The situation for food in La Miskitia

FOOD

A disaster struck the indigenous people ("The Miskito People") that live on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, on September 4th, 2007. An already absolutely impoverished area of the world, that is practically on America's back-door step, was hit hard by the largest recordable strength of a Hurricane...A CATEGORY FIVE!

Hurricane Felix was an unthinking, unfeeling devastator of lives and property. The EYE of Felix passed directly OVER the people of Puerto Cabezas, and a small community called Sandy Bay, as the natives clung to trees and huddled together for strength and prayer. Most came together in the one strong building available, the church. That night, the church was packed well beyond capacity as the prayers for safety flew into the night. Roofing tin, as sharp as razor knives, flew through the air and embedded itself in trees, and buildings, and flesh.

The Miskito people originated from a mix of Mayan and Incan ancestors that migrated from North-Eastern Colombian about 700 years ago. As time passed, they settled in the coastal plains of both Honduras and Nicaragua. The Indians, not yet known at that time as "Miskitos", settled into a life of barter, and sustenance from the nearby jungles and what trade they could find with the pirates that frequented the shores of the Caribbean sea. In fact, that is how the Miskitos got their name, through their trade with these ancient pirates. The natives traded food, and wood from the forests for muskets as well as necessary foodstuffs. When other nearby cultures tried to invade and subjugate these natives they were met with fierce resistance, by gun and knife and muscle. The natives became known as the Indians with muskets, later called "The Miskitos".

It is a hard life on the Atlantic Coast. There is fish from the sea, if you can afford a boat, but few crops can be grown in the native soil. Through perseverance the people have survived, but never prospered. Some things have changed in the last 700 years since this culture began (compare it to the 230+ years of American history) and much remains the same. The Miskitos are a SMART, and beautiful people. Given the chance this group of people WILL PROSPER, but right now they need THE BASICS.

It is hard for some people to understand the poverty here. You must encourage yourself, and others to visit, then they will "get it". When hurricane Felix hit, almost every house in Puerto Cabezas had at least SOME damage. Mostly roofs, some walls, and SOME completely destroyed. Most Americans know what a hurricane can do. Remind yourselves that the houses in La Miskitia are comparable to a kids treehouse, as construction methods are poor.

The physical damage is immense, and some help has come in for repairs, and the immediate needs.

There is a BIGGER PROBLEM. Unfortunately, the world while good-hearted and generous (for the most part) has a short memory. When we remind people that there was a hurricane on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua they say "Oh yes, I remember that...didn't we send some stuff there?". AND THEY DID! It was a real blessing and many bellies were filled, and roofs were covered with plastic tarps.

You have to understand though that the main sustenance (food) for the Miskito people is the Cocoa nut. 95% of the cocoa nut trees were knocked down, completely. That means that 95% of the food for these indigenous people is gone, and new trees must be planted. IT TAKES A MINIMUM OF 8 YEARS FOR A TREE TO GROW TO THE POINT OF PRODUCING FRUIT. That's eight years MINIMUM. So although people have helped, they rarely understand the depth of the problem on the coast.

Basically, there are 318,000 indigenous people who will struggle daily for a meal, a single meal, for the next eight years. There are no jobs here, and no tourism. There are no resources except native local hard-woods. Approximately 40% of the trees in the forest have also been snapped off, looking like the discards of some fairytale giants meal...80 feet tall "toothpicks", splintered, and showing the starkly white patches of arboreal entrails.

So FOOD is on the minds of the Miskito people right now.

God is striding MIGHTILY in the La Miskitia region, and His hand is upon these people. In the next five to ten years the prospects will be better due to the help of people like you, and the committed members of the Church Community, and the God Guided help of secular friends.

Please pass along my deepest gratitude for your help.

Dios le bendiga grandemente a su familia y ministerio.

Casa de Servicio, International
Missionary Aviation, Medical Evacuation
Church of God, World Missions Project #: 065-0497
http://www.casadeservicio.org

Richard & Carolyn Becton
1135 Ponderosa Dr
Cleveland, TN 37312
210 392-9574 (for dialing from the US, and for messages)
011 505 613-5824 (Our number in Nicaragua)

http://www.myspace.com/rbecton
http://www.casadeservicio.org/blog/

ADDRESS IN NICA:

Iglesia de Dios, Central
Missionero Richard Becton
Barrio: 19 de Julio
Puerto Cabezas, R.A.A.N.
Nicaragua, Central America