Guatemala has been pounded by heavy rains this rainy season, and although it should be coming to an end, a number of hurricanes and tropical storms have led to nationwide disasters as heavy rains, winds, landslides and floods devastate communities across the country. Many villages are in crisis, including one in particular that we hold dear.
Instead of writing again what's already been shared, I though I would pull pieces from the observations of others. Included are links to read more of what each author wrote. To be honest, this is in part because I am still unwinding and processing the overwhelming scene we encountered when we pulled up to this town that we love.
Assistant director Jeremiah shared:
we received word that Aceituno, was getting hit very hard by rain, and the two rivers that run through/next to the town, had begun to rise, and people were stuck. Three of our trucks, and nine of us rushed down as soon as we could. Upon arrival, we started to assess the situation, and it was total chaos. No organization, no systems, nothing. People were scared, people walking the streets looking for missing family members, trying to get help of any sort. Most of the water has now receded, but most of the families in the lower part of town lost everything.
Diego dropped everything and brought the second truck in our convoy Thursday night. He writes:
"What we saw was unbelievable. Not a home was spared - but the cinder block homes did much better than the homes made of sheet metal. Some homes were completely swept away. Others had water 5 to 7 feet high. I asked one mom if the water entered through the door. She said yes, but then she said within 30 minutes it was coming in the windows. She showed me the water line half-way up her curtains. Beds, clothes, furniture - everything caked in mud and water. The streets were about knee deep when we arrived, but most of the water receded by midnight. The main thing we did was hug the kids and their families. Many kids don't have fathers, and I can't overstate how happy they were to know that someone cared and wanted to help".
Taryn, director of Aliento feeding program, shares a tiny glimpse into some very long days. Thursday the river in her town overflowed it's banks in a flash flood about 90 minutes after all had been well and their group celebrated a birthday by swimming in the previously calm river.
"Many people are living at churches or schools for a time until their houses are livable again, others’ houses were completely destroyed. Almost everywhere you went, you could see the water line, and as you can see, many places it was above people’s heads. Please be praying for everyone in town".
What is not evident in these is how physically and emotionally exhausted she is after coordinating so much in the community she loves.
Sucely, Taryn's head employee who lives in the town shares as well. (translated)
Trying to recover something, children and women were washing clothes shoes in the river, taking bed parts and other objects to the street so that the little sun that there was would help them dry.
It is impossible to talk with people without feeling a lump in the throat of helplessness- wanting to be able to help more to support and not being able to do so.
I ask all of you for your prayers for the approximately 90 to 100 families who literally lost everything that they had.
Sucely and the other members of Taryn's team who live in the town worked long hours to try and provide food and hot coffee for the families in the shelters, and who had returned to their unlivable homes to prevent further loss through looting.
Director of Hope for Home Daryl writes:
- Children were cingy, seeking attention, hugs, and closeness. Their world had been shaken, and they needed someone to give stability.
- Men and women shared stories of throwing ropes into the river to rescue people being swept away. At times, they smiled at brief moments of humor in the chaos, but the smiles never reached their eyes.
- As afternoon clouds gathered, people stared with furrowed brows at the sky. When rain began to heavily fall, their eyes strayed toward the river, awaiting another flood.
As a final story I would share the first family I spoke to the night we arrived. A family welcomed us into what was left of their home. They had not yet headed to the shelters.
A grandmother shared that she was making supper, but now all the food in their house had now been swept away, along with her medications. They had tied down the furniture to keep it from being swept away as well.
Her son showed us the waterline, up to his mother's hairline. When the waters got bad they took refuge in their second story. He opened their doors and pulled in several neighbors with small children who did not have a second level. As he showed me the passage the brought the neighbors through, they spotted a sealed jar of coffee floating in the dirty water, and the family celebrated the small treasure.
This family made a huge impression on me because fewer than 2 hours after the terror, while they were grieving the enormity of their loss, they gave thanks to God because they were all alive. One sentence grief hung heavy on a voice at the shock of every item totally gone, and the next sentence swelling relief that they had their lives.
Please continue to pray for this community as homes were destroyed, drinking water contaminated by overcome wells, and confidence greatly shaken.
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