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Tom Penick:
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On October 17, 1998, Hurricane Lester came within 60 miles of the Oaxacan coast. With the memory of last year's Hurricane Pauline still fresh, residents were alarmed but much better prepared. Lester passed offshore on a westward track.
After three days and two nights of tense waiting we are now taking everybody back to the Palmgrove from the shelters. It hasn't even rained here, thanks to God. Friday we had a crisis meeting with everybody, organized the evacuation (who was going to take care of who and who was going where etc.) and packed everything in plastic bags. Everyone was calm, though afraid. The organization and solidarity were impressive. After all, this has happened before. Thanks to all the help we received last year, many of the employees, who lost their houses, have been able to build better and stronger houses this year. (They received interest-free loans from Piņa Palmera).
Hurricane Lester is on its way along the coastline and there is no imminent danger of it hitting shore right now. Piņa Palmera is green and lush. It is amazing how much you appreciate everything when you have been so close to losing it all: the roads, the leaves on the trees, the roofs that shelter us from sun and rain, our gardens. We thank God for protecting us and praise life in all its beauty! Thank you for thinking of us.
Lots of love from everybody at Piņa Palmera through Anna.
Anna Johansson de Cano
"Pina Palmera" A.C.
Apartado Postal 109
c.p. 70900, Pochutla
Oaxaca, Mexico
telephone and fax: +52.958.40342
E-mail: pinapalmera@laneta.apc.org
Webpage: http://www.laneta.apc.org/pina/
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Tom Penick:
tom@tomzap.com