Mount Zion United Methodist Church
Highland, Maryland
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Ministry
- Sunday School
- Mission Opportunities
- Christian Education
- Shepherd Program
- Mt. Zion Christian Preschool
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Newsletter from Nan McCurdy & Miguel Mariena
October,2007
The situation in much of Nicaragua is grave. Most of you heard about the devastation caused by Hurricane Felix in September in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (Caribbean coast of Nicaragua). Their situation has not improved much; on top of loss of life and homes, they lost their crops, thousands of acres of forest and wildlife.
The rest of the country was still doing all right at that point in time. But since then we have had almost 60 days of rain. We’ve had flooding, mudslides and more deaths in parts of the country. Many miles of roads all over Nicaragua are damaged or destroyed. San Francisco Libre has been virtually incommunicado for the last three and a half weeks – that road is a wreck.
Now the problems of hunger and disease are coming to the forefront.
Today we talked with the Women and Community team in San Francisco Libre. They are worried and perhaps a bit traumatized. A girl they worked with, thirteen year-old girl, Deyling Flores, died of leptospirosis (known in the states as mud fever or swamp fever). Three members of the team knew Deyling well as they facilitated human rights workshops with youth from the remote village of Tepochapa every month.
About 1300 people throughout the country have been diagnosed with Leptospirosis. The Ministry of Health sent extra personnel to the affected areas and are facilitating clean-up, chlorination of water and antibiotics for everyone in affected areas.
Many, many farm families in the country have lost their crops. With all the rain animals like rats and mice are also moving to higher ground, where humans are, as well as multiplying at a faster rate. With the rats and mice come other illnesses like leptospirosis, a bacteria that affects humans and some animals and is passed in the urine of infected animals. It can be cured and prevented with an antibiotic like doxicycline so there is hope of getting it under control fairly soon.
Of course this is an illness that mainly affects the poor in poor living conditions. There is also a higher incidence currently of malaria and dengue.
The good news is that most of Nicaragua is quite near the end of the rainy season and the government is reacting quickly to the health crisis. Food security is a big issue. The price of basic grains has shot up with the loss of the harvest – beans, an important staple, are a dollar a pound. Given that the majority of families survive on $2 or less a day, there is going to be more hunger. An adequate diet is necessary for the immune system to function well. So there is and will be more illnesses.
Women and Community continues to work in integral health, nutrition, including low-cost protein alternatives like soy, natural medicine, human rights and income generation (cows for women, etc.) Right now people need your prayers. Your mission giving is already supporting many of these projects.
If at some point you want to raise money, you can make your donations through your church earmarked: ADVANCE 013285-6RA “Popular Defenders”. You can also specify health, nutrition, human rights or income generation. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
Nan McCurdy 10/31/2007
Worship Schedule
8:30 - Traditions Service
9:40 - Church School
9:45 - Eucharist Service
10:30 - Fellowship
11:00 - Celebration and Praise
Children dismissed during the 8:30 service for Wesley and Cherub Choir practice.
Children's Church in the Chapel during the 11:00 service.
Infant and Toddler care are available all morning.
Directions to Mt. Zion
