Meanwhile back in Puerto Rico

Finally, I was able to come back last week to check on the situation in Puerto Rico.  These are some of my observations.

Food.  In preparation for my trip I had been told that it was hard to get fresh vegetables so I packed tomatoes, apples, cherries, bananas, and a small bag of red potatoes in my suitcase.  Other than saving on  the local prices, I could have left them in New York.  Turns out that Pueblo Supermarket, part of an islandwide chain,  in Isla Verde was well stocked to my utter amazement.  When I stepped into the store, I almost cried!  There were fresh vegetables everywhere.  Fresh flowers, calabaza, and cookies, as well.  In fact, everything looked better than before Maria.  Iceberg lettuce was on sale for $1.99.  Sure the regular price had skyrocketed to three something but at least it was available.  The last time I had gone to this store in Isla Verde ten days after the hurricane many shelves were empty, if propane was available it was rationed, and you had to wait in line for twenty minutes minimum to be able to  go inside.  This basic source for food gave me a huge relief.

Gas.  Well, gas is still a work in process.  On Isla Verde Avenue, near the cemetery there is a Shell gas station and it is still not open but I think it will be opening soon.  Today I saw two utility vehicles at work and a big gas truck pouring in gas.  It is just a matter of hours.** (It has since opened!) Since I had not been able to use that station, I went to Laguna Gardens.  I had not realized that they had a system set up at the station to line up.  Mind you, there were no signs.  This system had started when gasoline lines were kilometric- or hours long when gas was hard to come by.  I thought that now that there was plenty of gas it would not be a problem to get gas.  I was wrong.  So, I had to turn around, go down the street, make a three point turn, and get in line behind five other cars till it was my turn.  No, things are not exactly back to normal in that sense either where you could drive up carefree and find a pump but I did appreciate that it wasn't a free for all.

Debris.  There is still a lot of debris.  Hundreds of thousands of trees fell so it is natural that they have had to set up a priority system as to what to pick up first.  If it is not blocking a thoroughfare it is still there.  So when I went to church on Sunday, I took the Teodoro Moscoso Bridge and Piñero Avenue.  Trees were everywhere on the side of the road.  It surprised me.  They were brown with their pointed zigzag roots sticking up out of the ground with a big gorge where they had been.  I expected a lot of this to be tidied up already.  I did not like reliving a little bit of the nightmare and disorder again.  I should have been prepared for what I would see, but I wasn't.  This week I have been going to Santurce to do some volunteer work and on the way, I saw a street closed off because a post that had fallen had been moved off the street to the sidewalk but the lines were still dangling dangerously low, so they cordoned off that entrance with yellow tape.  On La Baldorioty, I was happy to see a maintenance crew picking up debris that was clogging up the sewers.  So yes, things are progressing slowly but surely.

Traffic.  I avoid it.  A glaring fact is that there are still very few traffic lights working.  Most of these are blinking if they are powered up at all. I have not seen police at the stop lights. Fortunately, we have many roads that do not require traffic lights because they flow into the major highways with easy on and off ramps.   Unfortunately, this is not the case every where.  This week I have been on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Santurce which is smack in the middle of the city.   How do you manage these intersections?  Generally, you try to keep up with traffic and stay in the flow.  You have to gauge the situation if traffic has stopped and move forward with other vehicles.  I have done okay so far.  Tomorrow,  I am going further out to Hato Tejas, Bayamon.  I will let you know how that goes.

Power/Electricity.  I know at least 25 people that still do not have power.  At the radio station, there are at least 15 people working and of these, 11 do not have electricity! They live in Bayamon, Rio Grande, Guaynabo, Loiza, los Filtros, and Canovanas.  I have friends in Cupey and some in Trujillo Alto and a sister in Puerto Nuevo- with no power. On the other, hand I have another friend in Puerto Nuevo who got electricity on Thanksgiving!  Most of the maintenance workers at the building I live in, don't have power either but they have gas stoves and water.  They have adapted.

Religious Services. Most churches are still without power but if they are fortunate to get a generator, they can power up their fans.  People just have to dress with cooler clothing.  Fortunately, the weather has gotten cooler-- in the 80's so it is bearable to be at church.  One definite change is that evening services have been eliminated.  Most meetings are held during the day and nothing close to sundown thus helping church goers make it safely home.  My church is combining the church services as well.

How are people coping?  People are weary.  They don't know sometimes where there next meal will be.  So they are not saying no if someone offers them help.   For those with out electricity, I have offered them to come by and wash their clothes at my house but many are managing using laundromats near their house but I did have a friend say she would like to come over to iron clothes. I have to call her to remind her.   Today, I gave away some ice.  They brought me some flan.  It wasn't a barter.  It just happened that way.   People are driving less and adapting especially by not driving at night.  Eating habits have changed, too.  I have a friend who is relying on MREs for lunch so he can get a full meal while another told me that before Maria she thought eating a special at the fast food was beneath her, but no longer.

In conclusion, Puerto Rico has a long way to go.  Some areas are on their feet, some aren't at all.  It is taking time to get it going.  

Please keep us in prayer.  Thank you.  If you are thinking about donating, I know several organizations you could give to who are trustworthy.  They were here before the crisis and will be here after.

The Salvation Army Puerto Rico; I volunteer with the Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary.  They are wonderful people with over 11 community centers around the island meeting the needs of the most disadvantaged people on the island.  They also have two centers in the Virgin Islands. Please check their Face Book Page.  1679 Ponce de Leon Avenue, San Juan PR 00909.

Christian Community Church in Guaynabo PR.( http://christiancommunitypr.com/give-online/) ,

Second Union Church of San Juan-- see their Facebook page or website: http://secondunion.org

or my friend Rev. Brenda Taylor at The Journey Ministry.  She has a PayPal account connected to her email: thejourneyministriespr@yahoo.com.  Be sure to write her and she will tell you all the wonderful things she is doing with partners like you.  She sends out a monthly newsletter.

There is still much that needs to be done.   I hope you will help.


 


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