It’s been almost two weeks since a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked northern Ecuador, but the country remains in a state of emergency. Ecuadorians living here in Brooklyn and Queens have been responding in the best ways they know.

On Page 2 of this week’s edition, you can read the firsthand account of Cruz Teresa Rosero, a well-known member of the Catholic community in Queens.

In other neighborhoods, people have assembled to pray. In Bushwick’s Maria Hernandez Park, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams led a memorial service with members of the clergy from different denominations that included Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros. As darkness began to fall, participants lit candles and prayed for the deceased, the injured and displaced people of Ecuador.

The following evening, Bishop Cisneros was at St. Leo’s Church in Corona where Father Bill Hoppe, pastor, opened the doors of the church to the community for a prayer service that was being organized by Assemblyman Francisco Moya, the only member of the New York State legislature of Ecuadorian descent.

Prayers were offered in Spanish and then the 150 people processed out of church for an outdoors candlelight moment of silence.

Father Felix Herrera, parochial vicar at St. Joan of Arc, Jackson Heights, participated in the Bushwick event and then attended parts of a benefit concert that was held in Jackson Heights last weekend.

“I said the opening prayer at the day that was organized by Senator (Jose) Peralta here in the area,” said Father Herrera. “It was a great response from Colombians, Mexicans and Ecuadorians. It was an opportunity to hear a lot of good music but also to make donations.”

Father Herrera, who was born here in Queens, visited relatives in Ecuador 10 years ago. He stays in contact with them. Although they were not in the hardest hit areas, their towns were affected.

“I spoke to my cousins last week,” he said. “They’re rattled, still on edge. They’re thinking that there still could be more aftershocks in the areas that were affected.”

More than 696 people have been declared dead in Ecuador because of this natural disaster with another 58 still missing. Over 100 people were physically pulled from the rubble as aftershocks continued to roll through the area.

More than 25,000 have lost their homes, most damaged beyond repair, and are now sleeping in temporary shelters.

This weekend, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio will be at Blessed Sacrament Church in Jackson Heights to celebrate Mass with members of the Ecuadorian community. The Mass is set for 5 p.m.