Hurricane Matthew: 1 Year Later

One year ago, we were glued to the Weather Channel and our cell phones, tracking the path of Hurricane Matthew and getting spotty updates from RoRo who was hunkered down with Eline in their Peredo apartment. As so many in the US and other Caribbean islands have experienced this year with Irma and Maria, it’s a helpless feeling to wait on and ride out a hurricane.

When the rain finally stopped, mud and flooding made travel very difficult as RoRo, Eline, and our staff began checking on people from our churches, schools, and those in our communities. So many of you reached out with your prayers, encouraging words, and financial donations. Your partnership and encouragement was a light to all of us during those difficult days. Thank you!

Generally, in our area, the greatest needs were food, home repairs, and crop damage. When Matthew hit, banana farmers were close to harvesting their annual crops. Most crops were wiped out. RoRo and our team reached out to nearby Savanne du Bois, a community to the south of Peredo nearer the ocean, where we found new friends in Thyotte, Davima and Simone, and others who had few others to provide help.

RoRo has a special message for all of you who have helped, prayed, and partnered with us: RoRo’s Hurricane Matthew update

Your generous donations to HCO in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew have brought hope and resources to many in our communities who were impacted through these projects:

• Built new homes for three families
• Repaired several other homes
• Repaired Gran Bois school latrines and temporary school building
• Replaced the roof of the generator shack and kitchen in Peredo
• Conducted 5 relief distributions of rice, beans, oil, solar lights and hygiene supplies
• Distributed donated food from Lifeline and 2|42 Community church to several different villages and the HCO schools
• Repaired and reinforced the hospital wall in Peredo
• Distributed over 5,000 banana pods to local farmers in the Peredo area
• Distributed seeds and relief supplies to farmers in Seguin and Gran Bois

Davima & Simone’s house – before & after

Thyotte’s home – before and after

Banana fields – destroyed, plants distributed, and growing again

New kitchen roof in Peredo

Relief & food distributions

Hospital wall