Hail and Rain Storm Causes Considerable Damage

Photo Gallery of Storm

After an inadequate 2006 monsoon and a very dry winter Kulpahar mission residents were happy to have it rain all day and night on Saturday February 10, 2007.  It cleared off Sunday morning and was a beautiful day of worship with Leonard Thompson preaching.

            Leonard and wife, Pam, Linda and Sharon had just sat down to tea about 4:15 when it began to rain then we heard the ping ping of hail.  It had been years since it had hailed and we went out to see the sight.   What a sight it was!  The wind blew, the rain came down and hail quickly covered the ground.  The noise was deafening as the large hail stones hit our cement roof.  The smallest hailstone that we saw was the size of a table tennis ball.  It continued and the trees began to rain leaves and small branches and we stood in awe at what we were watching.  Then it was over and we remembered that most of the roofs on the mission are made of cement or asbestos sheets.
 
            The four of us went to the church first and were shocked to see the roof riddled with holes.  The school keyboard was wet; speakers, Bibles and song books all had to be moved immediately out of the water.  Half the computer room had water standing and all the computers except one were wet. We proceeded from there and the only buildings not damaged were the hostels, three bungalows and three homes that had solid cement roofs.  Two of those houses have added on rooms which were damaged.  We have estimated the damage at $400,000
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            Temporary repairs were done immediately.  We found the best place to purchase cement sheets by the truck load and put in an order for two truck loads one of 2 ½ meter ones and one load of 3 meter ones.  The first load arrived on March 22.  Two more loads have been purchased since then. 

            By April 22 the church roof had been replaced and we had worship under the new roof.  Two houses below the church were the next to be done and the work has continued steadily.  The fourth house is being completed now.  The computer room at school and the hospital is done.  Unfortunately we have not had enough rain this summer to stop work for more than a day or two.
 
            Contributions for repairs have been generous but several more thousands will be needed before we are through.  Some expenses we did not expect were garden hoses chopped to pieces by the hail.  Submersible pumps in wells that burned out because parts had been damaged and water got into the pump.  Many ceilings had to be replaced and then walls had to be painted due to water damage.  Our head carpenter fell off a ladder fracturing his heel so there were medical expenses.  We are grateful it was no worse than it was and he is back supervising the work.

If you would like to help, please send checks to:
KULPAHAR KIDS’ HOME
C/O Ann Huffman
P.O. 32574
Phoenix, Arizona 85064