In 2012 Union Church partnered with Restoring Agriculture and Investing in Sustainable Enterprise in Jamaica (RAISE) and sent a delegation of members to provide partnership and some technical support for the farm and infrastructure.
Below is an excerpt from an email received from Teri Mehler’s sister Lisa, who is serving with RAISE in Jamaica. She is on a 2-week leave visiting her daughter Laurel and Laurel’s husband Nick in Quito, Ecuador, and therefore missed the direct impact of Hurricane Sandy. Please hold in prayer this situation and the many friends that we made in Jamaica and those who live in the surrounding areas. Of course we have a personal loss of the greenhouse that we all put our hands to that brings home, in part, what the loss of property means. More so, of course, are the losses of homes and livelihoods experienced by so many. The blessing is the sparing of personal injury.
From Lisa Lockwood:
I have been in contact with my folks from Jamaica and have learned that hurricane Sandy left quite a lot of destruction. Many homes around us had roofs off or were flattened completely. Rain damage is everywhere, including in the mission house where I live. On the RAISE farm, both green houses are gone, crops are damaged, we lost a mom goat and two others were injured, and there are trees down. However, the good news is that no one was killed or injured and all of our staff are OK. Please keep all of our people in your prayers as I’m sure there will be much rehabilitation to be done. I am grateful that I did not have to experience being in the storm, but I am also concerned about being away at such a time. I return on Nov. 1 and will most likely have to hit the ground running! The power is expected to be out for about a month so that should add to some of the challenges!
The Union Church Mission Board is working on emergency funds for RAISE, and a special collection was taken Sunday to help rebuild all that was destroyed. We will keep everyone updated as best we can.
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