A little over a week ago, Noemi and her husband, Ramon, were on their way to church when it started to sprinkle. A slight breeze rustled the trees and blew through Noemi’s hair. Then, this dreary weather suddenly turned into gusting winds and a downpour of rain.
Hurricane Ian was making landfall in Cuba.
Realizing they needed to act fast, the pair turned around and headed back home to take shelter. But their house, which is over 100 years old, took a tremendous beating in the powerful storm.
Watch this video to hear about Noemi’s experience during Hurricane Ian:
Noemi’s house was built in 1902 and hasn’t had any improvements made to it since the day it was finished. So it wasn’t exactly the safest place to be during a hurricane.
Noemi and Ramon watched the walls sway back and forth from the winds. All they could do was pray, “Lord, you brought us back here. Now, just keep us safe. Please help the walls not collapse on us.”
As they waited for the hurricane to pass, water poured in from cracks and holes in the roof … soaking them down to the bone. They knew that during a storm like this, the only thing they could do was trust God. Everything else was beyond human control.
It felt like the storm would never end. But when it finally did, Noemi began to assess the damage.
Their roof had been ripped apart, and their fence was completely destroyed. The couple has already tried to patch the roof with pieces of zinc they found in their yard, but they have no materials — like a hammer and nails — to truly fix it.
And while the house may have withstood the storm, the foundation is now ruined. You can literally shake the walls just by touching them.
Noemi and her husband are waiting for someone like you to help them rebuild their lives
Noemi and Ramon will face some serious challenges in the days ahead such as rising prices and shortages of building materials and food.
“Things were extremely difficult here,” Noemi said. “And it’s almost like the hurricane was the final nail in the coffin that made a horrible situation impossible.”
With a gift of just $50, you can send emergency relief like food, clean water, and basic hygiene supplies to one Hurricane Ian victim like Noemi.
We have partners on the ground right now — both in Cuba and the U.S. — distributing lifesaving aid and praying with families affected. But they need your help to impact as many people as possible.
It’s easy to feel disconnected from the need when you are so far away … but your generosity can truly change the lives of people like Noemi and help them recover from this devastating storm.
Noemi shared that when people like you get involved, your kindness and compassion are worth more to her than precious stones.
Please give as generously as you can today.