Kansas City Colombians rally to support earthquake victims back home

KANSAS CITY. MO. — KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland, including Liberty. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.

—

A Kansas City community organization is rallying volunteers and collecting donations for Colombia after a devastating earthquake struck the country last week.

The Colombian Cultural Association MO-KAN organized a donation drive after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake — one of the largest to hit Colombia in years — killed nearly 300 people and left many others missing.

"The magnitude of this one was, of course, appalling. Right away, when they said 7.4, we knew that there was going to be some damage and some need," Orlando Gutierrez, president of the Colombian Cultural Association MO-KAN, said.

KSHB 41

Gutierrez said the need on the ground is significant.

"They need personal hygiene stuff. They need tools for debris removal and cleanup. They need gloves. They need helmets," Gutierrez said.

The donations are expected to be sent to Colombia next week.

For Gustavo Restrepo, vice president of the Colombian Cultural Association MO-KAN, the disaster is personal. His cousin has been missing since the earthquake struck.

"Since day one, we are missing one of my cousins," Restrepo said.

According to Colombian officials, more than 140 people are still missing.

KSHB 41

"It's just the uncertainty. You don't know if he's alive," Restrepo said.

Despite not knowing his cousin's fate, Restrepo said the community is holding on to hope.

"We still keep the hope. I think that he's alive," Restrepo said.

Many Colombians living in the Kansas City metro area said the distance made them feel powerless, but they found purpose in coming together to help.

"Even though we are so far away, it is a very, very painful experience," Adriana Gomez, who has lived in the U.S. for 10 years, said.

KSHB 41

"Sometimes you feel helpless because of the distance, but as the days have gone by, we have managed to do something for them," Gomez said.

Liliana Robles, who is originally from Colombia, said she wishes she could be there in person.

"We wish that, if we were there, we could be helping, but since that's not the situation, maybe from far away, we can somehow find a way to help," Robles said.

Vanessa Vera, also from Colombia, said the earthquake was frightening to experience from afar.

KSHB 41

"It was like a really panicking moment for me," Vera said. "It's so scary because you don't know what's going on. You don't know what's going to happen next, right?"

Still, Vera said she is determined to do what she can.

"I'm not home, but somehow I can do something. And even though I feel like small, maybe that will make a difference for somebody at some point," Vera said.

The effort has also drawn support from outside the Colombian community. Miguel Quinilla, who is from El Salvador, said the cause moved him to donate

KSHB 41

"I'm not Colombian, but I also feel the pain of people who are suffering and who need help," Quinilla said.

"If we are all united in this cause, we can help more," Quinilla said.

Gutierrez said the motivation to help does not require a personal connection to Colombia.

"You don't even have to go that far. If you just have the human side of wanting to help, right?" Gutierrez said.

—