End of the Hurricane Season

After the two weeks of wheelchair training, we were both in somewhat "funky" moods -- well, let's just say we were tired and lazy.  The good news is that it is over - the other good new is that hurricane season is over but the bad news is - there is a hurricane on its way!  So early Sunday morning, President Hendricks directed us to call the branch presidents and have them announce over the pulpit to have members make appropriate preparations for Hurricane Tomas.  Monday, we arranged for a video call between Bennie Lilly, the Area Welfare Manager who lives in the Dominican Republic, us, and President Hendricks.  Tuesday morning found us in the call going over emergency procedures.  We tested the satellite phone, bought a couple of loaves of bread checked our generator, and watched and waited.

The path of Hurricane Tomas

Knowing there wasn't much for us to do; who can re-direct a hurricane. We spent Wednesday and Thursday finishing writing the food initiative project descriptions.  On Friday, we met with President Hendricks and received his official approval of the project.  We are now waiting for Cullimores to talk with Salt Lake to get their unofficial approval before we officially submit it to the area presidency for their official approval before they send it to salt Lake for their official approval.  We officially guarantee you haven't heard the last of this project!  Our final projection is to help over 340 families both LDS and non-LDS, 3 children homes, a reintegration agency, a Mustard Seed Community, and a homeless shelter agency.

Tomas took its time and Thursday night it rained.  Well, let's just say it rained as it normally does, nothing spectacular.  Friday was rainy with breaks of sun.  Saturday was windy (but not as bad as the Uintah Basin) with clear skies.  If this is what a hurricane is like, we'll definitely take it over a tropical depression.  Neala and Elynn's Nicole was only a tropical storm but had 100 times the power of Tomas the Hurricane.  We were prepared (and that's a good thing) but the preparation wasn't worth the outcome.  Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti who continues to go through one devastation after another.  We have a container of emergency supplies and equipment on its way from headquarters but on Friday we were asked if it would be alright to divert it to St. Lucia and we were glad it was loaded and already being shipped.  May they use the supplies to help them clean up and recover.  We are ever thankful that Tomas missed us.  The ground in the mountains is still saturated but our damage is minimal.

The new mission office on 4 Garelli, Kingston 4

The mission office after hurricane Tomas (actually its just the move to a new office)

The Mission Office was moved this week.  The new building will be much nicer, the space use is different but everyone will adapt, and maybe next week they will have the phones working.  This was more tragic than Tomas.  It takes a lot to move an office and set up the new one.  By Friday, they could all sit at a desk and do a little work.  Yup, that's what missions are about; adapting to what needs to be done when it needs to be done.  Thanks for all your prayers about our safety during the non-hurricane.  We declare the 2010 hurricane/tropical storm season officially over.

Someone needs to tell him Hurricane Tomas is over.  He wears everything he owns.