Mirna Aquilar was at home when she heard the foreboding, roaring noise. She looked outside and saw the volcàn de agua—volcano of water.

Tropical Storm Agatha made landfall in Guatemala on the evening of May 29. Its torrential rains caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides far inland, including in Mirna’s town of San Miguel Dueñas.

Mirna’s house began to fill with water. She immediately began to take their children out one by one, and onto higher ground. The muddy water was chest high by the time she got her seventh child safely out.

The family was evacuated to a shelter, but the facility wasn’t equipped to help storm victims. There was nothing to eat or drink, and no blankets to warm their cold, wet bodies.

Mirna took her family home after two days, not knowing what to expect or where the next meal would come from.

Samaritan’s Purse responded to Tropical Storm Agatha by deploying a disaster advisor from El Salvador and partnering with a local ministry to provide food and hygiene items. We are working with Hope Haven International Ministries in Guatemala to distribute 350 emergency survival kits to families most in need of help.

Each package contains a bucket filled with food, including rice, beans, pasta, sugar, oil, soup, chili, and water. Families also receive a large bucket of non-food items, including soap, detergent, towels, blankets, and toilet paper.

Mirna was given one of the kits when our teams arrived in San Miguel Dueñas.

“Now we have something to eat and to protect us from cold,” she said. “I want to thank Samaritan’s Purse for your help.”

Mirna’s neighbor, Ana, also received food and hygiene kits.

“My family was in a great deal of anxiety and full of sorrow,” Ana said. “The river filled my house with flood water, leaving sadness and desolation. Our community leader told us that there was an organization that helps people in emergencies. I am very happy because now we can eat and wash clothes. Thank God for the help.”

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Samaritan's Purse , Guatemala , Emergency Relief , Storm Relief in Guatemala