Colombia (MNN) — The 72-hour “golden window” for rescue efforts closes today in Colombia after the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Monday morning. 

Although the likelihood of finding people alive in the rubble is dropping, the efforts of trained rescue personnel and civilians alike will continue. The number of people who lost their lives is not clear yet, but on Tuesday the death toll had reached at least 227, according to local and regional authorities. But rescue stories have brought encouragement in the midst of the hard.

AMG International has an established network in Colombia and has already sent relief, says CEO Brian Dennett. For him, the disaster is especially weighty since he was in Colombia just a few days before the quake hit. 

“We were all over the country and in many of the places where the earthquake really did a lot of damage. We visited homes and families, and just dear brothers and sisters in Christ. And now they are really suffering,” he says.

Colombia is in one of the most seismically active regions in the world. In the 1970s, it began to design earthquake-resistant construction. That has strengthened many of its modern buildings, but of course it has not changed the entire nation. In part of his travels last week, Dennett reports seeing “homes built out of multiple types of building materials, and definitely not following any sort of standard construction.” 

Communication with AMG’s team in Colombia has been a struggle since Monday, says Dennett. That’s the double blow of a disaster like this, which has damaged Colombia’s power and telephone grids. For rural and Indigenous communities, communication and the hope of receiving aid are even more complicated. (More on those challenges here.)

If you’re looking for a way to help, AMG is leveraging its network of churches and schools in Colombia. Gifts toward AMG’s Colombia earthquake relief will be used to meet urgent needs. 

“We’ve already sent immediate relief for water, food, first aid supplies, and now we’ll need to think, you know, of how we can help with the more long-term rebuilding of homes, remodeling, and helping those in our network to recover their lives,” says Dennett. “As always, we will take the opportunity to share the hope that we have in Christ as we minister to people.” 

Disasters like this unfortunately tend to get lost as the next day’s headlines arise. Colombia’s earthquake comes less than two months after double quakes destroyed much of northern Venezuela. 

Would you commit to stand with the people of Colombia in prayer and support, not just this month but for the months ahead? Connecting with AMG is one potential way for you to do so. Visit amghelp.org.

“Be in prayer for Colombia, for our brothers and sisters there, for those that have lost loved ones, and those that are awaiting news about family members who have not been found yet. [And] of course, first responders,” says Dennett. “Please pray for our team and our churches as they minister to these communities that have been devastated.” 

 

Header photo is a stock image of Bogotá, Colombia courtesy of Jamar Cromwell via Unsplash