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COSTA RICA -
Monday 29 November 2004
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President Pacheco
Visits Quake Damaged Area
Saturday, government officials,
accompanied by president Abel
Pacheco, took a tour of the
areas of Parrita and Damas to
see first hand the damage caused
by the early morning 6.2
eartquake the Saturday earlier.
The government is committed to
helping the residents of the
area, starting with the
construction of a new health
centre for the area.
The Ministerio de Educación
(Ministry of Education) - MEP -
is giving the area school boards
˘272.000.000 colones (almost
us$600.000 dollars) to rebuild
educational centres and
strengthen those not damaged.
The Ministerio de Obras Publicas
y Transportes (MOPT) has also
made a ˘500.000.000 colones
(about $1.1 million dollars) for
reconstruction and repair of
roads and bridges in the area.
The hardest hit areas were
buildings and roads near or
around Parritta, only about 25
kilometers from Quepos and
Manuel Antonio, a major tourist
area.
President Pacheco spoke to
residents of the area, lending
his support to help them in
their hour of need. He assured
that the government will not
abandon them.
Damage caused by the earthquake
can be seen all around the areas
of Parritta as several buildings
were damaged beyond repair and
people have to pitch tents in
the nearby parks for temporary
shelter.
The main highway that connects
Parrita and Quepos evidences the
damage by earthquake with major
cracks in the asphalt and uneven
levels between the road and the
newly built bridges. Some
sections of the road have had to
be blocked from vehicular
traffic as road engineers
continue to assess the damage.
Interestingly enough, the two
remaining rickety bridges were
not affected whatsoever.
Government officials hope to
have all the infrastructure
repairs completed no later than
February of next year.
Thieves Make Off With Heard of
Cattle
The northern zone, specifically
the area of Pital de San Carlos
has been hit with a rash of
livestock robberies that has
left farmers and the Organismo
de Investigation Judicial
frustrated as they try to
apprehend the band of thieves
that have stolen more than
˘5.000.000 colones (us$11.000)
in cattle.
Thieves made off with 33 heads
of cattle in the first robbery and
then 24 hours later, another 15
young bulls from another nearby
farm in Aguas Claras de Upala.
And another 7 cattle went missing
in Cutris.
Police believe they are dealing
with an organized group of
thieves though are left with no
clues.
"Moving a heard of cows is no
simple task and someone had to
have seen or heard something",
one police official was quoted
as saying, hoping that someone
will come forward with
information that will lead them
to an arrest.
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Focus
on Faith
More than 7,000 children in
Costa Rica will be receiving
gifts this year thanks to those
who participated in the
Operation Christmas Child
program through Triumph Lutheran
Brethren Church in Fargo, North
Dakota.
Youth director Jason Rogness,
21, left, Kory Kowalski, 17,
centre, and Matt Scheid, 16,
placed shoe boxes into larger
boxes for transport at the
Moorhead, Fargo church.
A week later, the church had
collected 7,130 individual shoe
boxes full of gifts for needy
children around the world as
part of the Samaritan's Purse
mission project which aims to
bring joy to all who receive a
box.
Kowalski and Scheid were among
21 American students selected to
help deliver the goods to
children in Costa Rica in
December.
"They are merely representing an
army of young people who have
Christian character and
demonstrate a heart to serve,"
said the Rev. Kirk Militzer. He
asked the boys to apply for what
he described as the "Super Bowl"
of all mission trips.
The trip is a chance for the
boys to grow in their walk with
Christ by reaching out to
children and showing them God's
love, Kowalski said. "Many of
them have never received a gift
on top of the gift of Jesus
Christ," he said. Scheid views
the trip as a chance to serve
God. "Whatever God has planned,
I want to follow," he said.
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