When Hurricane Stan hit the Gulf of Mexico last October, it deluged Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras before losing its power. According to most estimates, more than 1,000 people died in the landslides and flooding throughout Central America, and thousands lost their homes and livelihoods. Faith-based organizations are wading in to help with the reconstruction efforts. Javier Rivera, a rural accompaniment coordinator for Christians for Peace in El Salvador (CRISPAZ), said 250 representatives of national and international organizations met in El Salvador in late October to develop a plan for reconstruction. CRISPAZ is partnering with environmental groups, community organizations, and Catholic and Protestant churches in the affected areas and facilitating donations through its Web site. “We haven’t received any support from the government,” Rivera told Sojourners.
—Celeste Kennel-Shank
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