The rain began on Oct 14. It hasn’t stopped. 24 hours a day for 14 days straight it has rained in the mountains and valleys surrounding the town of Belen Gualcho. The storm has been named Storm #16. Nothing exciting or memorable about that name. It didn’t even qualify for one of the alphabetical names reserved for tropical storms and hurricanes, but Storm # 16 has made it’s mark in the history of Honduras. And what’s worse is it’s not even close to being done. Forecasts predict at least 5 more days of constant rain.
Yesterday I went out with one of my counterparts from the Belen office of Project Global Village to survey the damage in some of the outlying villages. We barely made the first village due to the landslides, mud and a partially washed out bridge, so we decided to leave the truck there and walk to the other villages that were within reach. At each village we met with the village leaders and families that have been affected by Storm #16.
We heard stories of lost crops, damaged homes, sleepless nights listening to mudslides and an overarching theme of helplessness and uncertainty.
One family, the Lenin Bajurtos ( a family of 12) were hit hard by #16. Their house is still standing but is totally unsafe and will have to be rebuilt. They are spending the days inside their home to escape the rain and sleeping in the 2 room home of Lenin’s brother. (Lenin’s brother has 8 in their family, so that’s 20 people in 2 rooms). Because much of the family’s corn and bean crop has been destroyed, they have no idea how they are going to eat in the coming year. Also, because they have no way to earn a living up here in the mountains they have no real way of rebuilding their home.
None of this is the worst of it.
The worst of it is the fact that their land has been heavily impacted by the mud slides. About 2 acres of Lenin’s land has slid down the side of the mountain, and another 4 acres is poised to do so at any time. Only about ½ of an acre seems to be safe, and this ½ acre will not allow Lenin to grow enough food to feed his family.
Before #16 Lenin’s family was poor. They were poor but they had enough to eat, secure shelter and enough land to subsist with a certain amount of dignity and security.
Now they wonder what will become of them.
They can’t stay with their family forever. Will they have to move to the city and live in a squatter town in a cardboard shanty? How will they eat next year, and the year after that?
What will become of their children who now have no land to inherit?
Tomorrow we head out again to survey more villages, to meet more “Lenin Bajurtos” and to record their pain.
Please pray we could bring some hope.
Pray that, even in these circumstances they would sense God’s love for them through our actions and words.
Please pray that as I see these things and hear these stories, I would believe that God loves them.
I can’t do it without your prayers.
brad
