Help The Whitings Help 4 Venezuelan Families
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The Whiting Family 
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” John Holmes
Hello, my name is Melissa Thomas and I am starting a GoFundMe page to help four families escape the crumbling country of Venezuela and to start a new life in Futaleufu, Chile. As many of you may know, my son Isaac went to spend a semester with his cousins in Chile last year. His Aunt Kristen and Uncle Charles Whiting provided him with a wonderful adventure learning about another culture, teaching him how to help on a farm, and gave him the opportunity to help with their AirBnB.
It is no coincidence that the AirBnB owned and operated by the Whiting family is called El Refugio. It is a beautiful lodge set in the Lake District of southern Chile which is now going to become an actual refuge for four Venezuelan Adventist families.
The first family is a couple named Andres and Escarlin. Escarlin is 37 weeks pregnant (at the time of this writing) with their first child and they are very concerned about having their baby where there is such a shortage of medical care. They were able to leave Venezuela and have arrived in Santiago, Chile with only 2 small suitcases. To enter Chile, they had to sell their baby stroller to show the international police they had some money to support themselves for a short while. They are planning to stay in Santiago until their child is born and then make their way to Refugio Lodge (a two day’s journey) where the Whitings have prepared a haven for them.
The second family is a couple who are 5 month pregnant and have a 3-year-old little boy. They were stranded in Venezuela because the borders are closed. However, there are ways to escape through the jungle and crossing the Meta river. The Whitings have purchased bus tickets for this family. The most recent news is they have made it across the border and are somewhere in Peru. We have high hopes God will see them through this difficult journey a provide them safe passage to Chile.
The third family is a couple with their teenage son who are grandparents to the 3-year-old little boy in the second family. We believe they are traveling together by bus toward Futaleufa.
The fourth family is a couple with a five-month-old little girl. All that is known about them is that they delayed their departure by a few days to have a dedication for their daughter. They wanted to do this while they were still with their family members who will remain in the Venezuela. It is not known when they might see each other again.
The situation in Venezuela is dire. According to Shannon Doocy, associate professor of international health at Johns Hopkins University, who conducted research at Venezuela’s border, “Venezuela’s health system is in utter collapse, which, combined with widespread food shortage, is piling suffering upon suffering and putting even more Venezuelans at risk.” A report compiled from data collected by the World Health Organization, which interviewed more than 150 people, found chronic food shortages meant many Venezuelans eat just one meal a day, which for some entailed nothing but yuca (cassava) or tinned sardines. A survey by three universities in Venezuela found that 80% of the country’s households do not have a reliable source of food, and that nearly two-thirds of people surveyed had lost an average of 11kg (1.7 stone) in 2017.
“Venezuelan authorities publicly minimize and suppress information about the crisis, and harass and retaliate against those who collect data or speak out about it, while also doing far too little to alleviate it,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. The Guardian, April 5, 2019
A message from Charles Whiting:
“We got into this almost by accident. We had a friend named Anivel from Santiago who came down to see us and do some work on our farm. He is a dedicated young Chilean Adventist who centers his life around the church. His family had accepted several Venezuelan families into their home. Those families were keeping in touch with their friends and family back in Venezuela. They kept Anivel up to date with texts and recorded voice messages that he shared with us. We were appalled by what we were hearing. It seemed that every day the situation was getting more desperate. The hospitals ran out of antibiotics and suture material. An Adventist youth pastor was shot in the head and killed. The jail doors were opened, the in-mates were armed and told to go into town and kill as many people as possible. The message in that case was from an Adventist who had spent three days on the roof of his house without sleep where he was watching in fear of the in-mates to protect his family.
These are our brothers and sisters in the Church and in Christ. We didn't think we could just listen to the panicked texts and voice-mails without doing something. We offered what we have: A safe place to stay in a safe country not too far from Venezuela.
As we became more deeply involved, we found out that a good wage in Venezuela is about $6 a month (six dollars a month). This makes it hard to afford a bus ticket or air-fare. Many people are walking out on foot. But this involves bribing the army along the border, swimming the river or paying someone to smuggle you across in a boat to Columbia. The situation in Columbia is a little better but still very dire. The refugees have no food or shelter. They are sleeping out in the open along the road and going without food.
We are happy that we can personally help these families and would like to help many more. It’s refreshing to be doing something ourselves instead of sending money to big organizations where you can't see the faces of those being helped. It is a blessing to us to do it. If others feel the way we do and want to be involved we would welcome their support.”
When these four families arrive at Futaleufu to stay with the Whitings, they will need everything. Even though Kristen is an accomplished gardener and provides a lot of food from their gardens and green houses, eleven more mouths to feed will be challenging, not to mention all the things babies need! The climate in Venezuela is also very different than it is at the Whiting’s home. They will be leaving a warm country to go to southern Chile during the beginning of winter in a high-altitude area with snow and freezing temperatures. As you may imagine, they will need warm clothes, gloves, and proper footwear for everyone.
As a mother and grandmother, my heart goes out to these parents who are so desperately trying to provide a safe home for their children. As an American, I feel grateful for my freedom and a stable economy and government. As follower of Christ, I want to share some of the abundance God has blessed my family and me with and I invite you to search your heart and join me in helping these families who have left everything behind and trust the kindness of strangers who want to live their faith and be an example of Romans 12:11-13 “11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” John Holmes
Hello, my name is Melissa Thomas and I am starting a GoFundMe page to help four families escape the crumbling country of Venezuela and to start a new life in Futaleufu, Chile. As many of you may know, my son Isaac went to spend a semester with his cousins in Chile last year. His Aunt Kristen and Uncle Charles Whiting provided him with a wonderful adventure learning about another culture, teaching him how to help on a farm, and gave him the opportunity to help with their AirBnB.
