ACN Offering Hope in the Darkness | VENEZUELA

Rescue workers work in Macuto, La Guaira | Credit © Ismael Martínez Sánchez / ACN

As search and rescue efforts continue, following the devastating earthquake that shook Venezuela, the Church has begun to deal with the great challenge of accompanying a deeply traumatised population. “For those who survived, it was a miracle, but we lost many people,” says Archbishop Raúl Biord of Caracas speaking to international charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

The magnitude of the tragedy continues to grow. According to the latest official figures before going to print, over 3,800 people have been confirmed killed and an estimated 60,000+ currently unaccounted for.

Several regions still don’t have electricity and many buildings collapsed completely, while others suffered such structural damage that they are effectively unusable, so people cannot return to their homes. Church sources who spoke to ACN estimate that around 250,000 people may have been left homeless due to the earthquake. Many banks are still closed, so people are unable to access cash to cover their most basic needs.

“We should take time to organise the aid we require. The needs are immense. Naturally, the main priority now is to rebuild lives,” says the archbishop.

A REAL MIRACLE The diocese that was most severely hit by the earthquake was La Guaira, especially the region near the coast, beside Caracas. The Seminary of St Peter and St Paul, for instance, suffered severe damage. “The seminarians were in the building when the earth shook. There were some lightly wounded, but nobody was killed and both the seminarians and their formators were able to leave. We can say that it was a miracle. However, the building is inaccessible, it cannot be used and it was heavily damaged. They lost everything, even their clothes and shoes… Nothing was left.”

Faced with this immense suffering, Archbishop Biord believes that one of the most urgent challenges now is to accompany the survivors. “We have lost so much. We need to care for those who survived. Priests and religious, as well as Caritas volunteers and pastoral agents must tend to the needs of thousands of people who have been badly traumatised. This will be one of the biggest priorities for the diocese over the coming months, to support and train those who will be on the front lines of this pastoral accompaniment,” he explains.

Archbishop Biord also expressed his gratitude to ACN and other international charities, saying “we really need your support. It helps us to rebuild our lives and our country, together”.

ACN has approved a first support package of €100,000 to help the Church in Venezuela respond to the tragedy. The aid will help to support priests, religious communities and other pastoral agents who, despite having been badly affected themselves, continue to take in families, accompany victims and offer spiritual support in the wake of the tragedy.

Representatives from the charity will travel to Venezuela to touch base with our project partners and survey the earthquake’s impact on the Church’s functions and services. Among the ACN representatives in Venezuela will be Executive President of ACN International, Tyrone woman, Regina Lynch.

At the same time, the charity continues to evaluate the needs on the ground, with the help of the local Church, and has also committed to helping with long-term reconstructions support.

Maria Lozano, head of press and media at ACN International, who knows the affected dioceses well, said: “We have walked these streets, prayed in these churches and spent time with the priests and families who are now living this nightmare. That is why this tragedy seems so close to us. In every major catastrophe, there comes a time when statistics are no longer enough to describe what people are living through.”

ACN is in continuous contact with the Venezuelan Church and is preparing to support both emergency assistance and the reconstruction of damaged church infrastructure, so that local communities can continue to receive spiritual, pastoral and humanitarian support in the coming months.