In Panama, Church Mobilizes to Assist Hundreds of Families Affected by Hurricane Eta
Church member volunteers begin unloaded food, water and toiletries in the Chiriquí Province, in the western coast of Panama, to be distributed to affected families. The goods were sent from one of five donation centers set up by the Adventist Church and ADRA in Panama City, a day after news of the disaster broke in the Central American country. More than 500 volunteers helped collect, assemble and deliver the aid to displaced families. [Photo: Panama Union]
The outer bands of Hurricane Eta struck western Panama on November 3 after its destructive path in Honduras and Guatemala, causing deaths, flooding, and the destruction of bridges, homes and roads. So far 17 people have been confirmed dead by local authorities, including one church member. In addition, authorities have reported 25 landslide sites and more than 800 persons rescued. There are currently 19 shelters in use.
Local churches and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Panama have mobilized to bring relief to those affected by the storm.
“Panama doesn’t usually experience natural disasters like this,” said Augusto Reyes, who lives in Quiriquí, located on the west coast of Panama. “I hurried home when my wife called and when I got there, I found the water rising from the nearby Quebrada Bruja [or Bruja Ravine].” Reyes was able to get his family out minutes before his home became inaccessible.
A home flooded after torrential rains from the outer bands of Hurricane Eta overflowed rivers affecting hundreds of homes in Chiriquí Province, in the western coast of Panama, Nov. 4, 2020, [Photo: Panama Union]
Unfortunately, 48-year-old Mercedes Rodríguez, a church member in Quiriquí, died when a mudslide covered her home. She is mourned by her fellow church members.
Donation centers open
The Adventist Church in Panama City, where the church’s headquarter office is located, opened five donation centers where 500 church member volunteers and 100 volunteers from the community gathered to collect food, clothes and toiletries to assist those in need.
ADRA Panama sent in five trucks and several pickup trucks on a 450-kilometer journey with food, clothes and toiletries to Quiriquí on Nov. 5, according to Jose Smith, ADRA Panama director. “About $50,000 worth of goods have been donated so far,” he said. “Every conference field was organized to receive donations from church members and those from the community goods with dozens of young people volunteering per region,” said Smith.
Packaged bags purchased by ADRA Panama for displaced families in Chiriquí, Panama. [Photo: Panama Union]
The rest of the donated goods collected at the donation centers in Panama City were sent in seven truck loads days later, said Pastor Misael González, communication director for the church in Panama.
“The donation centers throughout the country have been visited by regional fire departments, municipal authorities, commissioners from the presidency and the national civil protection system, who have joined the volunteer work teams from the church to assist so many in the most affected areas,” said González.
Many volunteers joined the efforts to unload and organize donated goods.
A church member volunteer talks to a family takes refuge at one of the shelters set up by the Adventist Church in Chiriquí, Panama, earlier this month. [Photo: Panama Union]
For three days Johan Gonzáles helped as a volunteer at one of the donation centers in Panama City. “I personally heard many testimonies from so many church members and saw how our members were moved to express their love for others in need,” she said.
Ana Flórez, a church member volunteer in Chiriquí, was amazed to see how the church responded after the flooding affected so many people in her town. “The moment the announcement was made in need of donations and volunteers, you could see the response from so many church members who wanted to be part and help with what they could,” said Flórez. “I was so proud to belong to the Adventist Church to see how we all work together to support people in need and I saw firsthand how these efforts were recognized by the government of our country.”
The church will continue assessing the needs in Chiriquí, said Pastor González. “We are committed to continuing providing support to all the displaced persons,” he said.
A church member volunteer delivers a bag of goodies to a needy home in Chiriquí, Panama, after torrential rains affected her home. [Photo: Panama Union]