Cyclone Isaac

Cyclone Isaac

We did not know what it was when it arrived here. It wasn’t going to be too strong just a TROPICAL DEPRESSION! It was actually a tropical storm. We had retired Friday night after a great time in the Word of God with our youth, followed by a video and the treat of no-bake cookies made by Elizabeth McCormick and Samantha Drowley.

Not too far into the night we woke up with the wind blowing real hard, pictures broken on the floor. The lamp blew off the piano. Elizabeth started sweeping up the glass while I quickly closed the windows. The wind continued to BLOW. We went back to bed but couldn’t sleep. Then things crashed and banged on the back porch. The Lord whispered in my spirit, “The Lord will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him.” We went out with our flash lights and found that the three-burner gas plate had blown off a barrel along with other things. I quickly picked it up and put it under something to hold it down. When we looked up, the refrigerator had turned around and ended up about 4’ away. At about the same time, I was picking up something before it blew away and smelled gas. While still holding onto it, I found the gas can had been blown over, so picked it up. Dad was up and had gone downstairs checking on things. Then I found him sitting in his chair praying with his face in his hands. The roof sounded like it would lift off. You could hear the galvanized sheeting lift and then slam back down. When the winds were so strong, I opened my Bible while praying for strength. I could hardly believe what my eyes fell on. NIV – Luke 6:48b, “The torrent struck the house but could not shake it, because it was well built” Glory!! Whenever fear would try and shake me, I would think on these verses and find perfect peace. God is so very good to us.

In the morning we woke up to many fallen trees in the yard. One uprooted by our bedroom window that Ruben had planted a long while ago and it was so very beautiful. Dad and I had just been talking about how it shielded us from the road and the houses across the street. Two cherry trees down. Frangipanis (Genus Plumeria) up-rooted - it produced the most beautiful yellow and white flowers. Along with many other trees that are down--some are trees that were here when we first came over 40 yr. ago. They are big trees with big roots and now with the tree down, the roots are sticking straight up in the air. Two Mango trees, two neem trees, and other ones are leaning at about a 45 degree angle.

Ken is repairing the chain saw to cut up the downed trees and branches. This adds to the work already waiting ahead of us. We are praising God that He kept everyone safe here, with only damage to one of the buildings.

After the very strong winds and rain with hurricane Isaac this past week, many houses are down here in Dessalines. We have lost count of those asking for help. While the damage in the compound was limited to downed limbs and debris, many are homeless and we feel so helpless.

Our Security guard had to take off work the day after the storm to clean up what was left of his house (along with helping others). While he was talking to us this morning, he asked us for a little sustenance. He said "I found a place to live--it is in someone’s upstairs". I told him we had plenty of wood and maybe he could cook food in the yard –“but there isn’t any yard. It’s not like here," he said. We are truly blessed, in many ways. We have been able to give out the Manna Pack Rice boxes. We are thankful we had some on hand.

What hurts is to hear about people who see someone that needs help, who pick up the galvanized sheeting, taking out the nails etc for them, AND THEN, stealing it right out from underneath them. It is so sad!

Also, because we were not able to have the School roof put on the wing of the second floor yet, we were obliged to enroll our four 9th graders in another school where the tuition is much more expensive than ours. Also this is the time to buy school books and uniform material so we can hire them made. All of this along with wanting to help others in desperate need.

We are not complaining--God was so good to spare EGO from storm damage--just making folks aware of the needs.

Thank you for your prayers and support.



Don and Doris