Some church workers fear the death toll may exceed official estimates of 50,000. ECV, along with the Pentecostal Confederation of Venezuela, has united over 75 evangelical ministries to run nearly 100 distribution centers. ECV also is establishing long-term ministries that will channel aid from several dozen Christian aid agencies, including World Relief, World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, map, the Southern Baptist Convention, Mennonites, and Operation Blessing. Government officials say that moving the disaster victims to new towns in the country's interior will get them away from the precarious shanty towns that cling to the side of mountains around Caracas and relieve overcrowding in the capital city. Up to 50 churches were reported destroyed in the disaster.
People are more open and have some really big questions.
Related Elsewhere ECV has established an English-language Web site with information about the disaster and the relief efforts.