Angels in Mexico

List News

27/09/2017 - Mexico

ANGELS IN MEXICO

On September 19, 2017, as every year, at 11:00am, we remembered the shudder of that earthquake of 1985 where so many compatriots died. What would not be our surprise, when at 13:14 hrs, on the same day, another earthquake happened, this time with its epicentre very close to Cuernavaca about 55 km from Mexico City and with a magnitude of 7.1 on the Richter scale.

The tremor was so close that it did not give time for the seismic alarm to sound, and of such magnitude that, this time, more than 100 buildings in the big city fell, scattered throughout the city, not only in the centre, but in Xochimilco , Tlalpan, Iztapalapa, in the Valle, Roma, Condesa, Narvarte and even Lindavista colonies.

Immediately people began helping to remove stones and debris to try to reach people trapped by the derelict buildings. Our Marist Sister, Nayeli, was studying at the CIRM, in the new building up on the third floor. She was the first to leave her room since it was the closest to the door, but she tells us that the buidling moved so much that she was afraid to go down the stairs. However, with the support of her other companions she was able to reach the ground without problem.

It was the first time Nayeli had felt a tremor of such magnitude, and frankly she was very frightened, just like all the people who lived in Mexico, say that he felt frightening. The next day, she went to the school of the Marist Brothers, who had opened a Collection Centre. To get there was difficult because there was no passage in many streets, as they were cordoned off around the fallen buildings. These are her words:

"Today the City of Mexico has shown me another face, the face of solidarity, humanism, brotherhood. I do not often visit this enormous city, but on all occasions it has seemed to me to be a cold, noisy, distant, unselfish city; and today when I go out and join the thousands of dynamic, willing, helpful people, human beings who know how to be people of service and solidarity to those who need it, I am left open-mouthed. It really is beautiful to look at the nobility of people's hearts, the streets breathe the feeling of brotherhood, a solidarity that evokes the nobility of our country. HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, MEXICO!

And it is that solidarity in the capital that has resurfaced in an impressive way. It hurts to see so many buildings destroyed, to know of so many people trapped, but it gives pride to know of so many Mexicans willing to give anything to help in some was in these moments of national emergency.

Some have been helping to pick up debris and in a very organized way they have been doing it; others have turned to the Collection Centres to donate food, water, tools, medicines, etc. Volunteers at the Collection Centres are dedicated to organizing all the help that comes so as to later distribute it. One of the Marist Brothers has said that they have not contributed anything from purchases or money because it has not been necessary, people are continually bringing what is necessary. There are those who offer their home for a family, others offer only energy to charge cell phones, others offer their cell phones, there are those who offer drivers to transfer the injured, the sick, and people looking for their relatives. In the streets you can see people pulling out a little table with coffee and cookies for whatever they want to spend and drink, in short, even the poorest or disabled people are helping. Even the mariachis went to sing free at the derelict buildings to encourage rescuers. A lady, took her instruments to give them massages! EVERYONE HELPS IN HIS OR HER OWN WAY WITH WHATEVER THEY HAVE.

Even dogs have joined the search, animals have been rescued, and animals have rescued people. Some of these trained puppies are already an icon for many.

Symbols have begun to emerge that move the heart, for example, when a rescuer wants to be silent so that he can hear some noise that indicates life between the collapse, he raises his hand in a fist and all the people that are around (more than a hundred of them), repeat the same gesture and are silent. Still others, to support themselves while they are in the works of rescue, sing the "Cielito Lindo". And when they finish their work, when they know that there are no more bodies or living people to rescue, they finish their work by singing all the National Anthem and shouting: ¡Viva México! Nothing more to write it is spine-tingling to me when I remember the song of so many Mexicans united in a song.

Of course the government has wanted to take this opportunity to sabotage the work of so many civilians, it has tried to label the food that arrives at its Collection Centres with stickers for their party, but people have not allowed it - with their cell phones they make videos, unite everyone and have unmasked so much corruption. In other places, they have had to fight with the government when they want to call off the search in some ruined building; rescuers do not allow it, until they make sure that there is nothing left to do. Facebook is full of these ignoble acts.

On the other hand, we have broken records by asking, through the website: Change.org, that the money that would be given to political parties is given to the victims. In one day more than one million signatures have been collected, something unusual all over the world.

Many people from other states of the Republic have arrived at D.F. to help, as many companies gave free tickets to those with tools to help. So the whole nation has moved to help in so many people who have lost children, siblings, parents, relatives, belongings and even their heritage.Some say that it has been because of so many rains that we have had, others blame the hurricanes, the fact is that Nature has sent us a strong call to unity. Death in many homes, more than 400 (official figures, although we know that there are always many more), but Life has taught us solidarity. More than a million people have been moved to compassion, without realising, Mercy and Solidarity have camped within this town; death has not conquered, but Life shared, with brotherly and sisterly love. Mexico is standing, more united than before, in each civilian we recognize a brother, a sister - this is undoubtedly the Work of Mary, who has come again to help her Guadalupano people. We cannot but admire all the people, young and great, men and women, national and foreign, poor and rich, who have unintentionally shown the compassionate face of the Good Samaritan, the One who loves us to the extreme.

COURAGE, MEXICO!