Hurricane Felix Disaster Relief Update – September 15, 2007
The following is a part of a verbal (phone) report I received from the relief coordinator in Nicaragua:
The Emergency Phase – The disaster relief team is in the middle of preparations for the first project in the “emergency phase” of disaster relief which is a project to provide food and clean water to 13 Miskito communities. If all goes according to schedule, the three volunteers will leave on Tuesday, September 18 to the thirteen communities that are furthest out and least likely to get immediate aid. These communities are accessible only (or most easily … all are accessible by foot path too) by boat, for which reason they will be renting a boat with a motor. One of the volunteers (a pastor) is familiar with boats and motors. Actually, most of the community is familiar with boats since it is a major means of transportation to the outlying communities.
Volunteers – Today they have a team of 15-20 adults, mostly MINTS students and their families, working on putting the food packets together today at Rev. Hector Willians’ house. Children, youth, etc are all helping out. It’s a marvellous display of how members of different church communities can work together in a common ministry project directed by MINTS students.
Rising Costs of Goods - Yesterday they sent groups of volunteers into town with a “shopping list”. Some things they are “dickering” with yet to get a good price, but the prices of all goods have gone up 20-30% since Hurricane Felix came ashore. For example, purchasing a quantity of 100 lanterns, 100 mosquito nets, 100 sheets, etc. for each of the 100 initial emergency packets that they are putting together.
Rev. Eric Pennings
