Rio Indio: Testing and Success
The Disaster Relief efforts have met with modest yet meaningful success. We continue our appeal and inform you that we need a whole lot more even though we are receiving much needed relief supplies of clothing, food, and water.
I record our gratitude to our Baptist sisters and brothers outside of Panama who have been generous in their assistance. We thank former members of First Isthmian residing in the US, churches of the Jamaica Baptist Union, and the American Baptist Churches for their generous financial contributions.
It is the tradition of First Isthmian to give special Christmas packages to the families of the four missions and the Rio Indio Church. This year we maintained the tradition, with special focus on the Rio Indio area – especially Chilar and Buenaventura.
Sorry to disappoint you my friends but there was no exciting boat ride this time. This trip was a real test for me in no uncertain ways. First, we could not contact the pastors of Costa Abago to let them know we were coming, and then I was left stranded at church with the packages because the taxi (pick up truck that goes to the coast) broke down, then the additional vehicle that should help take some of the packages came filled with donations from Panama City. Thankfully, a deacon came to the rescue but our 8:00am departure turned into 11:30am.
When we arrived in Icacal, we met Pastors Amado and Brauillio making their way through deep mud coming to meet us. Finally, at about 2:00pm we arrived in the town of Rio Indio. As we arrived in the town and started unloading the vehicle, a disaster relief worker with SINAPROC (National System of Civil Protection) asked for some food for a young mother of four. SINAPROC had nothing left and this was their last day in the area; they were now leaving, as their work was complete. However, this mother was in the town since early that morning hoping to receive something.
There were many others like this young woman. They lived further up the river, in an area we have never been able to reach. My day just got darker. We shared with her but now she had no fare to pay the boat to get back up river. It is a hard life, and the 5-month-old baby at her side was not in a good mood either.
So what will become of them now, I asked? Well MIVI (Ministry of Housing-Panama) will now come to evaluate the losses (Marvia interrupts) “What do you mean will now come, they have not done that yet?” I was calmly assured that this is how it works; they will now come in and after their evaluation will provide assistance with materials for reconstruction. There is also the possibility of relocation for those who live very far up river in too remote areas.
And with this news that things are going to get worse, we departed to make three more stops to leave the packages for Quebrada Leon in Icacal, then on to Palmas Bellas, and finally to Pina. Sometime after 9:00pm when I arrived home battered and bruised from the bumpy ride. It was good to be home, but there was so much to reflect on that sleep took a long time to arrive.
More next time,
Marvia
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