In 2017 Hurricane Maria ripped off roofs, caused massive flooding, knocked down electrical wires, washed out roads, and left utter devastation and chaos in its wake. Much has been done to repair the damage, but there is still much that must be repaired to return Puerto Rico to health and security—and prepared to face future hurricanes.

As the Church, we have the great privilege of bringing hope to our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico through tangible acts of love. First and most importantly, keep our friends in your prayers so that they can feel the presence of God during this crisis.

In keeping with the Synod of the Northeast’s initiative for Puerto Rico Partnerships, there are plans underway for four back-to-back relief work opportunities this winter. These opportunities will be in Lares, a town in the northwestern mountains of the island, listed by the US census as the poorest municipality in Puerto Rico

The goal of the mission trips is to provide critical help with structural repairs (a local contractor will be on site at all times) and prepare for future hurricanes and disasters. Churches like North Presbyterian have a critical role in the response to crisis. Trip planners have set a goal of $50,000 to cover construction costs. See below for a document with lots of information about the trips.