Update from Mission Partner: Hurricane Dorian

Mission Update

Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas as a Category 5 hurricane on September 1, 2019, and stalled over the islands for 24 hours, causing loss of life and massive damage. Shadyside Presbyterian Church’s mission partner in the Bahamas, Caribbean Youth Network (CYN), shared the following update with us.

Dear CYN team,

Thank you for the many responses of encouragement you sent back to us with assurance of your prayers during Hurricane Dorian. Here is what we know so far:

In Nassau we did not have high winds, but we have had a good bit of flooding due to high rainfall. The university campus is under water, as are many low lying areas. We’ve also had long power outages.

Abaco has been devastated. Pictures and videos that circulate are heart-wrenching to see. An entire area called The Mud, which provided housing for over 5,000 people (mainly Haitians), was wiped out. We are hearing of five confirmed deaths. Many people are in shelters and grouping in the few homes that survived. The Swings have heard that their home lost half the roof and has three feet of water in it. Jude believes his family is safe only through seeing their names on a shelter list that is circulating. Communication is difficult.

Grand Bahama has had the hurricane over them nearly stationary all day today. It is forecast to start moving off to the north tomorrow afternoon. Our Young Life ministry partner, Marvin Rolle, has been sending updates saying that flooding is bad and wind damage is high, though not to the extent of Abaco yet.

The CYN does have a hurricane relief fund and any donations can be designated as such if you have a heart to get involved in helping Abaco and Grand Bahama. Click here to contribute. Let’s all keep praying as the storm rages on!

Thank you so much!

Contributed by Dan and Kelly Weightman, founders of Caribbean Youth Network

Update: Read a second update from the CYN after Hurricane Dorian.