Congregations provide wide range of assistance in Maria’s aftermath

December 18, 2017

Hurricane Maria left a wide path of destruction in Puerto Rico earlier this year, and Presbyterian churches have come together to help those affected.

The Presbytery of San Juan formed the Committee ¡Levantate y Resplandece! (Get Up and Shine) to provide various kinds of assistance, including the following:

Antonio Badillo Hernandez Presbyterian Church and the Proyecto la Nueva Esperanza (New Hope Project) teamed up with the American Red Cross to deliver food in the San Antonio area.

Photo Credit: Edwin Gonzales

The Presbyterian Church in Caparra Terrace joined with the Transporte Sonnell transportation service to give families bottled water and nonperishable items. In addition, the Presbyterian Church en Hato Rey, led by Jose Gonzales Colon, has  organized a soup kitchen.

The Presbyterian Church in Vega Alta joined with Water Step to train emergency responders on the usage of 22 water systems and bleach makers. Water Step received an $81,000 grant from GE Appliances to make the efforts possible.

In response to a gas shortage, the Presbyterian Church in Levittown created a program that has provided up to five gallons of gas per person. The church also joined with El Nazareno Church and the Methodist Church in Levittown to deliver goods to people in need and to help with the paperwork needed to receive aid from the municipality.

The Presbyterian Center for Services provided vouchers for 33 families to buy groceries at a supermarket in Altamira.

In response to the hurricane, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance deployed National Response Team members to all three presbyteries in Puerto Rico and disbursed emergency funds to help with the recovery. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is the emergency response and refugee program of the denomination, committed to long-term service in communities adversely affected by a crisis or catastrophic event by raising designated funds for responding to specific disasters.

Stephanie Vasquez, Associate for Spanish Translations, Office of the General Assembly/Presbyterian Mission Agency

Today’s Focus:  Presbytery of San Juan

Let us join in prayer for:

Puerto Rican Pastors

Rev. Jose Colon
Rev. Edwin Gonzales
Rev. Katia Mercado
Rev. Luis Ocasio
Rev. Pablo Rojas
Rev. Adolfo Santana
Rev. Raul Santiago

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Steven Wirth, FDN
Janna Wofford, APCU

Let us pray:

God, provide me with peace.
Give me strength in times of affliction.
God of trust, be my refuge.
My good shepherd, I surrender my heart.

Daily Readings

Morning Psalms 122; 145
First Reading Genesis 3:8-15
Second Reading Revelation 12:1-10
Gospel Reading John 3:16-21
Evening Psalms 40; 67