In response to the devastating one-two punch leveled at Puerto Rico by hurricanes Irma and Maria in fall 2017, American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS), in partnership with American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA), launched the “Rebuilding, Restoring, Renewing Puerto Rico” multi-year initiative.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people…

Galatians 6:9-10

Puerto Rico – a beautiful tropical island, with a long history and culture of welcoming travelers from around the world was devastated by a category 5 hurricane in September of 2017. They named it Hurricane Maria. Most of the Island was destroyed, but, the spirit of the people remained.

Last September I had the privilege of joining a small team of Wonder Women; lead by the Reverend Mylinda Baits to Puerto Rico ~ Our mission ~ to lend a hand in whatever capacity we could, to be of service to the peoples need of Rebuilding, Restoring, and Renewing Puerto Rico, home to over 3 million people – with a spattering of 114 churches 9 mission including Corporacion Milagros del Amor (A Miracles of Love Corporation) or CORMA for short.

We spent the next week working directly with CORMA Cleaning painting – mural – with Mylinda’s talented vision – And cleaning and painting – by the end of our stay Espacio De Mujer’s (a space for women) was ready for the next step – the small room slowly becoming a Space for Women at Risk to rest, have a meal, be given counseling and skills to help them know they are not alone in their struggles.

This Mission was made possible by American Baptist Home Mission Societies. The team of ABHMS in Puerto Rico often working around the clock to ensure we volunteers had a safe place to stay, meals, water, snacks.

And time to spend with people of Puerto Rico, listening to their needs and stories, their fears and hopes, their joys as they saw each other gain one more wall and one more roof – one more working sink to wash in, one more stove to cook on…. The list goes on and it’s not finished yet.

This year, I am privileged to be taking another team of 8 volunteers back to Puerto Rico to continue tending to the needs of the people and their homes. Those traveling with me this year will be:

Carolyn Adams, Vernon and Emily Blair, Emily Wu Locke, Pat DeNeui with her brother Bob and his wife Kathy DeNeui, and Rev. Mylinda Baits IM Consultant.

We will be able to go back to the city of Caguas for the first 2 days and see Espacio de Mujer’s open for the first time to the public. It will be such an honor to see the finished product of what we started a year ago!

By Wednesday, we will be helping restore the home of Gil Rondon, a former construction leader for ABHMS who had to have a leg amputated last month. Thursday we will be helping the Church in Deseada with their feeding ministry of over 200 people. Friday we will be in another elderly Church members home, helping restore and clean as needed.

One of the best parts about the work we will be doing is spending time with the people of Puerto Rico. Listening to their stories of survival and giving them a space to be heard.

And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.

2 Corinthians 8:5

God Bless!

Wendy Wilson