Another McGregor update from Toliara.
The city has been without electricity for three days now and a majority of the
lines are down all over the city. Most likely power will continue to be off for
several days. Good thing the Malagasy are still used to cooking with charcoal!
Water came back after 48 hours. We are sending this from a friends hotel (the
Hyppocamp) as Anita has invited us over for dinner to share news, exchange
stories and help put an American guest at ease. We prepared this group email
before hand and then sent it at her place as she has a generator. We are still
able to check individual emails at this point so please understand if we have
not gotten back to you. Please pass this on to others as we are depending upon
you all to pass the word.
We drove around parts of the town which were passable yesterday and today and
have seen a lot of damage and a great deal of flooding. The dike broke and the
north side of the town is underwater from the stadium. That explains why our
Ambohitsabo church is under water. The priest was checking it early yesterday
morning when he heard someone running, and blowing a whistle, telling everybody
to run, for the dike broke and water was coming. Thinking he had a few more
minutes, he continued checking the church, only to realize that it was coming
much faster than he realized. Grabbing his bicycle in one hand, Rev. Noely
helped a woman with her young baby with the other, forming a chain to get to
safety, watching his shoes float away.
The same priest was leading a baptismal service today in Andranomena, on the
south side of town and six miles from this church. During the service someone
came running to say the water which broke the dike was now coming into one of
the parishioners homes. Several people left the church service to help assist
the newly baptized church member evacuate her things which she had just put into
her fathers house yesterday because her house had gone down in the cyclone.
Th president of Ankilifaly church has water up to his chest in his home because
of the same incident of the dike breaking. We have not yet heard from our
Administrator, but she lives on that part of the city and we are concerned that
her home has undergone a lot of damage as well. These are only some of the
stories of what is happening here in Toliara.
We are still trying to schedule a flight for Patsy to Mauritius. We are hoping
she is able to go on Tuesday and will keep you posted.
Thank you for keeping all of us in your prayers. If you know of any relief
agencies which might able to give assistance and aide, please contact them on
our behalf.
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd A. McGregor
Assistant bishop of Antananarivo
Area bishop of Toliara