Hurricane Dean Strikes Mission Area

Early in the morning of August 21, 2007, category 5 hurricane Dean made landfall at Costa Maya, Mexico, just 60 miles east-northeast of our mission area in Northern Belize. A state of emergency was quickly declared for the two northern districts of Belize. Preliminary reports indicated that 400 homes were destroyed and 1500 homes damaged. Initial contacts with our friends in San Victor and San Narciso revealed that no lives were lost and there were few, if any, injuries. Most of the structure damage was limited to house or kitchen roofs. Vegetation damage was extensive. Large trees were uprooted. 90-95% of the papaya plantation trees were lost along with the jobs that these plantations provided. Reports on damage to the sugar cane fields and the income they provide were mixed. Orange, banana, mango and coconut trees were denuded of their life sustaining fruit. Uprooted trees blocked roadways creating obstacles for emergency and utility vehicles. Electricity was knocked out resulting in the loss of water supplies from electric powered water distribution systems.

News from phone calls and internet streaming radio and television broadcasts was spread by email to many prior mission team members. These team members included some church pastors who quickly raised relief funds from their congregations. Word spread to other churches by team members. In just a few days, church and individual donations totaled almost $5,000. These funds were channeled to Lewisburg United Methodist Church. Regular team member, Jacki Gross from Lewisburg, carried these funds to Belize just 7 days after Dean hit. The eight churches raising funds were:

Warsaw Presbyterian Church, Warsaw, OH (Tim Thomas, lay pastor)
Bloomfield Presbyterian Church, New Concord (Bloomfield), OH (Marty Radcliff, pastor)
Friendship Baptist Church, New Concord, OH (Ken Blood, pastor)
Westminster Presbyterian Church, New Concord, OH (Ellen Thomas, pastor)
Duncan Falls Presbyterian Church, Duncan Falls, OH (Ellen Thomas, pastor)
Trinity Community Church, Cincinnati, OH
St Paul United Church of Christ, Evansville, IN
Lewisburg United Methodist Church, Lewisburg, OH (Mike Pratt, pastor)

In the meantime, the Catzim family in San Narciso rallied local volunteers from the Catholic churches in San Narciso and San Victor to be ready to distribute relief supplies when available. Over the next three weeks, nearly 10,000 lbs. of bulk rice, beans, flour, sugar and powdered milk were purchased, repackaged and distributed to needy families. Distribution was made the first week to 250 families in San Narciso and 150 families in San Victor. Each family received 4 lbs. of flour, 3 lbs. of rice, 3 lbs. of beans, 1 can of Vienna sausage and 1 can of condensed milk. Families with small children also received 1 lb. of powdered milk. The second and third week distribution was made to the most needy 150 families in San Narciso and 100 families in San Victor each week. Week two each family received 4 lbs. flour, 3 lbs. rice, 3 lbs. beans and 2 lbs. sugar. Week three, each family received 3 lbs. flour, 3 lbs. rice, 3 lbs. beans and 2 lbs. sugar. Some families, depending on need, also received some coffee, cooking oil, sweetened condensed milk and oats in the final distribution. These may not seem like much food per week but does represent basic, live-sustaining, nutrition during a time of disrupted supplies.

Fortunately, the electric company in Belize had the water distribution system restored to San Narciso and San Victor by the time Jacki arrived eliminating the need to purchase purified bottled water. This was done by generators, at first, then by power line restoration. Some other villages had to wait much longer for their electricity and water.

Hurricanes normally come with a lot of moisture but hurricane Dean was relatively dry. However, just one week after Dean, extremely heavy rains arrived. The previous record for rainfall at the Philip Goldson International Airport was 7.26 inches for an entire month of August. In one 24 hours period, over 10 inches of rain fell adding difficulties during the recovery effort. The photo gallery pages show some examples of the flooding caused by the heavy rains in addition to the hurricane damage. Unfortunately, it is difficult to capture the full perspective of the damage in a photograph.

The people of San Victor and San Narciso were very appreciative of the food relief assistance provided by our team members and their friends. To express their thanks to Jacki Gross, the Belizean volunteers held a "Thank You Jacki" party before she returned to the States. They recognized that she was an emissary for many people who provided the financial support for this relief effort and who were there in spirit. To express their thanks to those not present, the residents of San Narciso prepared a beautiful certificate of appreciation for each of the churches listed above and a church leader in San Victor wrote a letter of appreciation which is reproduced here:

"Dear Friends in Christ,

On behalf of the San Victor Roman Catholic Church and the entire community of San Victor, we want to convey our sincere gratitude and a million thanks for the food donations you gave us. Thank you for the continued support you have always rendered to us. We pray that God our Father Almighty continue blessing you and your congregations. People like you are seldom found in our country of Belize. We can't find words to express to you how we feel. We have learnt that in hard times like what we are going through, God sends his people to comfort and help us with our needs. We could see the feeling of gratitude and happiness as we deliver[ed] the bags of food to our people. We can never pay you back what you have been doing for all of us. We would like to tell you that anytime you like to visit us, San Victor Village will always be your home. Once more, thank you and may God bless you and your beloved families.

Sincerely Yours in God,
Ramiro Castillo (Church leader)"