The Silver Screen Oasis

Feaito=

I am SO very glad to hear that you are OK, and your family is well. Please, if you or anyone you know need anything, let me know. I am so relieved to hear you are alright and your home is standing.

Take care, my friend.

Fernando,

Your strength and resolve is to be admired. Our prayers are with you and all affected by the quake.

Hi Fernando,

Sorry for the late reply but I'm also very glad to hear that you're OK and still managing to stay positive despite the chaos around you.

-Stephen

Fernando, I hope you are reading this either safely at work or on your return home. I understand the need to return to normality as soon as is possible. I keep catching the updates on the news and can't believe we managed to speak yesterday. I hope your wife has managed to have a nice birthday, despite the earthquake.

Thanks friends for your prayers, kind words and concern. Today I was in awe (I went to my office by the subway train) to see that there were no damages (apparent at least) in the subway stations. In Downtown Santiago, where I work, everything was quite normal, although there was high absence rate in general and some companies and entities weren't working today. I worked from 8:30 to 6:00. There werw fewer e-mails at work today -thank God-, but there was still a lot of work. I have to to comply with my apartment's insurance policy procedures to be covered by the insurance company, because the building most likely does not have structural damage...So being an "Act of God" or "Force Majeure", the company that built and sold the building is not responsible for the damages. I'm angry at what is happening in our southern cities (looting, vandalism, etc.). There is carefew in many cities and the army took charge of the situation. The damages were estimated in more than 50 thousand million dollars. Today the husband of one of the owners of the company where my sister works died on a plane crash en route to help and aid the people who live in the Concepción area. I dont like small airplanes. They are the most likely to crash.

Fernando -
Thanks for taking time to post here. We continue to hold your country up in prayer. How sad the tragedy of the man who was on his way to help.
Take care,
birdy

Thanks Birdy.

With Fernando's permission, I am posting the list below, based on some research done at the Charity Navigator, a website that tries to evaluate charities as objectively as possible.

Fernando, as he has stated, is doing fine, as is his family, and doesn't need help, (except for our continued friendship)--thank goodness . Still, as all of us who have watched the news know, the situation in areas near the epicenter of the earthquake is quite desperate. These organizations may be among the better NGOs (non-government organizatons) trying to help in Chile and Haiti. Just trying to let people know where their efforts may do the most good:

Charity Navigator

Americares

Doctors Without Borders

Habitat for Humanity International

Operation USA

Oxfam America

Samaritan's Purse

On behalf of my fellow Chileans who have lost their loved ones and their possessions I thank you Moira for your concern, caring and thoughtfulness. Many of them need help in different degrees. As for me and my loved ones, we are all fine and we don't need any financial help or otherwise, only -as Moira said- your friendship. Thanks to all of you.

Dear Fernando,

I am so grateful to know that you and your family are doing well. I say prayers for you and your fellow countrymen. And a thank you to moira for posting all the agencies. You are so loved here, 'Nando, and we are thankful for your safety, health, and positive attitude.

Vaya con Dios, amigo!
...y que Dios les protege...

Siempre con amor y amistad,

Christy

Thanks for posting those links Moira. Chile is still very much in the news, hopefully people will give as generously as they did for Haiti.

Thanks for your sweet words and good wishes Christy.

And Alison, I also hope that my fellow countrymen will receive much help from the Chilean Gvmt. and other countries. By the way, Chile has been contributing very much in Haiti, in many aspects. In fact many experts and part of the Army were working in that country when the quake hit Chile.

I haven't been here in a few days but was glad to learn you and your family were okay, Fernando. I hope rescue and rebuilding efforts procede quickly and smoothly for all. I am confident in your people's hardiness and resourcefulness!

besos,

April

Thanks belle April

For those fellow SSO Members who can read or understand written Spanish (or as I like to say Castilian, which is the specific denomination of the language we generally speak in Latin America and in Chile) I'm posting three links to supplements which were issued by the oldest newspaper in Chile: El Mercurio (founded in 1827) (http://www.elmercurio.com) . These supplements deal with detailed accounts of the state and possibility of restoration, recovery et al of the Chilean Cultural and Historical Patrimony in the zone affected by the quake and also with some amazing stories of Chileans who survived the quake and tsunami.

One truly amazing story is that of two Chileans, Alison Campbell and her grandaughter Moira Westcott, who were in the Juan Fernández Islands during the quake and who miracously survived the tsunami. Coincidentially Mrs. Campbell is the mother of one of my lifelong classmates at school. I was happy to read they could survive this horrible cataclism.

Opening the links you can access the digital version ("Versión Digital") of the aforementioned supplements:

Revista Vivienda y Decoración, March 6th 2010:

http://tinyurl.com/yh6vdn8

Revista El Sábado, March 6th 2010:

http://tinyurl.com/yjs6fs2

Artes y Letras, March 7th 2010:

http://tinyurl.com/yzmdau5