BMS World Mission Supports Baptists in Peru Earthquake Disaster

A BMS World Mission worker is bolstering Baptist relief efforts in quake-hit southern Peru as aid groups struggle to bring relief in the chaotic aftermath of last week's huge earthquake.

Margaret Swires, director of the Peruvian Baptist Convention's social action and family department, has joined Baptist colleagues as they scramble food, water, medicines, blankets and tarpaulin to survivors in badly-hit Ica region, many of whom have lost their homes and almost all their life possessions.

After surveying the scene of devastation in Ica, she reported, "We saw endless coffins heading for the cemeteries; many the white coffins of children."

The search for survivors officially ended on Monday and bulldozers have now moved in to clear away the mountains of rubble.

The death toll has now reached 540 across the entire quake-hit region while an estimated 176,000 people have been left homeless.

Disease control is also a priority now for Peruvian Government, with fumigation operations now under away across many of the devastated towns.

The Baptist response team, in Ica since last Friday, continues to bring aid to some of the worst affected.

"The poor have been the most affected and, when we visited, aid had not got to them, so they were desperate for water, food and most also for shelter," said Swires.

Many of those unable to leave the quake-hit region have opted to sleep out in the open for fear of another earthquake or further tremors.

Road links have also been badly affected, with the main road in the country impassable and bridges also put out.

"It took us five hours to travel a half-an-hour journey. There is no other route, so traffic is always heavy and now with people on the move, for varying reasons, it's chaos," said Swires.

She appealed to Christians to pray for the Baptist response team and for the earthquake survivors.

"Please pray for a very frightened and scared people, that they will know the God who preserved their lives in this time."