These were our prayers- Be nice Emily and have Mercy God!
After an evening of prayer and several discussions on Saturday night, God changed our agenda. Work on the church in La India would begin at sunrise on Sunday morning. All of our plans were rearranged and things went smoothly.
Long story short about the hurricane.... the construction team worked their tails off and the last nail went in just as the rains began on Tuesday. Praise God! While the roof team was finishing up several others went around the Village of La India with scraps of wood to help our brothers and sisters board up thier windows, the rest of Matamoros was doing the same.
A few quick photos of the roof construction.
Tuesday evening after a trip to Wal-Mart for games and food we gathered for Worship, prayer, and a hurricane briefing. The owner of our hotel had driven through the night from Arizona to be there with us through the storm. Fransico was awesome. He promised that we were in a safe building and that he would do all he could to insure our safety. After hearing from him and being reassured that flooding would not be a problem because the hotel was the highest spot in the city, I felt much better.
Praying for safety, health and God's great mercy and protection.
Our Hurricane survival loot. We bought GAMES and FOOD. What else do you need?
Hurricane Party!
Many of us stayed up late into the night from fear and excitement. Emily hit about 7am. Things were not as bad as we anticipated, mostly rain and wind. The most excitement we had was and electrical fire on a utility pole across the street!
This is one of the lights at the hotel.
Hurricane coming!
The damage caused by Emily was extensive for the people of Matamoros who lived in the Squatters Camp and Fishing Villages. These homes were bad structure to begin with, so you can imagine what 60MPH winds did. These people fled into the city to shelters in local gymnasiums. Some of our group had the privilege to sever in the shelters and form some amazing friendship. Unfortunately yours truly was at the hotel with ice on my bottom, I feel down half of a flight
of stairs and really beat up by backside. I cried and I think that most of the ears were embarrassment and saddens that I was confined to my room. I was excited about the opportunity to serve at the shelters. I still do not know why God had me there...maybe some day.
Shelter photos
Scrambled eggs and hotdogs! Yummy!
The children at the squatters camp figured out the the flood waters could keep them cool.
The people in the city took no chances!
The trees didn't fair so well.
God sent us to Mexico at the same time He sent Emily. When we arrived in Mexico none of us knew what was in store for us and now we have a better picture of what God wanted form us. We were able to serve the City of Matamoros to glorify God in so many ways. On Friday most of us headed for St Louis, but a few stayed behind to continue to serve through the weekend. The built showers at the fishing village and rebuilt churches in time for Sunday worship.
The stories and pictures go on forever.... I will keep them coming!
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