I still have not had any contact with Oscar Gutierrez or his sister Armede Leslie (teachers in Independence/Mango Creek at the High School & Primary School) since the hurricane. I have not been able to make phone contact and I don't hear much about relief for their particular communities. Can anyone help? Friends in Minnesota are concerned and would like to help out if we knew of their needs.

Talked to Independence this morning. Village is still without electricity although it has been restored down Big Creek Road. Appears that there is a problem with lack of transformers and that is part of the hold up. Seems BEL is still holding to its promise of total restoration by the 9th of November.
Some of the kids are back in school and evidently they are operating on some type of split shift program to accomdate the loss of classroom space.
I would like to add that it appears that the insurance adjusters are out and about and working on getting claims settled and checks issued. Also the Mennonites have really been wonderful in this situation and are absorbing the cost of transporting materials into the area.
Our reroofing material arrived today and is ready to be installed. Only problem is that they are having rain in Indepedence today.

I am sure that your friends are doing as well as the rest of the village. Give it another week or two till the power comes back on and they restring the phone lines.

Going to be tough and hard times for quite awhile.