Disaster Aid Canada
Posted by Judy Harcourt Brown
on Nov 23, 2015
Hurricane Patricia - Mexico
Hurricane Patricia was reported as the strongest hurricane ever measured in the Western Hemisphere. Thankfully the death count was low and sever damage to large city centres did not happen. BUT does this mean that the people and towns that were hit do not deserve our support and help? In many situations, those that are suffering, those that need our help are the people that do not have the voice to stand up and ask for help. Many of the small communities on the west coast of Mexico that were hit hard rely on farming or fishing and tourism. To have their communities torn about weeks before their high season begins is devastating beyond words. These people had little to begin with and what they did have blew away or was ruined in the rains that followed Hurricane Patricia.
Personally, I was interviewed by 3 News channels; each of them asking for a follow up interview and photos of my experience of going through Hurricane Patricia. This did not happen. The story was not big enough. The Hurricane had not caused the destruction that was anticipated. Global news coverage ended before people in this disaster were all helped.
People Helping on the Ground
Following Hurricane Patricia it was incredibly inspiring to see how people immediately started asking "What can I do to help?" Some people physically started to work at clearing branches and broken tiles, some swept the streets,some people went out into rural areas to see what people needed and others gathered funds to purchase new items for families that really needed help. Everyone seemed to pitch in and do something. School groups even came into the communities to clear the street.
Usually Disaster Aid Canada would send Disaster Relief Kits to families needing help from the distruction of Hurricane Patricia. Since we were in the area, we decided to help in a more immediate way. We teamed up with people that already had deep ties in the community and knew families that needed immediate help. We were able to purchase roofs for many families, mattresses, food, hygiene products and other necessary items. These were distributed to many families. There are few times when we can meet the people we help. This time, we personally met families, saw what they were dealing with and were able to make an impact. It is a privilege to be able to help in this way. Disaster Aid Canada is still working in the area and would like to help more families. To do this, donations are needed. Please donate as you can. A little does go a long way.
A huge thank you to Robert and Rosey Hansen who have been identifying families that needed help. They have been working tirelessly to help as many people as possible. We appreciate all the help and hope we can continue to work together.
One of the most challenging parts of walking through this area, is the number of families that would come out to talk to us. They needed our help too! Why were were delivering a new roof to one house and not another? Why did one family get food and hygiene supplies and they didn't? These are hard questions and emotional as this area has many people that need help. We would listen to their stories - people need to be heard and know that there are people that care. We would then tell them we were doing the best we could with whatever donations we were receiving and that we would be back to help.
All week, Disaster Aid Canada has been receiving emails from our contacts in Mexico. They have been identifying people that still really need help. It is heart breaking to hear their stories. Imagine if you had little to begin with, then lost your roof and half your possession. Then...the rain...people are now starting to develop skin rashes because their mattresses are so wet.
The Next Step in helping - Hurricane Patricia
When we were in Mexico, we went to a number of schools that had their roof blown off and windows broken. Not only is the debree dangerous for the kids, but it doesn't protect them or their books from the rain. These schools graciously let us look through the classrooms to see how the internal ceilings had been damaged as well. They have no funds to do the repairs themselves. Even a few weeks after the Hurricane, the schools are still in the same dis-repair.
Cheques can be sent to:
Disaster Aid Canada - 426 William Street, Victoria, BC V9A 3Y9
We have been working with the Costalegre Rotary Club. This club has been instrumental in getting quotes and information to get two schools in the area repaired. Donations have been dedicated to these schools but we are only half way there.
We need your help to complete this project.