On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria slammed into the island of Puerto Rico as a Category 5 storm. Officially, the highest winds recorded on the island measured 175 MPH. In the weeks and months following the storm, Puerto Rico experienced shortages of water and food. There was no electricity, no phone lines, cell phone towers nor internet. Emergency response services were crippled and the medical system had collapsed.
The United Methodist Church and UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) partnered with the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria to create the Rehace (pronounced Re-ah-se) initiative. In Post-Maria Puerto Rico, Rehace is tasked with the reconstruction of homes, but most importantly, they help families get through the psychological effects of surviving a devastating natural disaster.
Check out some of the stories survivors, volunteers and Rehace have to share.
[Posted September 21, 2018]
