Thursday February 16, 2012

Just wanted to say hi and let you know that everything is going well for us here in Tana. Sister Cornelius went shopping today with Sister Donnelly. It took us three hours, but I got some things I needed. It's starting to lightly rain here. We are on day 39 of  our mission. We are starting to catch on to most things
and are feeling more comfortable. We have the Area Seventy Elder Soares coming on March 1 to visit Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar. We love all of you and miss you a lot. Hope you are all doing well, we pray for you every day.  Here is a report and pictures of the Cyclone.

Initial report on the cyclone.  Giovanna - level 4 cyclone.
Madagascar 14th Feb.

1.      All missionaries were well prepared and warned and all accounted for now
2.      Pictures attached show damage around the mission office area, (one
block) no major catastrophe here in capital, it is typical of the
damage in affected areas as well
3.      Mainly mud slides, fences, roofs, trees, localized flooding
4.      Tamatave /Toamasina, all Ok, mud slide on our land there, one
member house destroyed by tree- leaders assisting
5.      Worst hit area in Antananarivo is Sabotsy Namehana, where there was
a huge flooding of 400mtres after river burst banks
6.      In the provinces of the mission worst hit was Moramanga (a group
there and 2 missionaries), but all members and missionaries OK
7.      Still no electricity in worst hit areas, and internet just returning
8.      Airport now reopened in Tamatave and Tana

We survived well.  The cities will recover quickly, municipalities
have already cleared felled trees and are cleaning debris very
quickly.