Mexico's Mennonites struggling after Dean
POSTED: Sept. 13, 2007
By Chuck Holton, OBI contributing writer
YUCATAN PENINSULA - For the Mennonites of Salamanca, it will be years before life gets back to normal.
After Hurricane Dean slammed into Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, government and relief agencies as well as Operation Blessing rushed aid to the region.
In rural farming areas, the damage was severe.
Benjamin Ridegal, of Salamanca, rode out the storm at a shelter with his family.
"All of my house is destroyed," Ridegal said. "We've got nothing left."
The sight of blonde-hair, blue-eyed farmers in horse-drawn buggies is an unexpected sight here in Mayan country.
These Mennonites came here for the same reasons the pilgrims set out for America - to escape religious persecution.
They are simple, reclusive people - raising large families and making their living almost exclusively from agriculture.
More than 700 Mennonites live in the village - or what is left of it.
When they returned here after the storm, 90 percent of their homes were completely destroyed, along with nearly 12,000 acres of corn.
"When we came back from Chetumal, we saw all the houses ripped down, but I feel happy nobody died," Ridegal said.
Benjamin's brother, William, saw years of hard work quickly erased.
"I worked three years for that house, and it was torn down in three hours," he said. "We don't know what to do.”
Operation Blessing is partnering with local ministries to send help to this struggling community.
In the meantime, many of the families here aren't sure how they will rebuild, since they've lost their main source of income - corn.
"I don't know what we're going to do," Benjamin said.
Working outside their community may be the only option for these men, which is something they prefer not to do.
In other areas hit hardest by Dean, Operation Blessing teams distributed relief kits containing items such as oil, sugar, beans, rice, noodles and hygiene items to impacted families. So far, OBI has transported more than 6 tons of food and 5,000 liters of water to affected communities and has provided logistical support for incoming federal aid.
In addition to relief kits, OBI also set up a feeding tent, where volunteers served an average of 500 hot meals a day to flood victims.
In addition to relief kits, OBI also set up a feeding tent, where volunteers are serving an average of 500 hot meals a day to flood victims.
In Chetumal, a city on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Operation Blessing teams have already helped more than 20,000 hurricane victims by transporting and distributing emergency food packs as well as roofing panels to help victims quickly repair and protect their exposed homes from further rain damage.
How You Can Help
Be a part of OBI's ongoing disaster relief efforts by making an online donation to help the victims of Hurricane Dean. With your support, OBI can continue to bring emergency food, water and medical care to these hurricane victims who are caught in the midst of disaster.
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