Anglican Communion News Service

January 18, 2001

This is the second official statement from Bishop Martín Barahona to the members of the Episcopal Church in El Salvador, in the Central Region of America, in the United States and in other places of the world, to all our friends.

Thank you for all the concern and accompaniment, and for the financial support that you have offered to us in these difficult times our country is going through. Unfortunately I am not able just to tell you that the situation is truly tragic. The earthquake affected the whole national territory and it is for that reason that there is still a lot of confusion and the data, I can say is still preliminary. The situation is qualified as catastrophe and you may see, read and hear in all the media: 681 deaths, more than 1500 missing persons, 46 thousand damnified and more than 16,000 destroyed houses; I repeat, these are still preliminary data. Exactly while I was editing this information, I received a call from the Rosales Hospital, the largest public hospital of San Salvador, and they tell me that it has been seriously damaged, the 12 surgery rooms cannot be used and patients are being assisted in a precarious way. As we also know, the public hospital of Santa Tecla was evicted because it was destroyed by the earthquake.

Among everything, there is a great spirit of cooperation from all Salvadorans and we have great support from the international community. As for the Episcopal Church of El Salvador, we are working with an emergency committee and in yesterday's night we were informed about the storing centers settled down and we are providing food at this time of emergency that God willing would be overcome in two weeks. Reports are being elaborated to get ready for the reconstruction stage.

Again I request that as for us, we urge of financial support and your donations can be sent to our Citibank Account 10756637 at Citibank, N.A. 153 East 53rd Street, New York, New York 10043. You can also send them to the Episcopal Church Center. CRISTOSAL, a non-profitable institution that operates in the United States to support the work of El Salvador is very active and they can receive donations. Please send checks to Michael Kingston, Treasurer c/o 681 North Hill Cross Road, Ludlow, VT 05149. Checks payable to the order of FOUNDATION CRISTOSAL INC, Chittenen Bank of Vermont #23 45 42370.

You may also send donations to the diocese of New Jersey, our companion diocese, with attention to the Rev. Servio Moscoso, San José Episcopal Church, 38 West End Pl. Elizabeth, NJ 07202 (908) 289-7070.

For the area of Europe, in London, I am requesting the Rev. Ian Hutchinson Cervantes: ianhc@uspg.org.uk he may coordinate and help us by diffusing this information to our friends. Thank you for letting us know of the presence of Miss Rachel Parry who has already been integrated to our emergency brigade.

I also want to inform you that the office of the General Secretary of IARCA has been very active and it is coordinating cooperation. You may contact the Rev. Héctor Monterroso at iarcahfm@terra.com.gt Donations can be received in the treasury of IARCA at the diocese of Panama.

Some of our priests are traveling to the interior of the country in order to offer support to the affected sectors and that have not still received attention.

Please forgive me for not sending a well-edited report, but the intention is to keep you posted. We have received dozens of phone calls and e-mails, to all we thank you and I'd like to mention you one by one, but the list would be too long. I beg you to continue praying for us, we need strength, our faith is big and we know that we will overcome this tragic event.

I want to conclude thanking and praying with the same prayer the Very Rev. Richard Bower has sent to us: Oh God of peace, we commend the Salvadoran people to your special care and love at this time of so much suffering; knowing that you are doing for them better things than those we would like to do or we would beg; for Jesus Christ, our brother and savior. Amen.

The Rt Revd Martín Barahona
Bishop of El Salvador