Bay State churches help Chile rebuild after quake

When the Rev. Jim Antal realized the scale of the Feb. 27 earthquake in Chile and the havoc it had caused, he decided to help out those devastated by the quake. Members of United Church of Christ congregations in the Massachusetts have been working closely with the Pentecostal Church of Chile since 1990. They have sent dozens of delegations back and forth over the years and when the earthquake hit Chile, Rev. Antal knew that he had to contribute. The Chileans were desperate for new homes to be built because winter will soon be approaching and with it comes rain. So, without hesitation, Rev. Antal pulled out his personal checkbook and wrote a gift of $1,500. That is the cost of one of the emergency houses that church volunteers were pledging to build for the homeless in Curicó, a small city in the Central Valley where the Pentecostal Church of Chile is based, and where some of the worst damage occurred. Antal has challenged the 395 United Church of Christ congregations in Massachusetts to match him and so far, the state’s churches have raised enough funds to build nearly 20 houses, and they are aiming to raise enough money for 150 houses by June. Overall, 300 houses are needed for Pentecostal church members in Chile.


http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/10/bay_state_churches_help_chile_rebuild_after_quake/