Where Are We Going?
In September of 2017, the Caribbean was ravished by a Category 5 hurricane. The landscape of the Caribbean was tremendously, and sometimes irreparably, damaged by Hurricane Maria- it was the worst natural disaster to hit the area since 2004. Winds of up to 174 mph ripped through peoples homes, churches, schools, parks, hospitals, shelters and businesses.
One island deeply impacted by the ferocity of the storm was Puerto Rico. During and after the storm, the area experienced a communication and power blackout that left 3.4 million people without ways to contact for help, connect with loved ones or learn about what was going on. An estimated 2,975 Puerto Ricans lost their lives to Maria, making it the most deadly storm to hit the island since the 1800s.
Despite Hurricane Maria being a very strong storm as it hit Puerto Rico, it is not the direct damage done by the hurricane that caused the most issues for the island. Budget cuts to its main power company allowed for island infrastructure to weaken, and for its power grid to easily fall victim to natural disasters. Even before the storm, the Natural Resources Defense Council reported that over 70% of citizens were drinking water that was not safe for consumption. Hurricane Irma had hit Puerto Rico just 2 weeks before Maria, and at that time over 80,000 residents did not have power or clean water. Up to 80% of the rations and emergency items at FEMA's Caribbean Distribution Center had been distributed throughout the region for Irma aid, prior to Hurricane Maria.
Needless to say, Hurricane Maria created the need for a tremendous amount of aid for the Caribbean as a whole, and for Puerto Rico. Without getting into politics... there is still an immense amount of work to be done there.
That's where we come in!
Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.
From May 31 to June 7, 2019, First Congregational Church of Boulder will send a group of 8 adults and 22 youth to Dorado, Puerto Rico. This coastal area is about 15 miles west of San Juan, and was hit hard by Hurricane Maria. Our group will be working on home repairs and rebuilding with local families. We will serve alongside folks who lived through the storm, and who still don't have their lives back to normal almost 2 years later.
One island deeply impacted by the ferocity of the storm was Puerto Rico. During and after the storm, the area experienced a communication and power blackout that left 3.4 million people without ways to contact for help, connect with loved ones or learn about what was going on. An estimated 2,975 Puerto Ricans lost their lives to Maria, making it the most deadly storm to hit the island since the 1800s.
Despite Hurricane Maria being a very strong storm as it hit Puerto Rico, it is not the direct damage done by the hurricane that caused the most issues for the island. Budget cuts to its main power company allowed for island infrastructure to weaken, and for its power grid to easily fall victim to natural disasters. Even before the storm, the Natural Resources Defense Council reported that over 70% of citizens were drinking water that was not safe for consumption. Hurricane Irma had hit Puerto Rico just 2 weeks before Maria, and at that time over 80,000 residents did not have power or clean water. Up to 80% of the rations and emergency items at FEMA's Caribbean Distribution Center had been distributed throughout the region for Irma aid, prior to Hurricane Maria.
Needless to say, Hurricane Maria created the need for a tremendous amount of aid for the Caribbean as a whole, and for Puerto Rico. Without getting into politics... there is still an immense amount of work to be done there.
That's where we come in!
Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.
From May 31 to June 7, 2019, First Congregational Church of Boulder will send a group of 8 adults and 22 youth to Dorado, Puerto Rico. This coastal area is about 15 miles west of San Juan, and was hit hard by Hurricane Maria. Our group will be working on home repairs and rebuilding with local families. We will serve alongside folks who lived through the storm, and who still don't have their lives back to normal almost 2 years later.
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