Hurricanes Devastate Caribbean
Within 12 days in September, two category 5 hurricanes battered the Caribbean. Hurricane Irma arrived the first week of the month, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record. Our churches on the islands of Virgin Gorda, Tortola, Anguilla, and St. Thomas were hardest hit. Then less than two weeks later, Hurricane Maria swept through, devastating parts of St. Croix.
Electricity was down everywhere and was not expected to be completely restored for months. Trees were stripped of all greenery, buildings were flooded or destroyed, and even some graves appeared to have been opened.
First, we are grateful that there has been no loss of life to anyone in our churches. But there was much physical damage: roofs lost, buildings flooded, parishioners in need. In St. Thomas, for example, the church on the first floor was flooded, and the school on the second floor was devastated by the loss of the roof from Hurricane Irma. Pastor Kenrick Buckle’s home was also damaged. Hurricane Maria flooded the church a second time, worse than the first.
The recovery process will be long. Will you help our brothers and sisters in the Eastern Caribbean by contributing to this need?
If you would like to donate to Hurricane Relief for the Eastern Caribbean:
Text any amount and the word relief to 84321. (If you already use this number as a part of a text to give option with your local church, make sure that World Missions is selected as your recipient.)
Donate here.
Mail a check with Hurricane Relief in the memo line to PO Box 4711, Overland Park, KS 66204
View the October issue of The Harvest Times.
