In the early hours of Friday July 31st, Hato Mayor province in the Dominican Republic was flooded after the passing of hurricane Isaías. The local Church of the Nazarene quickly mobilized to provide a place to sleep and food for those affected.
Although locals were on the alert and aware of the approach of the storm, the flooding took residents by surprise while they slept. Some 750 families were affected, several houses were almost completely submerged under water leading to an urgent and immediate evacuation by residents, who lost all of their possessions.
The Church of the Nazarene in Hato Mayor opened its doors that morning to provide shelter to those in need. After the waters had subsided that same morning, a team coordinated by the pastor of the Church of the Nazarene Bethel, Hilda Félix, walked around to find out the specific needs of the families. That same day, the team organised the distribution of hot meals and water to the affected families.
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries east district, coordinated by Ana Franzuá, immediately sent an offering to continue with the response effort and also mobilized other churches in the district to collect needed items. It was a very good, quick response and they were able to gather food, water, clothes, shoes, masks, as well as an offering which was used to purchase a stove and a gas cylinder for one of the families.
Pastor Hilda declared: “Today I understood why it is so important to be part of a united group – I don’t have the words to express my thanks for the help they have given me during what is such a difficult time for persons who have lost everything. My heart is touched and full of gratitude for the help and support the district has shown to me. I want to tell them that today, more than ever, I appreciate my church, my people, leaders and my pastors who are so special and so generous. I am extremely grateful and I thank God for being part of this family called the Church of the Nazarene.”
Source: Dhariana Balbuena, NCM Coordinator for the Mesoamerica Region
