More than 15 Compassion-assisted children and their families in El Salvador are staying in temporary shelters, following an earthquake that shook parts of the country on December 31, 2006. The tremor, which measured 5.8 on the Richter scale, didn't cause any deaths, but it damaged homes and buildings near the El Salvador-Guatemala border. The town of San Lorenzo was hit particularly hard. The one Compassion-assisted project (ES-796) in that town, Shadai Student Center, was affected. There are 169 registered children in the project. While none of these children or their families were hurt, at least 17 children lost their homes and another 10 had their homes damaged. The government has provided shelter for these families and others who were affected.

Compassion staff is coordinating efforts with church project workers in developing a relief proposal to aid families who have suffered loss due to this natural disaster. The earthquake is the latest of a series of tremors that have jolted western El Salvador. Since December 17, the nation has experienced about 980 quakes that have left more than 5,500 people homeless.

Please pray for the Compassion El Salvador staff, assisted-children, their families and church project workers that they will feel God's peace and presence during this unsettling time.

Compassion El Salvador will provide an update as information becomes available.

You will be contacted if your sponsored child has been affected.