OAXACA, MEXICO (September 12, 2017) – Workers with Covenant ministry partners Fuentes Libres and MAEM (Ministering with the Abused and Exploited in Mexico) are safe following last week’s 8.1 magnitude earthquake, a Fuentes Libres staff member wrote in a Facebook post.
Covenant missionaries Nils and Erika Clauson in Oaxaca City said on Friday that they were safe.
The earthquake struck off the coast of the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas on Thursday night. The death toll has reached 96 people and is expected to rise, according to government leaders.
There have been more than 800 aftershocks of all sizes since the quake, and the U.S. Geological Survey counted nearly 60 with a magnitude of 4.5 or greater.
Fuentes Libres and MAEM are located in an area called the Isthmus, which was one of the hardest-hit according to government leaders. As many as one-third of all the buildings are said to have collapsed.
Fuentes Libres provides microfinancing and spiritual formation to marginalized women in Oaxaca. Staffer Jenny Zarate wrote:
“I pray for the protection of those families who have been affected by this natural disaster and tragedy, thank God the staff of Fuentes is well and I was able to communicate with MAEM and the missionaries and they are also well. In the places that have been affected we pray for the best possible outcome and that their losses are just material, remembering that the material things can be slowly recovered, but not people’s lives! It is time to show solidarity with our people, not to lose faith and hope… thank you all for your prayers.”
“Ruego por la protección sobre aquellas familias que han sido afectadas por este desastre natural y tragedia, Gracias a Dios el personal de fuentes esta bien y pude comunicarme con hermanos de Maem y los misioneros y tambien se encuentran bien. En los lugares que fueron afectados oramos se encuentren lo mejor posible y que sus pérdidas sean sólo materiales, recuerden que lo material despacito pero se recupera, pero la vida No!!! Es momento de solidarizarse con nuestro pueblo, de no perder la fé y esperanza… Gracias a todos por sus oraciones.” —Jenny, Fuentes Libres
