The children are especially afraid, since the storm of midnight Nov. 13th where reports are now that 2 tornado’s met over the area where Randy and Carla are working/ministering at the Home of the Good Shepherd in Brazil.  Winds were from 150kph to 200 kph with much rain. All children, staff and Randy with family are safe and not injured!  Thank you God!

  • The damage was extensive to the main building roof, including trusses, and complete solar panel.
  • Roof damage to all cottages.
  • Supporting pillar is missing from front entrance-overhang/roof of Cottage #2.
  • Roof damage to knitting/office building noted today, not yet completely assessed.
  • Contents are spoiled/ruined for the most part, including the huge loss of meat that had just been slaughtered and in freezer.

 

The staff and children cleaned up in nearly 1 day:

  • Sharp pieces/chunks of the roofs which were stabbed like knife-blades into the grass throughout the site.
  • Shattered glass (from solar panels) everywhere in grass –trying to pick it all out to avoid cut feet.
  • Plus branches and other debris….
  • Staff living in the village can now see the Home, because of the clear ‘path’ the wind storm tore through the bush/fields.

 

At present:

  • Cottage #2 is unsafe,
  • Main building roof was tarped in hopes of keeping more rain out
  • Borrowing huge holding tank and a milk truck brought drinking/cooking water
  • Pump and generator brought in for general water-use from abandoned well
  • 6 military personnel arrived to help put patches on the cottage roofs, patches possibly temporary
  • Community at large helping with some food and mattresses (all used…)
  • The items that cannot be used by the Home - is being distributed to those most needy in the community around them
  • Building materials very difficult to obtain
  • No power, no phone.
  • The children and staff continue to sleep in the first floor of the main building / dining room as cottage #2 not safe and children are afraid with upcoming storm warnings!

Damage continues to be found daily to roofs, buildings, etc… since first priority is having the children/staff safe and dry. A t present exact dollar amounts of damage are difficult to establish.  Estimates are being obtained and will be forwarded to the insurance company in the hopes that damages will be covered, and here too we can only pray.

 

The devastation in the area is great!  Business people have lost everything and are asking others for help, farmers who plant their crops with a hoe are having to walk up and down the fields and rework the loss of crops, one of the churches in the area is crumbled except a portion of the front and back wall, metal strips of roofs are twisted around tilted Hydro poles. Click on the following links to see some pictures of damage to the area around the home taken by a local news station: page 1, page 2, page 3, page 4.

We have told Randy and Carla that an army of believers is praying for them from the east to the west.  They are deeply grateful and moved, commenting that this must be the reason they have an incredible sense of calm as they are working with those around them, at the Home and in the community.

 

Thank you for your continued prayer!