Lamphere gives his firsthand account of Puerto Rico

The VOICE of Compassion

Opinion

From Pastor Todd Lamphere

I am rarely at a loss for words, but describing what I saw in Puerto Rico leaves me speechless. You hear a lot about how San Juan is beginning to get back on its feet. It's true. There are not the 11 hour long lines waiting to get gas. It is true that most are still without power, but generators running businesses light up the night. Restaurants are open. Nightlife to a large degree is on the move. Then you travel to the center of the island...and you encounter a TOTALLY different world. You discover a scene that you won't find on the news. You will find a world cut off, for all practical purposes, from aid and society. You will find a world with roads that BARELY have one lane open. You will see pics of us standing on dirt that is actually a road buried in mud.

Then you travel to the center of the island...and you encounter a TOTALLY different world. You discover a scene that you won't find on the news. You will find a world cut off, for all practical purposes, from aid and society. You will find a world with roads that BARELY have one lane open. You will see pics of us standing on dirt that is actually a road buried in mud.

You discover a scene that you won't find on the news. You will find a world cut off, for all practical purposes, from aid and society. You will find a world with roads that BARELY have one lane open. You will see pictures of us standing on dirt that is actually a road buried in mud.

The Chinese have a saying that disasters never come alone and that is true of Puerto Rico. Mudslides are a daily occurrence and you will see in the pictures their devastating effect. Let me take you away from the generator run lights of the city into a world that doesn't light up after dark. Let me show you in picture and video the towns of Jayuya, Ajuntas, Utuado.

Yesterday I went on a search and rescue mission with John Campoli and his band of brothers called the Pirates. These are a group of local guys in their 30's who wake up everyday looking for and helping the forgotten. In everyplace we went we were the FIRST to come to them with aid...26 days AFTER the hurricane. They can go to FEMA and fill out some forms to get assistance, IF they can even get out, but aid isn't coming to them. And that is what this group is doing. This is the group of salty guys doing more Jesus ministry than most Jesus people are doing. They remembered the forgotten. They are finding the lost.

It is humbling to hold in your arms a crying mom whose house is under 5 feet of mud and trees. To see her gratitude for rice, beans and water is inspiring. To be able to pray with and give hope to the hurting is so needed in these mountain towns.

One family of three lost their house completely and have been living in a detached 5x8 room for 26 days!!!

Enough said for now. Look at the pictures for yourself. You decide if this would be acceptable service and aid to those of us living in the United States. You come to your own conclusion if these AMERICANS are getting the appropriate help they need.

Todd Lamphere is a Staff Pastor at The New Destiny Christian Center