MediBlog: Un gringo peruano

19 agosto 2007

Un gringo peruano

Mientras que muchos de nosotros deseamos irnos a otro país en busca de un futuro mejor, existen extranjeros como Jacob Goad que optan por permanecer en el Perú y no disfrutan simplemente de sus paisajes, comidas y costumbres.

A raíz del terremoto ocurrido el miércoles 15 de agosto Jacob viajó a la ciudad de Pisco muy a la aventura para describirnos lo que sucede en esa ciudad y alrededores.

Aquí su relato:

Dear friends,

Many of you know that I traveled to Pisco on Thursday to assess the situation after the earthquake. 85% of the city has been completely destroyed and hundreds have died. The total number of deaths has been reported as high as 600.

After riding in a Peruvian Air Force plane (Thanks to Barbara Fraser from Maryknoll Press for that suggestion), I went to the center of town. I told some firemen that I wanted to go to Pisco. One man laughed at me and said, "What, Pisco? There's nothing left to see." He smiled and told me to come on anyway.

From there, I went to the center plaza and saw several dead bodies pulled from the San Clemente Church. It was a surreal and difficult experience.

There has been a lot of chaos in coordination of search and rescue, and relief efforts. I spent Thursday night not sleeping in the plaza, talking to displaced families, while trying to keep warm beside a campfire. Some guys from Ayacucho let me take turns with their blanked.

I looked around town on Friday for relief efforts assesments. Everthing is still in the search and rescue mode operationally.

I am thankful to a Peruvian doctor who gave me some bread and a warm cup of tea on Friday morning. It was the only think I had eaten since breakfast on Thursday. Food and water is scarce for the whole population of Pisco. Donations are being stored at the airport, and distributed by military personnel.

Please see the CBS report on the earthquake and relief efforts (in which I am interviewed):

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/
i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3180364n&channel=i_video

Also, I have taken several photographs and commented on them from my travels to Pisco. You can see those photographs at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11643144@N07/

I hope that all of this will begin to open dialog with how we might best funnel relief funds and efforts to Peru to collaborate with them time of need. I was just informed that the Anglican Church is working through Comunión Peru. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has stated they are working through ACT (Action by Churches Together).

Please unite with us in this endeavor with your prayers and your creative, collaborative work. I told the people of Pisco that I would get the word out.

Peace in the midst of sorrow,

Jacob Goad

Delegations Coordinator-Peru
Presbyterian Church (USA)

Pueden verlo en una entrevista de la CBS en:
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/
main500251.shtml?id=3180364n&channel=i_video

Fotos en: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11643144@N07/

Tags: terremoto ica