Adventist Psychologist Helps Survivors Cope With Loss in Venezuela

“Ah, Mexican. Mexico lost!” a survivor told Moisés Manzano as the two watched a World Cup match.

The man was coping with a painful loss following the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24. Rather than redirecting the conversation toward the tragedy, Manzano, a psychologist trained in psychological first aid, simply talked with him about soccer.

For a few minutes the survivor experienced something ordinary amid the upheaval. Later he thanked Manzano for the moment.

The encounter illustrated for Manzano, a professor at Montemorelos University in Mexico, an important part of psychological support after a disaster: Sometimes helping begins by listening, being present, and allowing someone a moment of normalcy.

Manzano (far right) provides psychological first aid to earthquake survivors in La Guaira, Venezuela, as part of CADENA’s humanitarian response team. [Photo: Courtesy of CADENA]

That moment was one of many during Manzano’s work in hard-hit La Guaira, where he provided psychological first aid from June 30 to July 8 as part of his first international mission with CADENA, a humanitarian emergency response organization. Two powerful earthquakes struck the region less than a minute apart on June 24.

Assessing Needs on the Ground

During the first days of the response, Manzano and the CADENA team visited formal and informal shelters, traveled through affected communities, and met with humanitarian organizations to determine where assistance was most needed.

Manzano focused on identifying emotional needs and providing psychological first aid to survivors and their families, as well as rescuers, paramedics, volunteers, and other emergency personnel.

“Mental health is a fundamental component in these situations,” he said.

Among the most difficult moments were accompanying relatives who went to the morgue to identify loved ones and families who remained near collapsed buildings waiting for news—or for bodies to be recovered so they could begin grieving.

“Our work is to stay near them, listen to them, and accompany them through that uncertainty,” Manzano said.

Listening Before Asking

Psychological first aid requires careful listening while avoiding the revictimization of survivors, Manzano explained. Responders allowed people to decide when and how much they wanted to share, while also addressing immediate needs.

Some survivors had gone several days without being able to bathe, making even a small hygiene kit a meaningful form of assistance.

“Psychological first aid begins with active listening,” Manzano said. “We respect each person’s moment and wait until they decide whether they want to talk about their experience.”

Moisés Manzano accompanies a family affected by the earthquakes in La Guaira, Venezuela. [Photo: Courtesy of CADENA]

The team also provided psychosocial support, particularly for children. CADENA is developing material designed to strengthen resilience among children affected by disasters, recognizing that emotional recovery can continue long after rescue operations end.

Families waiting near collapsed buildings also faced difficult decisions. Manzano encountered relatives who disagreed over whether heavy machinery should be used to accelerate search efforts, balancing the possibility of finding survivors against the risks involved.

For Manzano, those situations underscored the importance of providing support as families confronted extraordinary uncertainty.

Experience Built Through Service

Manzano began working with CADENA in 2021 during an emergency response in Puebla, Mexico. After that deployment he was invited to join the organization’s psychology team and has since received continuing training in psychological first aid and emergency response.

His experience includes responses following Hurricane Otis, flooding in Puebla, and the mining emergency in Coahuila, as well as humanitarian interventions elsewhere in Mexico.

The Venezuela deployment reinforced his conviction that emotional care is an essential part of disaster response.

Faith Amid Crisis

Manzano said his Christian faith shaped how he approached people experiencing profound loss.

“My faith gave meaning to every action,” he said. “It reminded me that every person has value and deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.”

While he was in Venezuela, his brother spoke to him about the biblical story of Job and resilience. Manzano also noticed how survivors expressed faith amid their losses.

During its mission in Venezuela the CADENA team visited shelters and earthquake-affected communities to assess needs and provide support to survivors. [Photo: Courtesy of CADENA]

“Many people thanked God for another opportunity at life,” he said. “Their ability to find hope in the midst of adversity also strengthened my trust in God.”

The experience also deepened his understanding of service.

“I understand that serving also means being available and walking alongside someone who is going through a difficult moment,” Manzano said.

From the Field to the Classroom

Manzano has since returned to Montemorelos University, where he teaches subjects related to crisis intervention and brings lessons from the field into the classroom.

“Every intervention strengthens my work in the classroom,” he said. “When I teach classes related to crisis intervention, I can share tools that I have learned in the field.”

Yet amid the difficult scenes he witnessed, Manzano said one of his strongest memories remains the gratitude expressed by survivors. At shelters, at the airport, and as the humanitarian team prepared to leave Venezuela, people thanked responders for coming to help.

For Manzano, their words captured the significance of simply being present: “Thank you. Thank you for coming all the way here to help us.”

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.