The November 2000 Floods

Below are two faxes received from Bishop Frade, the Bishop of Honduras. The first was received as sent Sunday November 1, as the rain continued to dump feet of water on Honduras. The second was received two days later. These messages reveal a range of human emotion in the face of terrible destruction--from deep despair to hope and even humor, as well as an indomitable spirit.

First Fax from Bishop Leo Frade, Episcopal Diocese of Honduras

Subject: What is left of Honduras?
From: Leo Frade

Dear friends: What is left of Honduras? Not much. Honduras doesn't exist anymore. What is left is a series of islands that are the part of our cities than didn't flood. We are cut off from each other except by boat. Amazingly if the phones failed this internet connection has failed only a few times. I try to connect after midnight in order to get through.

I just talked to Father Carcel. I had seen him a few days ago before the road to Puerto Cortes was cut off from San Pedro Sula. He came to get the plane tickets. Well he is not going anywhere. The airport is flooded about 15 to 20 feet of water in some parts. Major damage that will take a long time to repair. We are cut off from Tegucigalpa. It is horrible!!!

Fr. Carcel called me from the Naval Base to tell me that one of his churches in Puerto Cortes (Nuestra Senora de Suyapa) is now flooded. La Laguna of the port is now overflowing, flooding everything.

He told me that the people in Muchilena are OK. He was able to go up to San Marcos and see Fr. Francisco. Things beginning to go back to normal.

Fr. Carcel needs food, drinking water and medicines. I hope to buy it tomorrow if there is any left but we will be able to get some supplies as soon as possible. Gasoline is being rationed, but I can persuade with yellow bills to get enough gas to be able to reach him. The problem is that we have to wait until the waters go down because the road is cut off by El Bijao and Baracoa.

The sun is out today and it has been the first day after a week that we don't get torrential rains. San Pedro Sula is flooded, Tegucigalpa is flooded and destroyed. Our church building in downtown Comayaguela over by the old presidential house had over 30 feet of water. This is a two-story building where we had our diocesan office.,

Are you depressed enough? Well the storm moved to Santa Rosa de Copan and the rains also have killed people in Santa Barbara. We don't know much of our churches there and won't be able to know for a long time.

Most of the help is staying in the Capital and a lot of smoke and mirrors are appearing to divert donations. The officials have experience from Hurricane Fifi where many people became rich from the donations.

We have suffered a lot because the people in our shelters were denied help from the city government. No food and no water. We have had to buy everything, with the exception of some neighbors that brought some water to drink. The sad thing is that the Roman Catholics are getting the help at the same time that they tell us that they have run out of food. Of course a few diputados are getting food and water to run their political campaign and show how much they help their people.

Blacks are not faring much better here at this time. Lloyd Allen is very worried about lack of help for them. The government refused to help the people in Guanaja. They could have evacuated women and children that were begging to leave. The weather was not that bad for army helicopters. They did not wanted to risk their valuable machines to work for DEA. Well the results is that the deaths in Guanaja are one of the highest.

But when I get really depressed, I read Psalm 93. Remember God still reigns!!!

+Leo Frade
Bishop of Honduras

Second Fax from Bishop Frade

Subject: Down but not beaten
From: Leo Frade

The sun is back. We can see clearly now but sadly now can now begin to count the dead. President Flores announced today that the death toll is over 5,000 and warned us to expect many more as people am found dead trapped in their houses,

The issue of food seems to be solving. It seems that we have shamed them and things begin to improve. I hope it continues like that.

I can buy food and supplies and we are doing that. Tomorrow we will go in a caravan to Puerto Cortes, Omoa, San Marcos, Chachaguala and Muchilena. Pray for us. We will go with one of our armed guards just in case. There is a curfew on from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. so we need to got back before that. Let’s see what happens.

Don't get desperate. There is a saying that my grandparents use to say when I used to get ballistic and rushed everybody: "Visteme despacio, que voy de prisa." If we rush then we need to do things twice.

Believe me you are doing a lot already. Praying and shaking the tree for donors. Please continue doing that. Immediate help and reconstruction will take a lot of effort and money.

Today I met with my staff and we worked a system to distribute supplies and also a proper and clear way to handle money. We want to be accountable while being flexible with the people we give the money to, to make it easier for them to reach the people quickly.

The Diocesan Office survived. Luckily the wall didn't fall down. A rock came down from the mountain and blocked the hole that was created by the rushing water on the wall. I am not great on miracles but I have to admit this time that prayer or maybe pure coincidence directed by the hand of God saved us.

Mark 10:14 is OK with some water damage, as well as the Home for Girls. The transition house has some structural damage.

We read the beatitudes also. It was fun to preach with beds in the Cathedral. Now people can go to sleep while I preach!

Thank you for your help. Please thank the donors for us. I am afraid that for a while we will be quite busy.

+Leo Frade