Hurricane Eta and Iota: Relief for Central America

November 18 update: Only two weeks after the devastation of Hurricane Eta in early November, Hurricane Iota made landfall just 15 miles from where Eta entered Central America, and followed a similar path.  Areas that were flooded from Eta had begun basic clean up, only to be flooded again.  The needs in several Central American countries, and particularly Honduras, remain enormous.  Please join the Avant family in prayer for Central America.  Consider a gift to aid in the ongoing relief efforts being coordinated with our related association of churches in Honduras.

KANSAS CITY, MO – November 9, 2020. On Tuesday November 3, Hurricane Eta made landfall on the coast of Nicaragua as a catastrophic Category 4 storm and began a three-day path of destruction affecting a large swath of Central America, including Honduras and Guatemala. Central and northern Honduras were especially hard hit, devastating families already deeply struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Major rivers flooded, in some cases 12 feet higher than even the devastation of Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Bridges were destroyed, roads washed out, crops washed away, and public buildings such as schools, government offices and churches were flooded or destroyed. The largest airport in the country, near the city of San Pedro Sula, was completely under water, complicating relief efforts.

More than 100 people have perished due to landslides. 1.7 million people (150,000+ families) were directly impacted by this storm, and many thousands have been displaced, their homes and possessions completely lost.

“Friends live in this area and are trying to evacuate but the streets are flooded and no car can get in. Only small boats. One family that I know were on the roof of their home since yesterday and were waiting to be rescued. The elderly parents have been picked up today and their adult son and daughter are still waiting to be rescued like so many others.”

This catastrophic event went largely unnoticed by many in North America because it coincided with the U.S. presidential election, which consumed the majority of news coverage during the same week. But while the storm has now passed, thousands of people remain in urgent need of relief.

Avant has missionaries and churches in Honduras and Guatemala that are already engaged in relief efforts. Several church buildings in Honduras are serving as shelters for displaced families. Coordinating efforts with the Avant-related association of churches in Honduras, work is under way to meet pressing needs for housing, food, clothing and healthcare.

Phil Ozinga, Avant’s Country Facilitator for Honduras, says that approximately $11,420 USD is needed urgently to provide foam mattresses, bales of clothing, hot meals, personal hygiene kits and bio-security kits (masks, sanitizer gel, etc). A longer-range need for approximately $300,000 USD will focus on repairs to churches and homes, as well as household furnishings.

To help those struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Eta, cash donations are best. Avant will coordinate relief through its related association of churches in Honduras. To give, visit https://avantministries.org/project/hurricane-eta-relief.

Avant Ministries is an interdenominational, multinational missionary sending organization that has focused on planting and developing churches in the unreached areas of the world since the 1890's, and has had a presence in Honduras since 1896. Avant trains, sends and serves missionaries in 50 countries globally.

Contact: Phil O’Day
Vice President of Public Ministries and US Director
800.468.1892