UPDATE

photo-1500644970114-4ff3c3dfb61fThere is a humanitarian crisis on the Island of Dominica and other Islands in the Caribbean devastated by Hurricane Irma and Maria. In my previous posts Dominica’s Storm Disaster I showed you some of the disastrous development on the Island caused by Hurricane Maria. There was no running water, electricity, or communication. Once a rainforest environment, most of the trees have been stripped and broken and  some left for dead by the road side.

FB_IMG_1506479672314 The most recent update, food, water and supplies are beginning to trickle in and distributed to various towns.  Communication is getting out slowly through social media. The medical community is working hard with help from other countries to assist those who are severely in need of medical attention. Some areas are just beginning to have running water. So far, 27 people have died and they are still trying to reach some battered areas not accessible by car. The students from Ross University for Doctors have been removed from the Island due to this tragedy. There are people who are still waiting and desperate for help for there basic needs. Transportation has been provided for those who need to leave the Island.

Most of the infrastructure is damaged and it will take a very long time for the country to be rebuilt. Nevertheless, I see it as an opportunity to rebuilt using very smart engineering techniques for damaged bridges and better buildings strong enough to withstand future hurricanes.

The government is doing the best that they can under the circumstances, but are overwhelmed with the task ahead. Security is in place to keep order, and help hard to reach areas impacted by the hurricane.

Dominicans have experienced this crisis before but not to this extent. The last time there was a disaster looming on their shores, it was hurricane Erika beating on their door. This time hurricane Maria didn’t only knock, she came in and took everything in her path.

FB_IMG_1506449817818Dominicans are a proud and resilient people. The hurricane may have knocked them down, but they are not out. They will come together as a community and do whatever it takes to rebuild their country with the help of the world community.

This natural green and lush tropical Island will continue to be called the nature Island and will look even better in the years to come.

FB_IMG_1464972559347This is what Dominica looked like before Hurricane Maria and by the grace of God will continue to be a tropical Paradise, one of earths Garden of Eden in the near future.

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This is the land where I was born, and I will be praying that our God will continue to bless, and heal this land. Its natural beauty will return even better than before.

FB_IMG_1464972669777Please continue to pray that all these Islands which were impacted by the hurricane will be up and running in a short period of time.

Feel free to leave a comment…

 

Are we living in troubled times?

hurricane-2019494_1280Are we living in troubled times? Houston, Florida, and the Caribbean Islands has been threatened and decimated by hurricanes like Harvey, Irma, Maria and Jose. Mexico City was devastated by an earthquake. In their path lies death and destruction that will impact many lives for several years. Continue reading “Are we living in troubled times?”

Letting go

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Sometimes we hold onto people, and other things in our life so tightly making it very difficult to let go. We believe we are in control only to wake up to feelings of despair, pain and hopelessness.

Just imagine having a tug of war, with you holding onto a rope as tight as you can on one end and the stresses in your life on the other. Who do you think will win that war? At some point, you have to learn to let go. Otherwise the struggles you are carrying will take you down to a life of misery.

Continue reading “Letting go”

Everyone has a Story

clem-onojeghuo-143466I met a stranger in the most unlikely of places who began to tell me her life’s story. She started by asking me my opinion of a designer fringed handbag she was thinking about purchasing. Her personal style is to dress more like the 60’s, a Hippie era of peace signs, bright colors and bands like the Beatles and Jimmy Hendrix. She wanted to stay true to who she is regardless of what’s going on in the Fashion Industry even if fringe was going out of style.

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We were able to connect on an emotional level and she felt quite comfortable opening up to tell me her story. She started by sharing the fact that Jesus is her lord and savior and that he saved her from many negative life experiences.

Her Story

At a very young age, she was placed in a mental institution for a short time. As she grew older, she was in an abusive relationship and finally ended it in order to save her life.  To add to her tragic life story, she was almost raped by a complete stranger. She asked me to open my mouth and share her story because she attributes her new-found life of happiness due to the saving grace of Jesus.

I felt so sorry, as I listened to her story, but there is hope in the end, she found Jesus and was happy filled with life again.

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We are not alone

Everyone has a story to tell, a tapestry filled with pain and suffering and some experiences we would rather choose to forget. We believe we are the only ones having such a difficult time. However we are not alone in the agony of life. When you hear another persons story, worst than what you’re presently experiencing, I don’t know about you, but I just want to shut up, no need to complain and thank God for his unmerited favor.

There is another side where love and happiness abides woven in the midst of all that we’ve experienced along the way. But although this tapestry is tattered and torn and perhaps weathered from the many storms, it survived and made us all into the persons we are today.

We are men and women of character not defeated by our stories as we continue to endure our life experiences. There is always a new chapter to be written of hope, lessons learned and change that brings light in spite of darkness which will lose in the end.

Nuggets of Truth: More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-5

My Mother Dearest

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I almost lost my mother recently. After being rushed to the hospital, she was diagnosed with a stroke. Mom’s been battling her illnesses for many years, and little by little its been taking a toll on her body. My mom is a fighter and thank God for it, as she is slowly pulling through this last bombardment to her body. We take so much in life for granted. What if mom didn’t survive this incident? Continue reading “My Mother Dearest”