¡FUERZA CHILE!

After the 8.8 earthquake ravaged South-Central Chile, the Chilean people rose from the shock and destruction to unite in helping each other. This picture has become the national symbol of Chile and the people are rallying around each other to make Chile rise from the devastation to recover from this terrible tragedy. They now chant ¡Fuerza Chile! and ¡Viva Chile! The latest slogan is Chile Ayuda Chile. This nation and it´s people have united in a miraculous and marvelous way, and they will overcome this adversity.

Earthquake in the Night

After being "shaken" awake Warren found the emergency light that we bought when we got to Chile. We finally found something we bought that we actually needed.

A quick inspection of the apartment found only minor damage, but nothing serious.

Broken vases and fallen pictures. The water in the toilets sloshed out onto the floor, but we didn't notice at the moment as we were headed down the stairs and outside.

Just like in 3 Nephi, everyone gathered at the temple after the "destruction". We found that the only light was shining on the Angel Moroni, but the rest was pretty dark. There was a full moon, however, so we could find our way around even without the emergency light.

The next morning we discovered that the Angel Moroni had "dropped" his trumpet. It was in three pieces on the ground. Amazingly, the temple just happens to have a spare one for just such occasions.

Our Office

On Friday night we left our office looking like this. When we came back Monday...

The PEF Call Center had become the Emergency Support Center for all of Chile. When we went to our office...

...we found this - almost 300 files all over the place.

We had joked about an earthquake burying Mickie under piles of folders. Fortunately for her it was in the early morning hours on a Saturday.

After a couple of days of cleaning up she began shreding all of the files contents as she spent the first few months scanning them for just such an event.

Merry Christmas---Feliz Navidad!

Here is our tiny Table top tree. We are enjoying a warm but Merry Christmas. Hope you do too. It is the time to stay inside and enjoy each other. Love to all from Chile.

Nativities

This tiny silver nativity is in a container about the size of a ring box.


This is a woven set... looks like some type of basket weaving. It is made out of horse hairs!


We saw so many different kinds of Nativities but I only picked a few unsual ones from Chile.


This is the cute little Nativity that we got. It looks like the the little clay figures spoken of under the Chilean Christmas tree.

Christmas trees in our building

Every floor had a beuatiful tree. Some floors had two trees in the different areas.





Even the basement had a tree. But no tree on the Forth floor. We waited and waited but no tree arrived.


December 15 after waiting a couple of weeks. I took care of it by myself!!!

Look what I found at the Store

This is a whole display of many different brands and kinds of Christmas Fruitcake!!
We have tasted three kinds now... hummm No good! From the looks of things it is big here.

Decorations and Lights are going up in Santiago

Our community center all decorated and a concert being held. Below is another building in the complex.




This is the only home I saw with Santa peeking over the large fence.

Notice the little Christmas red ornament on our office plant. That is the extent of our decorations by the middle of December. This is a little bit depressing to look at.

Thanksgiving at a mansion

This is the North Mission Home with 11 bedrooms and 8 Bathrooms.

This is the dessert table... and only half full it was overflowing. Another table was full of the Turkey, potatoes gravy, yams, Salads, rolls, etc.

We enjoyed the great food, great visits, and beautiful weather. Thanksgiving outside was a first.

Beautiful gardens and a pool

Spring came with a burst of color

Look close at this it is a poinsettia. It has been blooming for weeks..

Tree lined streets and flowers, just what I like

This was one of the first Spring flowers we saw. It was so bright and interesting.

Thanks for coming Birds- We had a wild ride!

Vivi, Dad and naomi

Dayna and Lucy

Only 13 months old but she was so good and happy.

Wild and wiggly big bus rides were exciting but the camera wiggles too.