-
Sudden Destruction!—How Have They Coped?Awake!—1990 | February 22
-
-
Coping With Hugo’s Destruction
On St. Croix, survivors of Hugo greeted one another with hugs of joy and relief, just happy to be alive. Soon massive relief efforts were underway, providing victims shelter and food. However, some sought to profit from the misfortune of victims. Profiteers charged exorbitant prices. For example, a bag of ice that ordinarily was 79 cents sold for $10. There was even looting. But generally such callous acts were overshadowed by many acts of human kindness and compassion. Particularly noteworthy were reports regarding the relief efforts of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Even before Hugo struck, Christian elders visited those living in less secure houses and urged them to move into more strongly built Kingdom Halls or into the safer houses of their Christian brothers.
-
-
Sudden Destruction!—How Have They Coped?Awake!—1990 | February 22
-
-
In Guadeloupe such preparations for the storm proved lifesaving. On that island alone, 117 houses of Witnesses were destroyed, while nearly 300 houses of other Witnesses were severely damaged. In addition, 8 Kingdom Halls were badly damaged, while 14 others were less severely damaged.
Although several Witnesses were injured, none were killed, either in Guadeloupe or anywhere else in the Caribbean. The grown son of one of the Witnesses, however, was killed when he was literally sucked up by the wind that suddenly blew the roof off the house.
-