Puerto Rico

Disaster Date: 09/20/2017

Project Status: Active

What Happened:

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico as a high-end Category 4 storm. It was the tenth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record and is considered the worst natural disaster on record in Dominica. Months after the storm, residents there continued to be without running water, power, and health services. Much of Puerto Rico’s farmland and infrastructure was decimated.

What MDS Will Do:

Read Elizabeth Soto’s Puerto Rico blog.

SCROLL DOWN FOR TWO NEW VIDEOS ABOUT MDS WORK

MDS volunteers are doing clean up, repairs and soon rebuilds. MDS is working with local residents, Mennonite churches, the government, and other organizations to identify homes for repair and rebuilding. An MDS sponsor engineer visited Puerto Rico late in 2017 to develop plans to rebuild stronger and safer homes. We welcome prayers for the people in Puerto Rico and those who are working to help in the best ways that we can. MDS is working with the Mennonite Church Conferences in Puerto Rico and hoping to respond in locations such as Utuado, Cayey, Ponce, Aibonito, and many others. We are grateful to be staying primarily in residents’ homes while we serve.

Go to the Photo Gallery below for recent images of MDS volunteers in Puerto Rico.

Watch two short videos on the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and MDS work.