It is no coincidence that the AirBnB owned and operated by the Whiting family is called El Refugio. It is a beautiful lodge set in the Lake District of southern Chile which is now going to become an actual refuge for four Venezuelan Adventist families.
The first family is a couple named Andres and Escarlin. Escarlin is 37 weeks pregnant (at the time of this writing) with their first child and they are very concerned about having their baby where there is such a shortage of medical care. They were able to leave Venezuela and have arrived in Santiago, Chile with only 2 small suitcases. To enter Chile, they had to sell their baby stroller to show the international police they had some money to support themselves for a short while. They are planning to stay in Santiago until their child is born and then make their way to Refugio Lodge (a two day’s journey) where the Whitings have prepared a haven for them.
The second family is a couple who are 5 month pregnant and have a 3-year-old little boy. They were stranded in Venezuela because the borders are closed. However, there are ways to escape through the jungle and crossing the Meta river. The Whitings have purchased bus tickets for this family. The most recent news is they have made it across the border and are somewhere in Peru. We have high hopes God will see them through this difficult journey a provide them safe passage to Chile.
The third family is a couple with their teenage son who are grandparents to the 3-year-old little boy in the second family. We believe they are traveling together by bus toward Futaleufa.
The fourth family is a couple with a five-month-old little girl. All that is known about them is that they delayed their departure by a few days to have a dedication for their daughter. They wanted to do this while they were still with their family members who will remain in the Venezuela. It is not known when they might see each other again.
The situation in Venezuela is dire. According to Shannon Doocy, associate professor of international health at Johns Hopkins University, who conducted research at Venezuela’s border, “Venezuela’s health system is in utter collapse, which, combined with widespread food shortage, is piling suffering upon suffering and putting even more Venezuelans at risk.” A report compiled from data collected by the World Health Organization, which interviewed more than 150 people, found chronic food shortages meant many Venezuelans eat just one meal a day, which for some entailed nothing but yuca (cassava) or tinned sardines. A survey by three universities in Venezuela found that 80% of the country’s households do not have a reliable source of food, and that nearly two-thirds of people surveyed had lost an average of 11kg (1.7 stone) in 2017.
“Venezuelan authorities publicly minimize and suppress information about the crisis, and harass and retaliate against those who collect data or speak out about it, while also doing far too little to alleviate it,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. The Guardian, April 5, 2019
A message from Charles Whiting:
“We got into this almost by accident. We had a friend named Anivel from Santiago who came down to see us and do some work on our farm. He is a dedicated young Chilean Adventist who centers his life around the church. His family had accepted several Venezuelan families into their home. Those families were keeping in touch with their friends and family back in Venezuela. They kept Anivel up to date with texts and recorded voice messages that he shared with us. We were appalled by what we were hearing. It seemed that every day the situation was getting more desperate. The hospitals ran out of antibiotics and suture material. An Adventist youth pastor was shot in the head and killed. The jail doors were opened, the in-mates were armed and told to go into town and kill as many people as possible. The message in that case was from an Adventist who had spent three days on the roof of his house without sleep where he was watching in fear of the in-mates to protect his family.
These are our brothers and sisters in the Church and in Christ. We didn't think we could just listen to the panicked texts and voice-mails without doing something. We offered what we have: A safe place to stay in a safe country not too far from Venezuela.
As we became more deeply involved, we found out that a good wage in Venezuela is about $6 a month (six dollars a month). This makes it hard to afford a bus ticket or air-fare. Many people are walking out on foot. But this involves bribing the army along the border, swimming the river or paying someone to smuggle you across in a boat to Columbia. The situation in Columbia is a little better but still very dire. The refugees have no food or shelter. They are sleeping out in the open along the road and going without food.
We are happy that we can personally help these families and would like to help many more. It’s refreshing to be doing something ourselves instead of sending money to big organizations where you can't see the faces of those being helped. It is a blessing to us to do it. If others feel the way we do and want to be involved we would welcome their support.”
When these four families arrive at Futaleufu to stay with the Whitings, they will need everything. Even though Kristen is an accomplished gardener and provides a lot of food from their gardens and green houses, eleven more mouths to feed will be challenging, not to mention all the things babies need! The climate in Venezuela is also very different than it is at the Whiting’s home. They will be leaving a warm country to go to southern Chile during the beginning of winter in a high-altitude area with snow and freezing temperatures. As you may imagine, they will need warm clothes, gloves, and proper footwear for everyone.
As a mother and grandmother, my heart goes out to these parents who are so desperately trying to provide a safe home for their children. As an American, I feel grateful for my freedom and a stable economy and government. As follower of Christ, I want to share some of the abundance God has blessed my family and me with and I invite you to search your heart and join me in helping these families who have left everything behind and trust the kindness of strangers who want to live their faith and be an example of Romans 12:11-13 “11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Co-organizers (3)
Melissa Thomas
Organizer
Huntersville, NC
Charles Whiting
Beneficiary
Kristen Whiting
Co-organizer