Two devastating earthquakes struck the historic city of Lorca, in southern Spain on Wednesday, May 11 leaving at least nine people dead.  The tremors registering 4.5 and 5.2 were the biggest to hit Spain since 1956.  More than 6,000 people are sleeping in tents in five emergency camps set up by the Red Cross and Ministry of Defense.  80% of the buildings in the city of 93,000 residents were damaged.  Bulldozers have been brought in to clear the roads of rubble and crushed cars. 

 

ABC missionaries, Carlos Bonilla and Mayra Giovanetti and their three children live about 200 miles from the epicenter of the quakes in Lorca.  We have received word from them about the impact of the earthquake.   “These are communities in areas of poverty and increasing migration where hope is scarce, and keeping the vitality of His church is crucial.  We pray that our churches will have space for the ‘least of these’ in their hearts and in their pockets.” 

 

Mayra reported that 90% of the members of the First Baptist Church of Lorca are now homeless.  70% of the members of the Mission Church of the Good Shepherd are also without a home.  Sanctuaries in both churches and meeting places have been severely damaged.  FBC Lorca has a new building that was to be inaugurated in September.  Now it will need to be restored before it can be safely used for ministry. 

 

Carlos and Mayra are close to the local women’s president, Carmen Sánchez, who is a member of FBC Lorca.  Their women’s shelter “The Good Way Association” was completely destroyed.  The women have been relocated into apartments and there are no foreseeable plans for immediate reconstruction of the building. Their ministry to women is vital and having the shelter’s facilities destroyed is a considerable hindrance to the efforts to minister to the women. 

 

The Director of the Social Action Ministries in UEBE (Unión Evangélica Bautista Española), will travel to Lorca today to study the situation "in situ" and evaluate possible means of assistance.   The director would like Carlos and Mayra to study definite ways to have a coordinated impact with the other Ministries in their sister convention in Spain.  In order to do this, they will be traveling to Lorca soon.

 

Carlos and Mayra are among the 20 missionaries participating at the ABC Biennial in Puerto Rico on June 24 – 26.  They will be able to share their firsthand witness to the recovery efforts in Lorca during the Biennial.  They have asked for prayer for those impacted by this disaster, who are receiving very little media coverage.

A $10,000 grant from One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) was approved today for our partner in Spain, the UEBE (the Baptist Evangelical Union of Spain) for relief efforts. Emergency donations are needed.  You can give online by clicking here.  Or you can send a check made payable to “One Great Hour of Sharing – Spain Relief” and give to your church, or mail to:

International Ministries
P.O. Box 851
Valley Forge, PA 19482

One Great Hour of Sharing is administered by the World Relief Committee of the General Board.  The Committee facilitates American Baptist emergency relief, disaster rehabilitation, refugee work, and development assistance by establishing policy guidelines and overseeing distribution of the annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering.