The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.114).

Transcending Religious Borders The La Parroquia SanAndres Church in Canoa, Ecuador, which was destroyed in a devastating earthquake in 2016, reopened on July 13, 2019 after undergoing reconstruction works. The opening ceremony was attended by around 700 guests, including the Apostolic Administrator, priests, nuns, government officials, Tzu Chi volunteers and local residents, all of whom bore witness to an inter-faith communion in the Buddhist spirit of compassion. Ecuador was hit by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake inApril 2016, resulting in severe destruction. In the wake of the disaster, volunteers from Tzu Chi USA converged on Canoa to help rebuild dormitories for priests and nuns, activity rooms, vocational training classrooms and play areas for children. The local residents erected a monument as a token of gratitude to commemorate Tzu Chi’s contributions to the reconstruction project. Tzu Chi volunteers led the congregation in a rendition of “We Are Family” at the opening ceremony of the reconstructed church as an ode to the universal spirit of fellowship. [Photograph by Duan Dai Jia]