October 7: Post-Maria Update

Posted by: Ben Reece (on behalf of Johnathan and Mary Reece)

It's been 2 1/2 weeks since Hurricane Maria paid Puerto Rico a visit. 

First, the important stuff:  John and Mary, as well as the members of La Iglesia Cristiana de Aguadilla congregation, are okay.  Thank you all for your prayers.

Reestablishing communications in the aftermath has been a slow process and networks remain unreliable, but I was finally able to establish direct contact with my family a few days ago and spoke with my father this afternoon without issue.

As you've likely seen on the news, damage to the island is extensive and it will be months before things even approach normal.  The current situation in Aguadilla is: no running water, no electricity except by household generator, cell phone service that is partially restored in patches of network coverage, a gasoline shortage that appears to have been solved, a cash shortage because few ATMs work and banks have established withdrawal limits, and downed trees and power lines everywhere you look.

Puerto Rico at night before and after Maria.  Courtesy of NBC News.

There is no shortage of food or drinking water, nor a shortage of "necessary" supplies.  In that regard, needs are being met via relief efforts and regular businesses.  That's not to say more of both wouldn't be nice, but it's not a major concern now that FEMA has started making inroads.

Due to the lack of cash currency, bartering is starting to be implemented in some instances.  But when you grow up in the low-income world of PR you don't find that too unusual.

Water service is expected to return in the next 2 - 3 weeks.  The best estimates for having power restored is 4 months for coastal cities and up to a year in some of the more remote mountain towns.  So months of inconvenience and hardship remain for many.

On the bright side, no one on the island has seen this many stars in a hundred years.  And people are actually speaking to their neighbors at night, rather than watching television or Facebooking.

I've yet to speak to anyone who doesn't describe Hurricane Maria as a fearsome, terrifying storm.  My brother informed me the rain was driven so hard by the wind that it peeled the paint off of buildings like a pressure washer.  Nearly every tree in the storm's direct path was stripped of its leaves and/or uprooted.  Approximately 30 inches of rain fell.

Unfortunately, that was the only place to park in the shade.  Notice the lack of foliage.

Dad indicated that the eye of the storm went over them; at one point the winds calmed and he could see sunshine.  He took advantage of those minutes to reconnoiter the condition of the church building, which is visible from the house.  What he saw was a property inundated, the church standing like an island in a sea.  Not a good sign, as surely water had made it into the lower floor (which has a history of flooding during a run-of-the-mill tropical thunderstorm).



The following day he and mom walked over to  to assess the damage.  Trees were uprooted all over the property and there was a dingy waterline high on the door leading into the lower floor.  Another bad sign.  They opened the door, prepared to find water everywhere, and were greeted by...a bone-dry space.  No water made it into the church!

Church happened shortly afterward, people showed up.  Praise God!

As mentioned, the members of the church made it through the storm relatively unscathed.  There's property damage, to be sure, but nothing insurmountable.  Church service occurred this past Sunday, with over 50 in attendance for an "old school" praise and worship service sans microphones and speaker systems (or A/C, which just reminds me of the first 20 years of the church in Aguadilla)

The coming months will be a challenge as people learn to adjust to the lack of electricity and the complications that Maria's impact introduced into their routines.  Mudslides have forced route changes and the morning commute takes a bit longer without any stoplights controlling traffic.  But most are taking a pragmatic, this-too-shall-pass approach to their circumstances.

Having said that, there are those on the island (and St. Croix, and Dominica) who have lost everything.  The benevolence ministry is already in action and doing what they can to assist the unfortunate.  It so happens they had already made efforts to assist families impacted by Hurricane Irma (the first Category 5 of the season) before Maria came calling.

There have been several inquiries from folks asking what they can do to help and that is greatly appreciated.  There's no need for supplies or foodstuffs; as mentioned, these things are mostly available.  At this juncture the focus from the church in Aguadilla is on helping families in the Puerto Rican and Caribbean community get back on their feet, which means funds will be funneled to assist those who have lost much.

If you feel compelled to donate towards the church's hurricane relief efforts, please direct any donations to the Puerto Rico Mission:

Puerto Rico Mission
C/O John and Nancy Montgomery
125 Millard Drive NW
Cleveland, TN 37312-7041

Please take care to identify the intended use as "Hurricane Maria" or something to that effect.  This will ensure that it goes to the relief efforts directly via dedicated project allocation.

In closing, John and Mary (mom and dad) want to thank everyone for their prayers and support.  None of the good things happening in Aguadilla occur without our brothers and sisters in Christ supporting the effort there.  This storm has served to reveal a congregation of believers in Aguadilla steadfast in its faith and dedicated to serving those around them in the name of Christ.  What a blessing and joy.

God bless you,

Ben Reece (the younger, better-looking son)