[claudiadeplaya]

e mails from mahahual residents
quote:
Hi everyone.

I just need to get some information out to all of you with what is happening.



We have found everyone.... no one is missing! Everyone is safe... YES!!!!

The President of Mexico was here to assess the damages and to find out what is needed. Well to our dismay, Margarito (our mayor) did not speak on behalf of our town at all and our "super duper" friend Gaby (who owns the bakery) stood up and started making demands on behalf of the community. She was well listened to and hopefully that will bring about some action.

There is no water, no power, no gas, in town. She and her husband are coming down later as she says they all need a shower - !!!!



The schools in town have been set up as emergency shelters for the residents, they are supplying people with food and water and will employ everyone to start clearing and repairing. This way the residents will have some income to rebuild.



The cruise ship pier owner was here and he says it will be back operating in 4 months... "Mexican time"... !!!!!! So that is encouraging. As that is the livelyhood of Mahahual.

When I was in town this morning I talked to a friend who lost everything... they have no house, no clothes, no furniture, she even lost her reading glasses, if anyone can bring a pair of glasses (for distance, about a 3) that would be great. She stood beside my van in bare feet... my eyes kept running!!!!

WE HAVE TO HELP THESE PEOPLE!!!!!

There is a meeting in town today at 4 p.m. to discuss an action plan - but I am too pooped to get there. I just drove a van load of mexicans in to town to buy food and it was a harrowing drive. I hope Kevin that you will relay to me what happened, please!!!!! I have another 5000 (maybe exaggerated, ha) to feed tonight.



The Red Cross has been notified (thanks to Jim Prier). I hope they will take action as I hear they can only be sent into an area such as this with the direction of the Federal Government.



Michelle Zimdahl made one of the greatest suggestions I want to pass along to you. She wants to bring down tents, so people can get back on their land and start working it. WHAT A GREAT IDEA. If anyone would contibute in this manner.... what a blessing that would be. Not the little tiny pup tents, something 2 adults can at least sleep in. Do your best. I have to tell you we have a great concern for the men working without shoes as there is a worm that infests the stagnant waters and gets under the skin. That's why shoes are so important. Also a bigger problem is that people no longer have bathrooms and they are using any tree they come across - this will polute our ocean.... I am not sure how we can contend with this... but it is major problema.



Here is what we have coming down so far...

·Chain saws
·work gloves - they are cutting their hands
·crocs (shoes for the workers) sizes 7-8 for men and 6-8 for women
·medical supplies such as slings, tensor bandages, first aid cream, as the pharmacy is closed and is not going to reopen. (I have already fixed up two men, one fell of a motor bike, the other cut himself with a machete). Jon has chichin... it's like poison ivy only worse. I don't know what works for that and there is lots of chichin to be cleared away.
·water, food,
I would like to add blankets for handing out with tents.



We are to go up the coast in our boat to get food to people on the beach who are stranded and to pick up Susie and Jon's personal belongings before the looters start. (Which they already have). A friend at Margarita del Sol has had stuff taken already.



That's all for now....



Safe journeys to all of you who are flying in ... I need to hug you all!!!!



Marilyn

p.s. The bingos will be postponed, but definitely will be a go in October when we have some normalacy.... however we need to redirect the funds to our town in despair.