I was so happy to get the update on our members after the hurricane, and to hear stories like Donna Sabater’s of helping the needy in a direct way.  José and I left Puerto Rico for our son’s home in Connecticut five days after Hurricane Irma. Since Jose’s medical condition requires refrigerated medicines, we thought we should leave before the Big One. We missed Maria.  A neighbor’s mango tree took down a fence, otherwise our home is intact.

The following week, my son Pau left with his family for Miami and is working out of a Banco Popular office there for the time being.  Carlos’ boss here at Medtech told him and two others to use their BJ credit cards to buy $27,000 worth of necessities for their employees in Ponce.  After a fraud-alert delay at BJ’s, they were able to buy the supplies and arrange for the corporate jet to fly them to PR.  This whole experience has given me an appreciation for the trauma that all refugees must feel, not to mention the suffering of those left behind.