National Public Radio (NPR) is reporting that there is a shortage of shelter in many earthquake-affected regions in the country, leaving people sleeping outdoors. There are fears that the houses still standing might have been damaged and will later collapse. Ecuador’s government has declared a state of emergency and is deploying army troops, firefighters and heavy equipment to search for survivors. Many highways, air traffic control and other buildings along the coast have collapsed.

In Manta, Salesian missionaries operate a school, a parish, an oratory and a center for street children. After the earthquake struck, missionaries there responded immediately helping to dig through rubble to look for trapped survivors and providing assistance to those affected. Salesian programs across the country have been working to collect emergency aid and coordinate volunteer efforts.

“We are helping more than 7,000 families and need funds to buy food and medicine,” says a Salesian missionary working with families in need in Manta. “The people are in great despair and their pain continues at the loss of their loved ones. In the future, we will have to repair the damage, but for now we have to attend to the people first.”

While responding to those in need, Salesian missionaries are also working to address the damage sustained to several of their buildings during the earthquake. Father Jorge Molina, provincial in Ecuador, has formed a support team to address this crisis. The damage to the school, the parish and a retreat house, as well as many of the buildings in the surrounding community, is quite extensive.

“There are 1,800 students attending the Salesian College of San Jose and many have been left homeless,” says Marcelo Mejia, delegate for social communication of the province of Ecuador. “Many of our students live in the area near the school where the damage is irreparable. There have been many stories we have heard of great sorrow our students are going through for the loss of loved ones.”

For now, the church, retreat house and school are closed. However, community members continue to seek assistance and shelter from the missionaries who are responding with aid as best they can. In the coming weeks and months, missionaries will work to assess damage and put a plan into place for responding to aid requests and rebuilding needs.

“Salesian missionaries have been working in Ecuador for more than 125 years, and because they live in the communities they serve, they are perfectly positioned to respond in times of crisis,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries provide education and social development services across the country and were among the first responders after the recent earthquake providing emergency aid and assessing relief needs. They will remain to help local families restore their livelihoods and rebuild their homes and communities long after other relief services have left.”

Ecuador is one of the most inequitable societies in the world, according to UNICEF. The richest 20 percent of the population receives almost 50 percent of the national income, while the poorest 20 percent receives only five percent. Almost 26 percent of all children under five have stunted growth. In rural areas, the figure is 31 percent, and in indigenous communities, it is even higher at 47 percent, according to the World Food Program. For poor, rural and indigenous youth, education provides the best opportunity for finding employment, reducing inequities and breaking the cycle of poverty.

Headquartered in New Rochelle, New York, Salesian Missions has launched a Disaster in Ecuador fund to help the victims of the earthquake. To raise money for the fund, the Catholic nonprofit aid organization has launched an emergency fundraising campaign and is issuing an urgent appeal for donations. Go to http://www.salesianmissions.org/ecuador.

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Sources:

ANS – Ecuador – The number of dead rises and the damage to property increases. “We cannot solve everything, but we can help in something.”

ANS – Ecuador – The Salesians in Manta supporting the earthquake victims

NPR – Hundreds Dead, Thousands Homeless After Quake In Ecuador

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“Luis Bedoya is baby-faced and skinny,” reports the NPR story, by Juan Forero. “And he looks ever the boy when he puts on an industrial-sized apron, thick gloves and a metal helmet — the tools of an apprentice welder at the Don Bosco center in this city in southern Colombia.”

The vocational training and youth center, run by the Salesians of Don Bosco, specializes in rehabilitating child guerrillas. It is one of many such centers in Colombia and offers what Salesians around the world are known for – opportunity for youth through education and vocational training provided by caring adults. For children who have never had anyone care about them before, the center is life changing and life saving.

“It’s a big complex, complete with classrooms, basketball courts, a dormitory and work rooms. It’s home to boys and girls, as well as very young adults, who defected from the FARC rebels or were captured by the Colombian army,” reports NPR.

Children, including girls, have been recruited by guerrilla groups and even kidnapped and forced to do the war’s “dirty work” – often the most dangerous. Human rights groups and humanitarian groups have identified Colombia as a major country of crisis for children.

Many children – who have known nothing but war in their lifetimes – are recruited very young. Teenagers and even younger children are trained to be soldiers, stripping them of their childhoods. Those who survive and escape the nightmare have few places to turn for help.

The story continues: “These days, [Jasmine] is far removed from that life. She’s in cooking classes, and looking forward to higher studies – and maybe someday opening her own restaurant.”

The Colombian war has lasted more than 40 years. It is a brutal conflict between many different armed groups who struggle for power and control over land. All the armed groups have abused the rights of innocent people. About 5,000 people are killed every year, and most of these are civilians, according to Unicef. Massacres occur almost every week. Since 1985, more than 2 million people – or 1 in 20 Colombians – have been forced to abandon their homes because of the war.

While the two sides are in peace negotiations, the recruitment of child soldiers by the FARC rebels seems to be ramping up making programs to help these children essential.

“About 500 children are in programs like this across the country, but if peace is achieved, experts anticipate a much greater need,” NPR reported.

“We pray that peace does happen,” says Father Mark Hyde, the director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “And when that peace causes a need for more programs like this one, the Salesians will be there to help meet that need.”

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PHOTOS: Father Mark Hyde / SALESIAN MISSIONS

Read / listen to the story on NPR’s site: Years Of Combat Experience, and Just Turning 20

Learn more about Salesian Missions programs in Colombia >

The post COLOMBIA: NPR Tells Story of Salesian Center Helping Former Child Soldiers Start New, Positive Lives first appeared on MissionNewswire.