the CMS webpage as they become available. Some are currently without internet and phone.

Cesar Guzman, who pastors a church in the suburbs of Santiago, described what was felt in the capital “The earthquake was during the night (Friday to Saturday) at 3 a.m.  This is my 3rd earthquake but certainly the worst I have been through. We awoke suddenly as the ground beneath and the house around shook convulsively, we could barely stand up and objects began to fall and break around the house adding to the already loud noises. It went for endless 3 minutes.  Once it stopped and checked we were all right we checked the structural integrity of the house to make sure it was ok to stay indoors. The house withstood the violence of the quake. We had water and gas, but no telephone, internet or electricity until a couple of hours ago (early Tuesday morning Australian time) We had 3 guests with us, 3 incoming CEP students, we were with us until they found a flat to rent. It was a blessing to have their company during a long, long night. The tremors continued all night long, in fact until today (3 days)..  . Santiago is in relatively good shape after such a big quake. Communications and transport are back after 48 hours and most buildings are standing. Still there are 1000 people dead, several hundred thousands homeless and many injured.  Some are still without power or gas. One of the big hospitals is closed, the airport is useless and some of the freeways impassable. Schools are closed. The worst took place south of Santiago in the Concepción area which is devastated, like a war zone (the energy released by this earthquake was 80 times worse than Haiti).”

Right: Photo of damage in Chile from Twitter

Graeme Peters, who returned in December after five years in Concepción, has been trying to get information from friends in the city “In Concepción itself the deaths were largely due to multistory buildings collapsing. Concepción is still without water, gas, electricity & communications but various reports have emerged from the city. People are desperate after two days without essential services & looting has become a serious problem. The Govt. has responded by imposing a curfew at night. Emergency services are working flat out. Bridges are down, roads have raised up or fallen away, gas leaks have provoked numerous serious fires, rubble covers the streets, the hospital was badly damaged, the prison was badly damaged provoking the escape of many inmates, and thousands of homes are destroyed or badly damaged. We have not been able to communicate directly with folk in Concepción but we have received a few messages via facebook confirming that families that we know are OK. Some people were away on holidays as this was to be the last weekend of the summer holidays. Schools were to resume on Monday but the starting date has now been delayed.”

Pastor Guzman sums up the need for prayer and says locals are rallying to help the worst hit area. “There are 3 Anglican congregations in the city plus a couple more up in the mountains among Mapuche natives. We have almost no information and churches here are making donations to take food and other aid to church families down there. Sunday service, with those who were able to get to church, was emotional as we gave thanks to God for his protection and prayed for those suffering. Please pray for our nation and our authorities as they try to lead us in difficult times. Pray for the church that we may show Christian love and concern and take this opportunity for gospel witness.”