What an amazing
sight on a rooftop here in Nassau, Bahamas, this morning - 13 Ibis on Friday,
September 13th! Some might say this was a “sign”. I like to think it was an
indication that Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands will bounce back even
stronger from the deadly Cat 5 Hurricane Dorian that devastated those islands
last week.
Although we didn’t
get Hurricane Dorian in Nassau/New Providence we still felt the effects of
beta bands from Hurricane Dorian with torrential rain and thunderstorms and flooding
in low lying areas. But that was nothing compared to what the
hurricane inflicted on the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama. So many on those islands have lost everything.
We have heard
tragic first hand reports from evacuees of the hurricane ravaged islands as
people escaped to New Providence. It is heart wrenching. There has been much
activity on land, air and sea on and around New Providence with relief efforts
for the devastated islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama and incoming evacuation of
traumatized victims of Hurricane Dorian. Many have died and hundreds are still
missing.
Bahamian and
International communities and organizations are pulling together to help the
victims of Hurricane Dorian. The UK and Denmark sent aid ships to help with
relief. The U.S. sent search and rescue crews and helicopters to help with
evacuations. The list of international help is too long to mention here, but
there are international and local organizations that continue to feed thousands
of evacuees on New Providence. They work in conjunction with NEMA (The Bahamas’
National Emergency Management Agency), which gives daily press conferences.
Last Sunday New
Providence Community Church's service was held in the Andros Ballroom of the
Baha Mar Convention Centre, as the church is being used for their Hurricane
Dorian Relief Initiative. Many evacuees from Grand Bahama and Abaco were
present at the moving service. The New Providence Community Centre on Blake
Road, Nassau, is receiving donations from 7.30 a.m. - 8 p.m. daily. They also have
a Call Centre set up to report missing persons in Abaco or Grand Bahama or to
receive emergency relief - Tel. 698-CARE (2273). NPCC updates can be found on
their Facebook page. Many other local churches and organizations have
undertaken similar relief initiatives.
As power, water
and communications begin to be reconnected to the afflicted islands, The
Bahamas is determined to move on #BahamasStrong.
