Our job is to be strong for them.

“On Monday, November 2, we heard that a hurricane was coming towards the country. Due to no danger advisories, hardly anyone was prepared. It was raining on Tuesday morning and it grew stronger throughout the day. It didn’t stop. At that point, with the hurricane already over the country, danger advisories were broadcast out. They came too late.

Rivers began to overflow, riverbanks gave way, and an imminent and sudden amount of water began to reach several communities, including Rivera Hernández. The people living in these communities had no option but to try and flee their homes as quickly as they could to save themselves and their families. Many were not able, people were still being rescued from their rooftops up to three days after the floods began. The 6 foot high plus floodwaters were devastating, leaving many people homeless and stripping them of their material belongings.

The city that never stops in our country, San Pedro Sula … Stopped.

The aftermath was horrible. Immediately, the ministry’s work began. We went and bought bales of clothing, shoes, essentials, and non-perishable food to give to our affected families. A little more than half of them have lost everything. Receiving them, talking to them, and praying with them was not easy. Still, a seed of hope was planted in each of their hearts as we lovingly served them one by one.

A week later, many families were going back to cleaning their houses, removing up to 1.5 feet of mud and debris. Then, the unthinkable happened. A danger advisory for a second category 5 hurricane due to hit Honduras was announced. Our teachers and staff spent long hours on the phone helping each one of our students and their families find refuge.

Hurricane Iota entered the country as a category 1 hurricane and rapidly degraded to a tropical storm. The country, and most of the same areas that were previously affected, were once again subject to heavy rains, major flooding and mudslides. More than 50% of our hope families lost everything to these two hurricanes.

As youth pastors, our job is to be strong for them during this time. But it is so hard to daily see these families that we love so broken and hurting.

We ask for all of your support and prayers for our families, our community, and for us as staff to continue giving love and hope in these difficult times.”

-Gerardo and Meyli Alvarado.