Yes it is still raining. We have moments of reprieve but not enough. 3 or 4 hours on Thursday we were rain free and about the same yesterday. Otherwise, it has been pretty much steady rain.
We're watching the news a lot - lamenting the sadnesses of people who have lost their homes (such as they were) and their possessions (such as they were). There are images of people in temporary shelters such as schools and churches. Thin mattresses laid out on the floor, people looking mighty sad and worried.
It's a helpless feeling I imagine.
I can't imagine what they must be thinking - how they will be able to go back and face their situation after the rains stop and the waters eventually recede. Cecilia and I were watching the news - seeing the villages inundated with water, the fields, the people and animals wading thru waist high water. Homes that have collapsed walls (yesterday a collapsed bedroom wall killed a 16 year old boy).
Evenually people will go back to their homes to try to rebuild their lives.
Here in Berlin, so far, we seem to be relatively ok. No grand disasters - just the smallish ones. Not small really - perhaps 'individual' disasters might be a better way to describe it. Most communities have been without power - in and of itself is not TOO big of a deal - they've only had electricity for a year or so. But the wet and mess, the fear of loss of their crops (corn, beans and coffee), the damage to homes and roads, being cut off from town. Those are big individual types of disasters. We could have way bigger issues - we all know that!
We're most concerned about the people in the lower areas of Berlin such as Rio de los Bueyes ... they often get flooded from the Lempa River. We can't reach anyone - but - if there is no power, you cannot charge your phone and the cell phones often don't have signal when there is a loss of power. So we pray for them and await word from word of mouth.
This morning I have to go to San Salvador to fetch a delegation. I had a stroke of luck (I personally think it's more of a guardian angel) because Alfredo - the man we hire to drive delegations from here to there - said he had to bring another group to Santiago de Maria which is down the road from us. He said he would swing by on his return and take me to San Salvador. So I don't have to travel by bus or to drive personally. I'm very grateful for that. Alfredo has the kind of driving experience that is invaluable. Especially with all these rains - who knows what any road will look like at any given moment. No offense bus drivers - but I'd rather be in a smallish microbus with someone I know driving - than a huge bus with drivers who like to fly.
This delegation is going to get an eyeful this week.
1 comment:
It is so sad to hear of the flooding and losses of a people with so little resources. I am so glad that the parish house is able to provide some help. I just donated on the web site. My prayers are with the people in the flooded communities and all of you who are helping.
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