I am sure you have heard by now that we were hit with the afternmath of Hurricane Alex (felt like the hurricane without the winds). We received 40" of rain in about 36 hours. Everyone is safe. The mountain run off (more like blast) and the rains were relentless. We cancelled the teams for this week, but will be evaluating for next week, pending septic, in/out passage from the neighborhood, weather, and the facility.
Try googling the Santa Catarina River Monterrey and check out the You Tube videos. The Santa Catarina River in Monterrey is usually a dry river bed, so much so that they have businesses in the river bed, professional soccer fields with turf, a golf course, etc. Crazy! It took out some of the major highways going to the airport.
Many of our staff have posted video clips and photos on their face book.
In Preparation:
In preparation, we did have 3 generators for the wells/ refrigerators, and office (Internet/ phone), and praise God, we ordered two loads of gravel for redirecting streams of water. We also had plenty of flashlights etc. I do not think we could have prepared with out having dug a 6'x6' mote around the property:). We also stocked up on food and water. We distributed tarps, bottled water and other resources to the Rios, and Cadereyta, so they could have one point "shelter / refuge".
Our Team:
Our staff was incredible. I am not an emotional person, but at midnight on Thursday, I was spent, and so tired that I actually fell asleep on the bucket I was using to bail water. The staff men and interns stepped in and kept saying "we got this". I am still overwhelmed by their friendship and sacrifice. Some of the staff men spent the entire night taking turns bailing water from the front of my house, so it would not flood again. I was able to rest for about 5 hours.
Other staff were incredible filling the gaps wherever needed: prepping meals, digging trenches, leading people, making make shift sand bags, working in knee deep pouring down rain to try to prevent flooding. Others maintained the cause with the team helping keep everyone calm and on task. We have an incredible team!!
Our U.S. team was awesome in re-booking flights, etc.
LDM/CAMPUS:
The campus took quite a hit. Most of the east walls are damaged, the Hope House, Ester House, and David House flooded with gushing waters coming in the back doors. My house flooded with about 2" of water, LDM building had a constant stream flowing through it. The soil in some areas is so soft it would take you in to your knees. This is a major concern of mine in recovering because we need the soil to dry out, and it is still raining. The water pressure from the rains created 5' deep holes behind the teen homes. I am almost certain that the large palapa will need reinforcing. At one point part of it was covered in 2' of water. Ironically, Dain Jepson was here with his church and was grilling in knee deep water. I think he is certain now he does not want his old job back:)
We had one water line break, but it is now repaired. The septic tanks area leeching... not sure how to evaluate. We are trying to only drink the water that we stock piled because most of the run off from the mountain was septic with rain water, so we are not sure how that impacts our well. My gut is that it has enough natural filtration (60' down) that it is okay, but we are trying to only drink the stored water or bottled water. We will have the water tested this week.
We were without power for about 24 hours, but with the generators were able to keep some fridges working in LDM ie. group food.
Ministry Sites:
As far as reported the Casa Hogars are fine, but Rio 1 and Rio 3 were burried in water. We begged Meme (Rio 1) to come here early, but she insisted on staying in the soup kitchen to provide a refuge. Ultimately, she had to break into some ones house in the neighborhood across the street and took the kids from the rio to the second floor (the first floor already was flooded). She was concerned she would get in trouble, but I believe she did the right thing.
Cadereyta, I am still unsure of.
The Teams:
The teams were one of our major concerns. We were not concerned about their safety, but concerned we could not get them out of the country or let alone our neighborhood. Most flights were cancelled in/out on Thursday, so an early departure was not possible. I assume that American and Continental were not going to send their 30+ million dollar planes to Mty; it was easier just to keep them grounded in Houston, and Dallas.
We were able to get them out yesterday, Friday, by walking to the highway. They had to wade through knee deep water to get out of the neighborhood. The bus was able to make it to the highway, but not inside the neighborhood. All but about 25 people of 110 flew out yesterday. The rest stayed in a hotel 1/2 mile from the airport. We booked rooms in advance for all 110 people hoping we could at least get out of the neighborhood and close the airport, but all but the 25 were at least able to get to Dallas. The 25 stayed in the Hampton and will prayerfully fly out today,but regardless are dry, and in a hotel near the airport.
Recovery:
Please pray. We are going to spend the next couple of days trying to estimate what the damage is. In any normal storm, even with heavy rains, we would have been fine, maybe a little wet, but fine. The water pressure build up from the mountain side and properties above us trying to re-direct built up behind all of our perimeter walls (east side of the property). We punched massive holes in the walls so that they would not be pushed over. some walls had 5' of water behind them. We have tons of water damage. We need some dry weather to recover, so please pray for good weather.
In the recovery, I hope to spend some time on rain water control, but I am not sure that anyone could control 40" in 36 hours.
