The winds are ripping through Matènwa. Abner Sauveur, Director of the Matènwa Community Learning Center, has called to report that many homes in our mountain top community have fallen apart and their tin roofs are flying off. Abner says they have never experienced such a violent storm. (Indeed, NOAA is reporting extraordinary winds of up to 140 mph.) Our colleagues, including Mackanaky who shot these videos, have abandoned their homes to shelter with those more fortunate neighbors who have cement houses. We do not know at this time how our school buildings have fared.
Food and shelter will be urgent needs in the coming days. Crops are washed down the steep hillsides; homes destroyed; livelihoods obliterated. Watch these videos (Hurricane Mattew video 1, Hurricane Matthew video 2); in the few seconds of the short video you hear the sounds of community finding support and courage in one another.
Please go to Matenwa.org now. The need is great; every dollar counts.
~ Chris
