UMs aid Puerto Rico
Ten months ago, Hurricane Maria slammed Puerto Rico. This summer, members of the Salem Baltimore-Hispanic UMC went to help rebuild amid the continuing devastation.
On June 30, “Faithful Marylanders,” as we called ourselves, set out on the mission trip. The team included members of Salem Baltimore-Hispanic UMC, including myself as mission coordinator, Pastor Jorge Moreno, Kate Jakuta and William Escobar. We went to Patillas, Puerto Rico, as volunteer relief missionaries.
The mission trip focused on repairing a home in Arroyo. We joined members of Dilworth UMC in North Carolina in a continuing repair project to a second-level home. It was rewarding to directly help a Puerto Rican family and, as a connectional church body, work with other United Methodists.
To do this work, we coordinated with UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief ) and ReHace IMPR – Rebuilding Communities with Hope. The biblical motto for the week was Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Four hammers were provided to the team with the Bible verse to keep all of us missionaries in one accord.
It’s hard to imagine the disruption and damage people in Puerto Rico are still experiencing, even 20 months later. The hurricane caused a total blackout to the islanders and also limited internal and external communication. In some parts of Patillas and Utuado, people still do not have electricity and intermittent blackouts continue.
As we spoke to different Puerto Ricans regarding their personal experience, one common theme was obvious: “Hurricane Maria brought out the best of the best in people.”
The United Methodist women in the retreat center prepared hot meals, which were either picked up or delivered, sometimes by foot, to locals in the area, who oftentimes had no access to money to purchase food or had money but found the stores closed due to empty shelves.
The mission trip ended on July 7 as all the missionaries left the Myriam Visot United Methodist Women’s Camp. During our time there, prior friendships were strengthened, new friendships were formed and faith and hope were augmented.
Our trip was just one taken by members of the Baltimore-Washington Conference. A handful of other churches are also working with the people of Puerto Rico, helping to restore homes, churches and lives.
At the recent Annual Conference Session, the Rev. Isabelino Rivera Silva, a Regional Supervisor from Puerto Rico, reminded members that the Baltimore-Washington Conference has a covenant partnership with the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico.
Silva thanked the BWC for the $56,000 it contributed to hurricane relief efforts immediately following the disaster. This contribution and the work of several mission teams enabled them to receive solar powered generators for power, provide mental health care and strategic and sustainable planning to include 450 communities, 39 congregations, 10 distribution centers and staff and support of at least five sustainable health clinics by 2020, he said.
According to Silva, more than 100,000 houses were destroyed by Hurricane Maria, and 39 church sanctuaries were damaged; 10 of those were completely destroyed.
If you are considering participating in a Volunteers in Mission trip, there is information on the BWC website at www. bwcumc.org/ministries/disaster-response-and-volunteers-in-mission. For more information, contact the Rev. Stacey Cole Wilson, executive minister of justice and service, at
*Alfredo Santiago is the mission coordinator at Salem Baltimore-Hispanic UMC.