January 12, 2009 – Alajuela, Costa Rica…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
The Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Costa Rica are still assessing the damage inflicted by a 6.1 magnitude earthquake which struck the northern part of the country Thursday, Jan. 8. Dozens are missing, and thousands are without water, electricity, and telephone service. Although the death toll now stands at 20, church leaders have not reported any deaths among members.
The earthquake was centered some 22 miles northwest of San Jose near the Poas Volcano National Park.
“The situation is very distressing,” said Roberto Romero, ADRA Costa Rica director. “The earthquake hit a mountainous area with few inhabitants and homes, yet some 42 small communities disappeared completely, they are like ghost towns now.”
Pastor Marlon Moodie, executive secretary and communication director for the church in South Central American Union headquartered in Alajuela, Costa Rica, said that reports are coming in of members who have lost their homes. According to Pastor Moodie, UNADECA, the Adventist University in Alajuela sustained damages to its church, library, cafeteria and school of engineering building.
“The hardest hit was in the North Mission region of Costa Rica which oversees more than 55 churches” said Pastor Moodie. “Three of our regional church offices [in Costa Rica] began collecting food to be distributed.” Church leaders are still trying to account for all its members and assessing damages as roads become more accessible to travel, church leaders said.
According to Romero, some 20 young Adventist medical cadets from San Jose were offering medical attention the day after the earthquake. Dozens of Adventist young people also volunteered with Costa Rica's National Emergency Commission to help in the rescue and aid operations after the earthquake.
ADRA Costa Rica continues to coordinate with local Adventist churches in the collection of food which will be distributed in government-designated disaster centers. Additional food collection and distributions are scheduled to continue throughout this week, said Romero.
Located in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica has nearly 60,000 Seventh-day Adventist worshiping in 173 churches.
