Brother Armin Luistro, Superior General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, together with the Brothers of the General Council, have expressed their closeness and solidarity with the Venezuelan people and, in particular, with the Brothers, Lasallian collaborators, students, teachers, families and all those connected with Lasallian ministries, in the face of the grave tragedy that has struck them following the earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, which occurred consecutively on Wednesday 24 June, shortly after 6.00 pm (local time).
“Our hearts are with you at this time of deep sorrow and hardship,” said Brother Armin, lamenting “the loss of lives” and emphasising the solidarity of the Lasallians in the face of “the suffering of all those affected by these tragic earthquakes”.
Solidarity and prayer
“As the global Lasallian Family, we stand firmly by your side. We pray for your safety, strength and resilience as you begin the difficult task of recovery,” emphasised the Superior General, expressing “deep gratitude to the Lasallian communities and humanitarian workers on the ground who are already offering comfort and aid to those most in need”.
For his part, Brother Hernán Crespo, Delegate of the Visitor of the Norandino Lasallian District in Venezuela, has expressed his gratitude and appreciation for all the support and solidarity received in the wake of the powerful earthquakes and the subsequent aftershocks – some 300 in total – which have affected thousands of people.
“At present, the country is prioritising the evacuation and rescue of people trapped in the rubble or who have been left homeless,” says Brother Hernán, whilst reporting that “our educational centres have come together to serve as collection points, appealing for non-perishable food, medicines, water, clothing and other items that will be useful at this time.”
Furthermore, although the death toll has risen to nearly a thousand, “so far there is no information to suggest that any member of our Venezuelan Lasallian family has died”, although many have been affected by damage to their homes and the wider infrastructure.
“For now, we are all experiencing the tense moments of aftershocks and alerts in the face of the situation,” adds Brother Hernán, whilst an assessment is being carried out on the impact of the earthquakes on the infrastructure of La Salle’s educational workks in Venezuela and progress is being made on an “action plan to ascertain the situation of the families of students, teachers and staff in general who work there”.
“We are immensely grateful for the messages of encouragement you have sent us, for keeping a close eye on the situation, and for helping to share the updates we have been posting on our social media channels,” concludes Brother Hernán.
We lift up our prayers to the Lord, through the intercession of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Coromoto, patroness of Venezuela, that He may protect and bless the Lasallians, strengthening them in faith, fraternity and service.
