We are quite sure that you have heard the news reports of the devastation in Chile after they were hit by an extremely strong earthquake, followed by regular and severe aftershocks. This disaster has left Chile on Her knees. While this shocking news affected all who have heard it, it has hit the Little Sisters of the Poor in Louisville extremely hard.
The Little Sisters of the Poor have five Homes in Chile. Two of these Homes, Concepcion and Santiago, were severely affected by the earthquake. The second floor of our Home in Concepcion has collapsed. This initially caused the Residents to have to be evacuated and moved into tents on the lawn. However, after a short time, the weather grew so cold that they had to be moved back into the hallways of the first floor by Little Sisters, who were unsure if the cold or the severely damaged building was more dangerous to them. After using the main downstairs room to house the infirm, hold mass and serve meals, an aftershock split the floor in two.
With flashlights, food and water in hand, the Little Sisters from the other Homes in Chile have come calling to help move the Residents from the damaged Homes to the more secure Chilean Homes. There is no electricity and the city is still in a panic. Our prayers go out to the Residents and to our Little Sisters who are desperately trying to get their basic needs met, but prayers are not enough.
View a Photojournal of the Aftermath of the February 27, 2010 Earthquake
Please visit our main site www.littlesistersofthepoor.org and make a donation to help our family in Chile.
Our Homes in Chile