In Guatemala, Adventist Church Mourns Loss of Members, Begins Relief to Victims of Hurricane Eta

November 10, 2020 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Seventh-day Adventists in Guatemala are saddened by the deaths of four of its church members after torrential rains from Hurricane Eta overflowed rivers and caused landslides that buried dozens of homes in the village of Queja in San Cristobal Verapaz in the northwestern part of the country.

After the rain battered the mountainous regions on Nov. 3, 2020, rescue teams were able to uncover victims. Among the first victims recovered were a mother and her three young children. Adela Cal and her three children, ages 5, 8 and 10, were members to the village’s Adventist Church.

“The passage of Hurricane Eta has caused various disasters in different parts of our country and has touched us deeply,” said Pastor Guenther Garcia, president of the church in Guatemala.

“We are grieving the loss of our dear members, especially those young children, and we come in solidarity as a church to mourn their loss and sympathize with the more than 70,000 persons affected by Eta,” he said. Pastor Garcia said that the Carlos Suram, the father of the victims was in the capital city at the time the disaster struck and is trying to find his way back home amid flooding and inaccessible roads.

There are still three other missing members. An estimated 200 people are believed to have died across the country, and dozens more are missing.

Special emergency funds have been disbursed to help assist members , explained Garcia.  In addition, there are two trucks ready to transport clothing and non-perishable food as well as 75 new mattresses, he added.  Local Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) funds have been used in Peten, in the northern part of the country, to distribute food, water and toiletries in the affected areas.

The church has so far identified 219 Adventist families who have lost their homes. Eight Adventist churches are currently operating as shelters. There are 796 people currently staying at these churches. Gustavo Menendez, communication director for the church in Guatemala, said these churches were closed in March in response to the pandemic, but were opened to provide shelter space for displaced families. He said the church is maintaining as much social distancing as possible under the circumstances.

After the rains subsided on Nov. 4, Adventist churches in the north and northwest regions mobilized its members to collect food, water and clothing for the victims, according to Menendez. “Out of their own funds and donations they moved fast to cook hot meals and assemble food bags for many of the victims in surrounding communities,” said Menendez.

The situation has been very difficult for so many people, added Menendez.  “There are two major bridges that were wiped out and it’s hard to even get to the area since the waters are still high.

“We know this is just an initial response to assist these families for they have lost everything,” Menendez said. “It’s going to take a long-term plan to rebuild their lives.”

Members in the northern part of Guatemala have already made hot meals, assembled bags of food and water and are delivering the goods to as many communities as they can reach.

“Our Adventist community here always moves to help those in need and always joins together to offer assistance, ponchos, prayers, and anything they are able to do to offer hope,” added Menendez.