 |
|
November 17, 1998
by Connie Nelson
NEW YORK (GBGM) - In the midst of unprecedented devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Mitch, General Board of Global Ministries mission personnel assigned to the Central American countries of Honduras and Nicaragua are organizing both spiritual and material aid to victims of the October storm.
In Honduras, the Rev. Lyda Pierce and the Rev. Paul Jeffrey-GBGM missionaries assigned to the Christian Development Commission (CCD), the country's primary Protestant development organization based in the capital city of Tegucigalpa- have assisted the CCD with its relief efforts throughout the country.
In addition to coordinating emergency shelters during the initial chaos, Rev. Pierce is organizing a program of pastoral care for victims suffering from post-traumatic shock syndrome. She is also designing one-day seminars for pastors responding to the spiritual and psychological needs of victims.
"The church in Honduras faces an immediate task of helping people find hope somewhere amidst the mud and struggle, wherever that hope may be-in some vision, in a symbol, in a relationship," Rev. Pierce said via email. "It is essential that people have a safe space to share their grieving and confusion and sadness, and in the church we've got to help people refrain from offering easy answers about what has happened here," she said.
While some "want to assign God the responsibility for this (hurricane) as a way to frighten people into believing in a vengeful God," Pierce said "I think it's important that the church help people understand that during the storm God was to be found suffering and dying in the neighborhoods and villages that washed away."
Her husband, Rev. Jeffrey-a professional photojournalist--has served as communication officer for the CCD, briefing international news organizations on the relief efforts of religious organizations and writing daily news briefs to the CCD's partner organizations, including the General Board of Global Ministries.
Describing the international response to the CCD's emergency ministries as "rapid and generous," Rev. Jeffrey also said he was "impressed with the commitment of Honduran church workers to respond selflessly to the disaster."
"I've seen people who've lost their homes out in the rain taking other people to shelter, helping comfort those who mourn and feed the hungry," he said. "In addition to the suffering, the storm has produced thousands of stories of personal heroism and sacrifice."
Andres Thomas Conteris, in the U.S. at the time of the hurricane, is organizing a Washington, D.C.-based international network of individuals and organizations through the Washington Committee for Honduras. According to Thomas Conteris--a GBGM missionary also assigned to the CCD-the emphasis of the networking efforts is to "focus on the calamity" in Honduras through raising funds and material aid which will be channeled to people most in need.
Thomas Conteris, at the request of the CCD, will remain in the U.S. temporarily to continue the organization and coordination of relief from this country.
Armando and Alida Rodriguez, assigned to the GBGM Honduras Mission Initiative in Tegucigalpa, are currently in the U.S. where they are expected to remain temporarily to assist in coordination of material aid.
Other GBGM mission personnel based in Honduras include Amparo and Angel (Gary) Garay, assigned to the GBGM Honduras Mission Initiative in Danli, and Jessica Culley (Mission Intern) based in Quimistan and assigned to the CCD. They will continue to be active in relief efforts within their local communities in cooperation with the CCD.
In Nicaragua, where 4,000 people were killed and 1,300 are listed as missing, GBGM missionaries assigned to CEPAD (Council of Evangelical Churches of Nicaragua/Consejo de Iglesias Evangelica de Nicaragua) have been in constant communication with partner organizations, supporting churches and friends via email, providing updates on the catastrophe and coordinating relief requests.
Nan McCurdy and Miguel Mairena, based in the capital city of Managua, are coordinating emergency relief efforts of the two agencies to which they are assigned: the Antonio Valdivieso Ecumenical Center, a program of pastoral and human development, drawing both Catholic and Protestant support; and "Women and Community--San Francisco Libre" which is committed to women in community transformation.
In the community of San Francisco Libre, located north of Managua across Lake Managua, the couple-with a team of psychologists-delivered supplies Nov. 12 and listened to the stories of persons whose lives are forever changed by the flooding there.
"There are 223 completely destroyed or disappeared houses just in San Francisco Libre-and dozens partially destroyed," Ms. McCurdy said.
"The lake-which used to be about a kilometer from the main street-continues to rise. We pulled up the boat and started unloading supplies right onto the main street-strange to say the least!" she reported via email.
The quick response of the missionaries and Nicaraguan church workers at the outset of the crisis has been credited with saving many lives.
"The groups we work with have been able to deliver an incredible amount of priority aid in the first two weeks after the initial disaster," Ms. McCurdy said. "UMCOR sent a disaster specialist (Larry Powell) who said that by acting quickly to get the emergency aid in quickly-first for the rescue missions, then for chlorine for water, food and doctors-we contributed to saving many lives."
Dr. Belinda Forbes, based in Managua, has traveled to neighboring communities to assess both immediate and long-term needs, and has consulted with relief agencies including UMCOR who sent on-site representatives to the region.
During a meeting of religious relief organizations, Dr. Forbes listened to reports of both devastation and hope amidst the chaos.
"One fireman talked of moving through the affected areas in San Francisco Libre in a 'panga' (small motorboat) and coming across a woman who was giving birth to her son in a tree," she said. "A very brave rescuer made a risky attempt to reach the woman and they managed to get her and her live son to safety, wrapping the newborn in a jacket and showing (the baby) around town when they got back 'in order to show people what was happening out there, that what we were telling them was really true,'" Dr. Forbes said.
Working with the Association of Iglesias de Cristo (AICN), the association of Protestant churches in Nicaragua, Dr. Forbes is assisting with the distribution of medicine, food, and financial aid.
"The tears are flowing," Dr. Forbes said, "but God is present with small signs of grace in the midst of tragedy."
GBGM missionary Daniel Heiner, also assigned to Nicaragua, is based in the southern part of the country which was not affected by Hurricane Mitch.
