When an Airline Ambassadors team visited the town of Cauquenes at the epicenter of the huge earthquake that hit Chile on February 27th, we were welcomed by 82 year-old Ilma who was still sweeping the floor of her partially destroyed home to keep it clean, appreciative of what she still had, despite hardly having walls or a roof. She and her husband had lost everything they owned.
The couple had nothing to offer except grapes growing in their backyard, which they gladly picked and shared with us.
In agreement with the local municipal authorities, AAI decided to help rebuild their house and we are pleased to report that their home is now fully rebuilt - a wood construction that is earthquake resistant.
Other people's homes are at last being rebuilt under a government program that was long to get to the devastated community, where residents told us AAI was practically the only NGO that had been able to visit the epicenter so soon after the earthquake.
Corey Aungst
AAI Mission Coordinator
