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FROM THE FIELD

WER Brings Relief Supplies for Hurricane Survivors

19 Sep 2007 16:27:00 GMT
Source: World Emergency Relief (WER) - USA
Andrea MacLeod

Website: Website: http://www.worldemergencyrelief.org

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Moskito children gathered as Becks and the disaster team unloaded relief supplies from the boat.
Photo Copyright WER Gary Becks

Background

• Hurricane Felix

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LA MOSKITIA JUNGLE, HONDURAS- World Emergency Relief (WER) continues to bring relief aid to families in the hurricane-stricken jungles of Honduras' Moskito Coast. The Honduran Air Force flew WER's Board member Gary Becks and his disaster relief team into the devastated region on a military C-130 aircraft September 7th. The team met local volunteers and traveled by boat to remote Moskito villages where they began a need assessment.

Once villages' needs were confirmed, Becks led the team in their arduous task of delivering food, basic supplies and hand tools to help villagers rebuild their homes. The team faced many difficult challenges during their week in the field, including horrendous weather, long hours, health risks, poisonous snakes and treacherous boat rides to deliver the needed aid.

While crossing the vast Carataska Lagoon during an emergency supply run, the relief team was hit by a life-threatening storm of torrential rain and extreme wind around 4:00 AM. Thankfully, no one was hurt and no cargo was lost.

WER supported this region for many years, and even helped build three full service medical clinics which provided many local villagers with full medical care for the first time in their lives. The medical clinic in Sih, Honduras suffered minor damage. Hurricane winds lifted the roof, but local villages managed to keep it from completely tearing off during the 85 mph wind.

Becks and the disaster relief team returned to the U.S. Friday the 14th, weary but elated from their efforts.

WER Board Member Gary Becks observed from the field, "Every day is a disaster for families in these deep jungle villages. During this particular hurricane the death toll was minimal, about 25 [people] in the areas that we serve, and many homes were lost. The looming disaster, however, is that the planted crops of these subsistence farmers have been destroyed and in about three months from now there will be NOTHING to harvest."

World Emergency Relief is continuing to send relief aid to Honduras. WER has already shipped three 40-foot containers filled with food, blankets, medical supplies and other emergency supplies to help the hurricane victims. In anticipation of dire food shortages, WER is preparing two additional 40-foot containers, one of cornmeal and the other full of canned goods, for the survivors.

WER's local staff also provided 345 refugees in Tegucigalpa with hot food, clothes and medical care, and distributed antifungal lotions and scabies medicines in Tegucigalpa, Tegus, San Pedro, Ceiba and La Moskitia.

World Emergency Relief is a global family of seven charities sharing a common vision and core values. Our vision is "giving children a living chance," by addressing the practical, emotional, spiritual, educational and economic needs of children, their families and their communities.

For more information about how you can help World Emergency Relief and victims of Hurricane Felix, please call 760.930.8001 or 888.484.4543 (toll free). Donations can be sent to: World Emergency Relief, P.O. Box 131570, Carlsbad, CA 92013.

[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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Last updated:Wed Sep 19 17:05:39 2007