Hello readers,
It’s been so hard for me to write today…not that I’m blocked, but watching Hurricane Dorian tear apart my beloved Abaco Islands is heartbreaking. My family has owned a house on Elbow Cay for about 15 years, and my brother-in-law and his wife just bought a house on a private island nearby. We helped them fix it up and now, watching the news come in tidbits about various people’s homes and lives destroyed by this monster of a hurricane, I feel a sense of disbelief and helplessness.
For anyone who’s ever been to what is sometimes called the Out Islands or Family Islands, the Abacos have a sense of place totally different from what you might feel in, say, Nassau. Each island is different, such as one island (Man O’War Cay) might be comprised of families of ship-builders, and another (such as Little Harbour) might be mainly inhabited by artists. Over the years, my family and I have come to know and admire the many hearty souls who have made the Abacos their homes; they’ve become a part of our family, too.
The Abacos are such a unique place, that they’re the setting in at least one of my novels (GROWING SEASON 2: DOLPHIN SUMMER). I’m asking all of you readers to please send what you can, as soon as you can, to help the people of the Family Islands. And pray hard for these people!
Thanks for reading, and thanks for your prayers for these people.
T
