Hurricane season began on June 1. As many of you know, it’s always a bit more anxious time to be on the coast of Belize. Well, this season has already started off rough. Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the season, formed on May 31 off the coast of Belize. It proceeded to sit over southern Mexico and Belize and dump 10-15 inches of rain over the next few days. From the reports that we are getting from the field, almost the entire village at Gales Point was flooded. We’ve only been able to find a couple of small low-quality pictures, but perhaps they’ll help to visualize the situation.
Please pray that this will not be the start of a very rough hurricane season. Pray that God will have mercy on Gales Point and the mission base and all of Belize.
Gales Point is on a very narrow long peninsula that sticks out into the southern lagoon. Here’s an aerial shot of the village:
Here is what it currently looks like while it’s flooded:
UPDATE: I should note that these photos are from a couple days ago. From what we hear, the water has pretty much subsided in the village. The coast guard has been bringing in meals for them. As far as we know, there weren’t any injuries or deaths in Gales Point, but there is some damage and a lot of cleanup to do. Some of the main bridges are washed out, so travel will be very limited (access only by boat) until they can be repaired.
oh man, that is rough!
We’re praying for you guys!
Dale found several news reports on the web and showed us. Yikes! How is the base?
The base is fine, just a little flooded, and there will be some yard work to do.
The major work will be in the village, as many people have most of their personal belongings destroyed. The Belize Mission & Retreat plan on raising support to supply the villagers on a as needed basis, with new mattresses, bedding and clothing as needed. The Coast Guards have been providing food for the village, however that will come to an end soon, so we plan to provide the staples that are needed to feed the families. It is our understanding that rice fields in Belize have been destroyed, so it will be hard for us to get that staple. Prayers are definitely appreciated. God’s blessing on everyone who support this ministry! Ma and Pa de Klerk