How long can they wait for help...?

These pictures are from Concepcion, from Polin en Camino.  She lives there.  With her 2 children, her husband, and her lovely brother who has been working in the area as a volunteer to help people in need...

Her pictures will show what downtown looks like... Piles of debris everywhere...

And holes... like a war scene...

But even worse than that is the situation that people from Talcahuano are living... They have been without water since the earthquake.  Streets haven't been cleaned, there is mud and fish still all over the place, rotten... full of flies...

Polin talked to some of the people from Talcahuano.  One of them, Ana, told her the water was black, penetrating every corner of her house... and she thought she was going to die there... but his partner, Pedro, had reached the roof of the house, and she doesn't know how... he managed to catch her and bring her to the roof with him...

The water was getting higher and higher... Pedro managed again to grab one of his neighbours and bring him to the roof, too.  "On the radio, thye were telling us not to move from our houses, to be calm... And I believed that...!" said Ana.  At least 9 people from that street died.

Further down the road, Polin finds Marioli and her 3 daughters, living with her parents.  She lost everything.  She was 3 days without food or water... One of her daughters, Nicole, was operated on her spine, and she cannot afford to get sick.  The conditions under which they are living now are very risky for her health.

Polin continues walking around, and finds Néstor, wearing an overall.  He is cleaning mud and algae from what it used to be his house.  There is a sad look in his eyes.  She asked him if he needs anything... He says he doesn't.  But she realises he needs everything.  There is nothing left.

"It's difficult to imagine yourself without anything in life... your things, your clothes, pictures... the water took everything with it..."

Empty pieces of land, house are gone... So people just put a sign with their family name on it...

Thank you, Polin, for being our eyes...

There is still a lot of help needed in this area... Concepcion, Talcahuano, and Lota, too.

If you are in Vancouver, don't forget the  FRIED FISH & SALAD… Chilean Style,

April 03, Sat. - Chilean Housing Coop. 3390 School Av.
No time for this event?  Phone the Chilean Consulate in Vancouver and find out all the ways you can help...
Have a meaningful Easter weekend!