In the early hours of October 4 2016, Hurricane Matthew made landfall on Haiti.
Imagine living through that terror. Howling 230kmph winds screaming through your neighbourhood, destroying everything in their path.
This is Laurita’s story.
“We had never had a storm that big before. The whole house started to shake…
“I was very afraid as all the debris was flying around…
“As a mother, I was very much afraid for my children… they were screaming and crying.
“I held them as tight as I could, covered them with my own body while lying flat on the ground.
“I thought that I am not strong enough… the fear of losing them kept me going on.”
Laurita and her seven children live in the remote, coastal town of Tiburon, where Hurricane Matthew first made landfall… in one of the poorest areas.
“Our life has always been hard even before Matthew. Earning enough to live…”
But since Hurricane Matthew decimated her town, the fight to survive has become even harder.
Thankfully, Laurita and her children made it through Hurricane Matthew.
“I fled with my children to a nearby neighbour, whose house was more protected.”
But the roof of their own home was claimed by the hurricane. And with no roof to protect their belongings… they lost everything.
“All my kitchen stuff, all my clothes and the little money I had… were all gone…
“We all knew that without any help from outside we will be lost… we thought ‘we will die’.”
When Hurricane Matthew hit Tiburon, Baptist World Aid Australia responded immediately… thanks to the support of Australians like you, who faithfully give to the Disaster Action Fund.
Because of their generosity, the community of Tiburon received urgently needed emergency relief – like food for hungry families and water and hygiene kits to keep them safe from the spread of deadly diseases like Cholera.
Laurita even received a shelter kit and basic tools like saws, pliers and a crowbar. Now she can give her family a safe home again!
“We are really, really happy with this assistance… It has been a relief.”
If you would like to give the gift of safety to mums like Laurita AND her children, or find out how your support can save lives before, during and after disaster, go to: baptistworldaid.org.au/disaster-action.
Caption: “Thank you very much… you came to help us in Tiburon and saw our needs.”
Thanks to the generosity of Australians like you… mums like Laurita can keep her children safe from disasters like Hurricane Matthew! Source: Medair, 2016.
