“We are praying for you from Indonesia.” Mennonite World Conference sent out a call to prayer after a 10 August 2026 earthquake in Colombia. This message soon came back from leaders of the GITJ (Gereja Injili di Tanah Jawa) synod office in Indonesia, a country also affected by earthquakes.
The earthquake affected MWC member congregations from the Mennonite Brethren (Iglesias Hermanos Menonitas de Colombia – IHMC) and the Mennonites (Iglesia Cristiana Menonita de Colombia – IMCOL).
At the beginning of September, the Colombian government reported 331 fatalities. More than 36 000 houses were destroyed and 200 000 houses damaged across 16 departments.
“We’re an interdependent body” says Manuel Mosquera, president and legal representative of the MBs in Chocó, which is a province on the west coast of Colombia. “Our greatest hope and faith is definitely in God, the Giver of Life.”
Continued aftershocks have worsened the damage and created cracks in places where none were before, says Manuel Mosquera. In addition to the loss of life and damage to homes and infrastructure, the earthquake in Colombia emergency has created needs related to shelter, food, water, health, education, protection, economic recovery and emotional support.
“A house is a sanctuary of peace as well as a physical place that provides security. But with natural disasters, it can also turn into our greatest threat. So our best guarantee is to rest in God’s hands, no matter where we live. God is always there to protect us and help us,” says Manuel Mosquera.
IHMC
The Mennonite Brethren have many churches in Chocó, the region closest to the epicentre. Of the 17 congregations, 12 were affected. Building damage ranges from minor cracks to homes that are completely uninhabitable.
Needs for emergency food and medicine were high in the rural communities in the aftermath. In Valle and Cauca, an MB congregation in northern Cali served as a collection center for food, clothing, and other supplies. It was reported that approximately 250 to 280 food packages were distributed at two locations, including Suárez, Cauca.
In Pereira, a worship space was rendered uninhabitable.
“Another important area of need is post-trauma support, as many people are experiencing emotional stress and fear as a result of what they have been through,” reports ICOMB (International Community of Mennonite Brethren) on behalf of IHMC.
IMCOL
At least six church-owned IMCOL buildings were significantly affected and several homes belonging to church members were damaged.
In Manizales, Santa Rosa de Cabal and Cali, a household from each congregation reports having lost belongings and stable housing.
Many have damaged homes which are still being assessed.
“In addition to property damage, churches have identified fear, uncertainty about the safety of homes, disruptions to work and education, and the need for psychosocial and pastoral support,” write IMCOL leaders in a report.
IMCOL has formed a team to assess the needs and provide a longer-term response especially to pastoral care needs.
They are collecting funds locally and reaching out to international partners, including MWC.
“When disaster strikes an MWC member, there is no question that we respond. What that looks like make take different forms; through Global Church Sharing Fund grants, through the mission and development organizations of local or regional member churches,” says César García. “And your prayers are always a coveted response. Knowing you are not alone in the midst of crisis is powerful.”
“These shows of help and solidarity are a great demonstration of God’s love that abides in every heart,” wrote Oscar Herrera Rodriguez, Missions Coordinator, IMCOL, in response to MWC’s call to prayer.
The churches in Colombia invite you to pray:
- For families who have lost their homes, belongings or sources of income.
- For the elderly, girls, boys and families who still feel fear or uncertainty.
- For those providing pastoral care and participating as volunteers in the relief effort.
- For wisdom to identify the most urgent needs and to use the resources received responsibly.
- For a recovery that will allow for the rebuilding of homes, livelihoods, community ties and hope.
Share your prayers with MWC members in Colombia through the comment box below.
“In the blink of an eye”
“In the blink of an eye, she saw all her things disappear. So she ran and she looked back and she saw how everything in her house was collapsing,” says Francisco Mosquera from Cali, Colombia. His sister’s apartment building was completely destroyed in the earthquake. For a moment, adult son Luis David feared it had taken his mother Marta Manzano along with their home.
Everyone managed to get out of the building, some more battered than others, but everyone alive.
Everyone managed to get out of the building, some more battered than others, but everyone alive.
Once she understood that an earthquake had destroyed everything, the emotional and psychological impact became overwhelming. But people came to help her, offering hugs, encouragement, and emotional support.
Her church, Iglesia Misión Jesuscristo Luz y Vida (IMHC) helped her find a new apartment.
After eight days, she was allowed to return to the building to collect a few documents, nothing else.
“Well, the church has clothed her, provided psychological and emotional supports, and we are monitoring how things develop,” he says.
“She is so grateful to God for saving her life.”
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