As food supplies have dwindled on cyclone-torn Tanna Island, Vanuatu, local members and missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Port Vila have worked tirelessly to find a way to get sustenance to the people on the outer island.
Back-to-back category 4 Cyclones Judy and Kevin tore through houses and trees, destroying homes, buildings and food sources on March 1-3. The torrential rains drenched crops of staples such as manioc and taro, while the catastrophic winds tore down banana and mango trees leaving behind spoiled and rotting food with no future means of sustenance available.
Amazingly, there have been no reports of lives lost on any of the islands.
Getting relief to Tanna to bridge that life-threatening gap required miracles along with the determined efforts of Church leaders, missionaries, members and friends to make it happen. “Somehow it just all came together,” President Messick said.
Humanitarian aid funds from the Church were sent to local leaders to use to secure food for both Efate and Tanna Islands.
As reported by President Messick, Vanuatu stores are rationing supplies, so it was no small miracle that they found 1,300 large 18 kg sacks of rice,150 cases of tuna, noodles, bags of seeds, 150 tarps to shelter families, and 800 large garbage bags to send to the villages of Tanna.