After much anticipation of what happened to the little fishing village – we got word that EVERYONE survived! I was in tears as Jose called and gave us the news!

They were able to make the journey in an 1 hour and 45 minutes (one-way). They said they speed-walked! He said there are places along the path there that there’s barely enough room for a person to pass through. Jose is covered in scratches from the brush.

When they arrived they were happy to see that many of the houses were still standing. They received word from someone in the Mole that Tomas was coming the day before. They placed large rocks on all the roofs. They showed Jose that poles to most of those homes goes deep into the ground. While they look really weak – they’re actually very strong.

All the community areas were washed to sea – anything that didn’t have a pole deep into the ground. Many of the boats (their livelihood) were totally smashed and destroyed. They lost all their fishing equipment. They lost all their animals – chickens, goats, dogs, and 2 donkeys. Their homes were flooded with 3-4 feet of water and much of what they had inside the homes were destroyed. Some of the roofs were blown away. But they spent the last several days working together to  re-thatch everything again. The village is really one large family and is evident by anyone who visits there.

Over and over again they told Jose and Jocelyn that God protected them. The large cliff behind their homes helped to shield them from most of the wind. While the ocean roared and their homes were flooded – most still stood. We told them that there were many Americans praying for them. We told them everything we heard and what we were expecting to see when we arrived. They said only God could have saved them. Indeed…..only God!

So we asked what their biggest need is. They said the only way they feed their village is through fishing. It’s their lifeline. With their boats destroyed and all their nets and equipment gone – they do not know how they will feed their village. Jose said several of the fishermen were in tears.

The leader of the village said there are 465 people who live in that village. All of them rely on the fishermen for food. They said when your house is made of thatch – you can climb a tree and get what you need. But when your boat is smashed, when your spears, nets, and equipment are washed to sea – there is no easy fix.