Dear Friends:

A serious storm did major damage in Indiatuba last night, the town neighboring the City of Youth. A national emergency has been declared, and the electrical power distribution network was so damaged that they say it could be a couple weeks until power is restored to the City of Youth ranch.

Meanwhile, there is no power, no lights, and no water because the pump is electric (and if there was water, certainly no hot water). All we have is a tiny generator donated by Howard Bailey 12 years ago to provide some emergency lighting in the kitchen, but aside from that the ranch is pitch black.

No telephones, no computers, no radios (they can't be charged), no band practice, refrigerators or freezers, or electric ovens . . .

This is a serious problem. First we have to find someplace for our meat, milk, and perishables. Then we have the problem of security at night, in the pitch black, with no emergency sirens or phones or anything. Then we have problems in the classrooms, because when it is overcast they become very dark. Of course our night school for 60 children is completely cancelled. And or course there is no equipment operating in the workshops

Finally, the ranch simply cannot afford to be without computers, e-mail, faxes, etc. right now. The power might even still be down at the time the board visits, requiring some significant adjustments to the itinerary.

All the large emergency generators have already been snatched up but one we located -- but they want nearly $100 per hour of rental usage, which is way beyond our means. Vitoria Hope Mountain has a generator, and we are even thinking about putting it on a truck and shipping it down here. Even that transportation would cost us at least $1000 - 1500. Clovis is seeking help from GE to see if they might be able to loan us something – they manufacture generators in Campinas. We have long dreamed of one, because we lose power very frequently – rarely for more than a few hours — but the cost of one to satisfy our needs is in the vicinity of $20,000.

Meanwhile, we will have to have our water trucked in.

Please pray for some resolution to this very serious problem, and that the Lord would provide for us during this time – security for all, patience on the part of the house parents, calmness on the part of the kids, the potential financial burden of restoring our power, and for all the staff who have to meet responsibilities and commitments in the midst of extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

Blessings, Philip

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Subject: Storm update

Dear Friends –

The storm which disrupted power at the City of Youth was actually a tornado, passing within only 10 miles of the ranch. In Brazil's history, this was the most violent storm every recorded. The storm was classified F3 with winds clocked at 250km an hour. The picture below shows some of the damaged electric poles (which are part of our ranches' power grid), as well as an overturned train.

We were fortunate that Thursday marked the start of a 4-day extended weekend (Corpus Cristi) so schedule disruptions were minimized. GE sent a crew out to help restore emergency power, and tomorrow they are delivering our new generator! This will be a big blessing, not only for this situation but because we lose power a couple nights a month (though never for such an extended period).

Thank God for friends who came forward to help with this need. This is the second time that violent windstorms have disrupted Hope, first in Florida and now in Campinas. Do you think it's us? (watch out, Los Angeles . . . )

Blessings, Philip