NEW YEAR NEWS

Recovery from September's hurricane has been very slow.  Although electricity was restored in a couple of weeks and stores received food supplies for distribution materials for home repairs have been scarce at best.  Five months after the hurricane the destruction is still visible

This is a house in Dos Sierras which is a small village in north central Cuba.  The house is to abandoned, people live there.

Still, the churches in Remedios and Buenavista continue assisting the communities with food, medicines and home repairs.  Overcoming many difficulties they traveled to 25 small towns reaching a total of 500+ children with the Christmas message of love and hope.

Young people also had the opportunity to attend regional meetings to strengthen their spiritual lives and get to know youth from other areas. In October 125 youth leaders attending special training.  And both young men and young women had special conferences for them.

February 16 - 21 we Oscar, Rachel and Kevin Kurzenknabe will be in Cuba to visit small churches in north central Cuba to see how we could assist them in bringing God's love and hope to their communities.  February 21-24 Eric and Carol Smith will join us and lead a Pastors' Conference for 50 pastors in the region.  Pray that we will discern and follow the path God has set for us in Cuba.

IRMA UPDATE

Almost a month after Irma devastated Cuba’s north central coast, life has taken a new rhythm.

Electricity is back on, telephone connections are working, people are able to refrigerate food and pump water from the tanks. 

Your donations have brought food, medicines, transportation. At ground zero, the pastors and the community of faith have been busy distributing food, providing support and giving encouragement to the most affected individuals.

Yet we still cannot ignore the devastation in people’s faces and in the destroyed structures. The sense of devastation, of loss, will take time to heal.  But healing cannot begin while rain pours into their homes because roofs are not repaired.  Or while stores do not have available food and items they need to replace.  Replacement for which they have no insurance or savings.

Pastor Omar in from of a house near Buenavista.  Similar destruction happened in Remedios and many rural villages in this part of Cuba

We know of at least 20 homes in dire need of repairs.  These are the homes of elderly and disabled individuals and of widows.  They need mattresses to replace the ones damaged by the hurricane.  Children need clothes

Donatios are accepted through South Valley Community Church until Aliento Cuba receives tax-exempt status.  Donations of $250 or more will be listed on a contribution statement from South Valley Community Church mailed in January, 2018, meeting IRS receipting requirements

Irma Aftermath Update

“You are incapable of imagining how this town was left after the hurricane; you wouldn’t recognize it.  There is destruction everywhere.  Many people literally lost their roofs over their heads or their house; schools and work centers are destroyed.  Today it rained a great deal.  It rained on all the belongings of the people whose house is without roof or damaged. It is not easy.  Food is still difficult to find and diarrhea is rampant.

Our church is helping the town people as much as we can.   Although 90% of Remedios now has electricity, the church still does not have power.  Yet we continue to cook for others and distribute food. 

 It is a time to demonstrate the love of Christ to others. And I know that you are doing everything possible to help our church help others.”

Today we received this e-mail from Ivelise who is part of the youth group of the church in Remedios; she sings in the worship team and is starting her sophomore year at the University.  She’s second from left in the photo.

 Omar taking eggs and milk to the elderly and destitute.

Yudit giving encouragement and food to an elderly woman in Remedios

Your donations are being distributed, in both Remedios and Buenavista, as rice, beans, oil, eggs, soap, medicines, charcoal for cooking.  Plus a heavy dose of love and caring. The church in Cuba is working tirelessly to help people affected by Irma. Pray for endurance, wisdom and peace.   Recovery is a long-term process.  It will take time for food supplies to be readily available and to rebuild.

. DONATE NOW on-line at www.svccchurch.com/give    Designate to CUBA MISSION

or send a check payable to SVCC and write CUBA MISSION on the memo line.  Mail to 8000 Santa Teresa Boulevard, Suite 110, Gilroy, CA95020

Hurricane Irma - Buenavista and Remedios

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Mangled roof on the top floor of the church in Remedios.  This is after they straightened it.

Last week Hurricane Irma landed on the northern coast of Cuba with it's 200+ winds and heavy rain.  Its path of destruction was felt in the coastal towns of the area and to residents there it feels like a war zone.  You have seen the videos and photos on the internet.

Remedios and Buenavista, towns about 10 - 15 miles from the coast suffered a lot of structural damage, but no loss of life.  They have no electricity, very little food, and water is not readily available.  Government assistance is non-existent.  Their efforts are focused on getting electricity back on.  

We are in communication with the pastors in these two rural towns to ascertain their greatest needs and provide the funds they need to purchase food, water, gasoline, propane to bring back some semblance of order to people's life.

All your donation - 100% - will go to directly help the people in these communities.  They are feeding people, providing a generator to charge cell phones, bringing them medicines, visiting the sick, starting roof repairs.  This is a long-term process in which short-term needs must be addressed.

Arelys is an elderly woman in Buenavista.  This is at her home.

Food market in Buenavista.  Roof is damaged

Medical office in Buenavista