The World Of Tzu Chi December 2019 (Vol.117)

TZU CHI 117 35 O n July 13, 2019, the Church of San Andres (La Parroquia San Andrés) in the small town of Canoa, Ecuador was already humming with activity at the break of dawn as the townsfolk filled the aisles, bearing handmade congratulatory gifts whilst dressed in their weekend best. The churchwas soon packed to the brim with an estimated 700 attendees, occupying standing room that extended from within its hallowed halls to the exterior compound, eager to witness the opening ceremony to celebrate the completion of the church. The Catholic house of worship was destroyed in a massive earthquake that shook Ecuador in April 2016. The groundbreaking ceremony to mark the commencement of the reconstruction project was held in March 2017, following which various segments of the church were progressively rebuilt until its final completion in July 2019. The newly-rebuilt church was warmly received by the locals, who cherish the church as their spiritual home. Tzu Chi USACEOHan Huang addressed the congregation gathered at the ceremony by expressing his gratitude to the people of Canoa, who are mostly of Catholic faith, for their unconditional acceptance of the efforts of a Buddhist organization in rebuilding their church. He also acknowledged the role of Tzu Chi volunteers from Ecuador in initiating disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which struck Texas, USA in 2017, before adding that blessings for Ecuador were pouring in from the global Tzu Chi community to reciprocate Ecuador’s contributions in times of disaster. The mutual support among the international community is a testament to the power of compassion to transcend boundaries. The reconstruction of the La Parroquia San Andrés, a cherished church in the heart of the town of Canoa, Ecuador is not only the outcome of a labour of love by Tzu Chi volunteers and a committed team of construction workers, but also an inspiring example of communities of two different faiths coming together as one. The La Parroquia San Andrés is surrounded by living quarters for the priests and nuns as well as classrooms for Bible studies. [Photograph by Men Hai-mei]