This Crazy Weather!!

This has just been a crazy weekend! This time of year is our rainy season and it has rained every day. We've had some big storms and hail is very common. The past few days however the storms have been very intense and on Saturday a storm like no other before it hit Bogota. You may not be able to understand the video above, but look at the images. One street downtown trapped over 100 people in their cars. Ice and snow hit and in an instant many were stuck. The news reported a concert that was taking place in our the big park where some were taken to the hospital for head injuries from the large pieces of falling ice.

Here's something important to understand - the weather changes rapidly. Many days I spend the first part of the day in a short-sleeved shirt but bring a sweater for the evening. When the rain comes it cools things down quickly. Many of the people had to be treated for hypothermia. It's not like a Michigan weather where you spend all day bundled up. Most of them had on light jackets or just long-sleeved shirts when this all hit and were not prepared for instant winter!

Fortunately no one died as a result, but many cars were lost and many houses, especially in the low income areas, were flooded.

~Tona

Prayer For Our Family

I received an unexpected call on my cell phone Friday. When I answered my sister was on the other end - calling my Colombia cell phone from the States. I was in a store and couldn't hear her very well, but could tell she was very worried. "I can't get a hold of anyone in Mexico," she said. I was racking my brain trying to figure out what in the world she was talking about when she told me, "Villahermosa is under water - completely flooded." My dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and many, many extended family members live in Villahermosa.

I returned home and turned on the news and started looking at pictures on the internet. I saw many familiar places full of water. We tried over the weekend to get a hold of family. My sister finally got a hold of an uncle who lives in another Mexican state who had been able to get in touch with my grandfather. He said the family was accounted for and okay.

My sister was able to talk to my dad on Sunday and what we've found out is that my grandfather's house was spared - part of the 20% that wasn't flooded - praise God! He has about 15 people staying with him in the house because their houses had been lost. My dad is at his ranch and the ranch is dry. He and his wife are stuck there because the roads are completely washed out, but he has horses that can get him out if they get desperate.

The main problem is food and water. As of the last conversation they hadn't been able to have access to food and water supplies. Maria, my stepmom, talked to her family and they were collecting rain water to drink because they had none.

My uncle and grandfather are both pastors and the church in the city is said to be in nine feet of water.

Please keep my family in your prayers. Pray that food and water will reach them. Please pray for my grandfather's health as he was on the brink of death earlier this year and just a couple of weeks ago had another surgery. He needs God given strength to get through these tough times. Please pray that the church is not completely destroyed. There is so much devastation that has affected everyone in their congregation. And finally just pray for the restoration of the entire states of Tabasco and Chiapas.

~Tona