Guatemala Villages Severely Damaged

Careforce International has been planning and preparing to open up a new partnership focusing on three villages in Guatemala. This partnership will be under the name of "Loving Arms." We have just announced the first Careforce Explore Team to visit the villages this coming November. So I think you can understand our shock and concern when we heard on Sunday that tropical storm "Agatha" had struck Guatemala, including the area where these three villages are located, with devastating effect.

As of Sunday evening, 112,000 people in Guatemala had been evacuated, many to shelters.

Government disaster relief spokesman David de Leon said 82 people were killed in the poor Central American country as rains unleashed lethal landslides across the country. Another 53 people were reported missing. Thirteen people died in one landslide that tore through the community of San Antonio Palopo on the steep banks of Lake Atitlan, a popular tourist attraction 40 miles east of Guatemala City.

The rains unleashed chaos in the department of Quetzaltenango, 125 miles west of Guatemala City, where a boulder loosened by rains crushed a house, killing four people including two children. Four children were killed when rain-soaked earth gave way in the town of Santa Catarina Pinula, about six miles outside the capital.

Careforce will be working with our new friends and colleagues in Guatemala to try and respond to this catastrophe. However, we can only help if we have the resources to do so. Right now the need is for clarn water, blankets, food and clothing. Please consider making a financial contribution to our relief effort. We are developing a more extensive response plan and will publish it as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you want to help click the "Donate Now" button and follow the instructions.