Editor’s note: This article is being updated as more information becomes available.
May 10: Brazil’s first lady meets missionaries, thanks the Church
Brazil’s first lady met with missionaries as they helped unload donations in the rain for flooding survivors.
On her Instagram page, Rosângela Lula da Silva wrote: “I want to thank Azul [Airlines] and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who performed alongside FAB [Brazilian Air Force] and were able to get the donations we received to Canoas. ... There were mattresses, vacuum cleaners, toilet kits, blankets, among other items.”
She said Brazil is united in its support of Rio Grande do Sul.
May 10: Elder Koch and Elder Valenzuela monitor loading of supplies
Elder Joni L. Koch, the president of the Church’s Brazil Area, and his first counselor, Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela, both General Authority Seventies, closely monitored the loading of 6 tons of supplies purchased by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the victims of the floods in Rio Grande do Sul.
They shared their thoughts from the airport in a social media post from the Church’s official Brazil account and explained that the aircraft, made available by Azul, left for the Canoas Air Base taking — in addition to all the donations — “an immeasurable amount of love and sincere prayers for the people of Rio Grande do Sul.”
May 9: Latest goods and services for Rio Grande do Sul
The Church’s Autossuficiência Brasil social media pages provided an update on the goods and services being donated to help those affected by flooding in Rio Grande do Sul.
Humanitarian aid
In collaboration with State Civil Defense and local leaders, the Church is donating:
- 5,000-plus basic food baskets.
- 5,000-plus mattresses, pillows, bedding and blankets.
- 48,000 liters of drinking water.
- 5,000 hygiene and cleaning kits.
- 400 water filters.
- Additional humanitarian funds.
Emotional support
The Church’s Family Services department is coordinating a support network of volunteer psychologists to provide emotional support to those affected.
Helping Hands
Wards and stakes across the country have joined the Church’s Helping Hands volunteer program and are raising donations.
A statement from the Brazil Area presidency said, “We pray that as we follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ, ‘our hands may become His hands; our eyes, His eyes and our hearts, His heart’ at this time when our brothers and sisters need us so much.”
May 8, 2:46 p.m.: Missionaries help unload supplies
Missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped unload emergency supplies from an Azul airplane at a military airport in the city of Canoas on Wednesday, May 8.
Working with Azul Airlines, the Church is planning to send an aircraft from Saõ Paulo to Porto Alegre with supplies donated by the Church on Thursday, May 9, explained a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
A social media post from the Church’s Autossuficiência Brasil account explained further how the Church is sending humanitarian aid.
“Thousands of essential items are being donated, including basic baskets, mattresses, bedding and blankets, hygiene kits, cleaning kits, drinking water, personal protective equipment and tools,” the post said in Portuguese. “These donations are being coordinated in collaboration with the State Civil Defense. Also, local church leaders are coordinating efforts to help the community.”
May 8, 8:43 a.m.: Information from the Church’s Brazil Area presidency
In a letter sent to bishops and stake presidents, the Brazil Area presidency — Elder Joni L. Koch, president; Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela, first counselor; and Elder Mark D. Eddy, second counselor, all General Authority Seventies — shared how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has assembled staff and resources to assist those affected by the floods in Rio Grande do Sul.
The letter said that 21 meetinghouses are now being used as shelters for evacuated people, and thousands of basic food packages provided by the Church to the state Civil Defense have already begun to be distributed to the population.
Other humanitarian aid initiatives are underway in close coordination with the government to help the community. The Church’s Welfare and Self-Reliance and Family Services departments are coordinating support and efforts to meet the needs of members as well.
May 7, 4:38 p.m.: Brazil flooding update
Flooding in Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul has forced some 200,000 people out of their homes, with at least 90 people dead and more than 130 missing.
Authorities consider it the state’s worst-ever crisis caused by natural disasters.
News reports say some 80% of the population is without running water right now, a week into the flooding. Many also do not have telephone or internet services.
The airport, bus station and main roads are all blocked or closed going into the capital of Porto Alegre — and more than two-thirds of the nearly 500 cities in the state are affected by the flood waters. Field hospitals have been set up to help those affected.
A social media post on the Church’s Autossuficiência Brasil and Brazil Area accounts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints explain that the Church is responding to the disaster.
“[T]he Brazil Area office is mobilized to do everything possible to help and help the population of Rio Grande do Sul, our dear brothers and sisters and friends, at this time of great sorrow,” the post said in Portuguese.
To date, 18 Church chapels are being used as shelter and the Church is directly coordinating its humanitarian aid response with the civil defense of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The post goes on to say that Church members who want to make donations to those affected by the calamity can do so through official government organizations that are coordinating donations through civil defense and social funds.
Some of the cities in Rio Grande do Sul — which is about the size of the country of Ecuador — were already suffering from at least three previous major floods in less than eight months.
The rains are expected to continue in the area, along with high winds.
