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A FRODITI TSERVELI was sitting outside her home, holding in her arms her little girl, Chrysoula, and talking to her older daughter, Frederiki. At first there was a slight tremor of the earth and the electric current was cut off. Seconds later the whole landscape was violently shaken and deafening sounds came from the depths of the earth. A ll three sitting outside that little home were killed as the wall tumbled over on them. W h a t had happened ? Volos, the fourth largest and one of the most beautiful industrial centers of Greece, was no more. Refore the eyes of the stricken people their homes and all they possessed were reduced to a mass of rubble. Clouds of dust spread over the whole city. Terror and panic gripped their hearts. The least noise sent the people running up and down shouting for heaven’s mercy. One shock followed another. Fortunately that initial tremor had warned the people that something big was in the making, and most of them had managed to get out in the open. For that reason only 12 were killed and 60 injured. But of the 13,000 homes of the area, 95% are uninhabitable. Every body wanted to leave, but where could 80,000 people go? In a few minutes they had been left homeless, their fac tories and fields destroyed, no shelter but the fields, away from the danger of falling rocks and tumbling ruins. Now many of the population are living in tents—even the patients from the Central Public Hospital, which was completely destroyed. Whole families try to keep warm under one little blanket. Our orphanage Director rushed from Katerini seven large tents which we use in the summer for our Macedonian Youth Camp. Some of the 25 families of our brethren are sheltered in these. Twenty of the younger evangelical children were immediately taken to our Orphanage in Katerini. Some of the believers also who lost all have been given shelter in our newly erected Bible Institute building in Katerini, just 40 miles north of the scene of this great calamity. E y ew itn e sse s tell oi fran tic p e o p le going from, p lace to p lace look ing fo r r ela tives and friend s, shouting names in the hope of hearing a response from under the ruins. After the earthquakes came torrential rains, bringing human suffering beyond description to this crowd of frightened men, women and children. There they must lie, out in the open, horror- stricken, red-eyed from sleeplessness, waiting in agony for the elements to calm down. In deep anguish of heart they build fires from the splintered debris of their own homes. An old fa th er, almost out of his mind, keeps hugging his injured son. He has nothing else in the world to live for. His house collapsed, but that is nothing if only God will spare his son. A m o th er is hysterical—laughing, shouting, crying. She lost her mind along with her all as her only daughter was buried in the ruins of her home. S om e o f the villages a re in p itiable plight, In Drakia 100 inhabitants are in the open under tragic conditions. In Ano Lehonia the water supply has been cut off. In St. Vlasios all the houses were destroyed and 1,050 inhabitants left to the mercy of the elements, with only four tents to shelter them. In Syki large rocks fell long distances down the mountainsides, destroying fruit and
A grief-stricken woman whose mother and child were killed in the earth shock is aided by a neighbor and a Greek marine at Volos.
olive trees on their way. Out of 1,500 homes 1,400 were demolished, leaving 1,800 homeless. The bakeries were destroyed and the people left without bread. The Am erican M ission to G reek s immedi ately diverted 136,192 lbs. of foodstuffs worth $31,791.00 which were sent for its regular relief program to this area. W e also sent $1,000.00 in cash, 12,000 lbs. of clothing and drugs worth $6,500.00. This is very little compared to the tremendous need. We must show our Christian com passion for these people. We must help them to be sheltered and fed, and must give them the one message that will lift them out of despair. Here is how you can help. We want to distribute among these people 25,000 Greek New Testaments, which we can get at five for a dollar. This is the hour to give these afflicted people God’s Word. You remember what Paul said, “ Having received the Word in much affliction” (1 Thess. 1:6). He said it of the Greeks of old. W ill it be said again as a result of our faithfulness in reaching them with the Gospel? We also have an opportunity to buy 7,000 new heavy all-wool blankets at only $3.00 each. Good used clothing is urgently needed, especially for men. This can be sent to us at 265 West 79th Street, New York 24, New York. Even more desperately needed are cash con tributions to relieve these people in their destitute condition and to provide them with the Word of God. You may designate your gift for Relief or Scriptures or both. Please send all letters to Rev. Spiros Zodhiates, AMERICAN MISSION TO GREEKS, INC., P.O. Box 423, New York 36, N.Y. (Please note that this address differs from that given for shipment of used clothing.) (In Canada: .90 Duplex Ave., Toronto 7, Ont. Please send no clothing from Canada.)
JULY, 1955
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