This photo shows one of the points where fires have been burning during the weekend and now.
This particular one is behind the rural Mapuche community where Bishop Abelino was born and raised. Fortunately, in this case, the fire has gone away from homes.
But as we write, they are evacuating people from where Marita’s family lives and there the fires have reached to their nearest neighbor’s property.
On Saturday night, Pedro spent most of the night helping protect the school where his father works and right now he and Joyanne have gone out to Marita’s family home to offer their help.
In Malalche, houses have been burned, two people have died, and Pastor Antonio is worried.
In Dollinco, they have no electricity, so they have no water, and that makes it difficult for Pastor José’s family, as their daughter, Adriana, is terminally ill with cancer.
In our own church in Labranza, Sonia, one of the members, was worried yesterday that their wheat crop will be burned if they can’t get it harvested.

The sky is gray and smoky today in Temuco and a nearby hill is on fire.Please pray for us and especially our brothers and sisters in the rural churches whose livelihood depends on their crops, animals and wooded land.

Thank you for your prayers. We will keep you posted.
 

Russ and Heidi