Viatorians seek aid for relief efforts

Viatorian missionaries in Belize may have seen the last of Hurricane Dean, but their cleanup efforts have just begun.

"We are still without power and water," wrote the Rev. Chris Glancy, who e-mailed from a Scotiabank in Corozal town, part of a district in northern Belize.

In a telephone conversation last week, the former teacher from St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights described the wrecked homes, fallen trees and downed power lines in the district, and told how he and two other priests fled from the rectory of St. Francis Xavier Church, shortly after its windows were blown out.

Glancy and Francisco Magana, a novice in the order, have spent the past few days surveying the damage in the mission's 23 village churches and 19 schools.

"Three school buildings in the villages of Xaibe and Chunox have extensive damage to their roofs," he said. Other schools have lighter damage, and one church in Copper Bank had most of its roof torn away.

An estimated 500 homes were also heavily damaged or destroyed.

"The poorest took it the hardest," said Glancy, a native of Moline who's been living in Belize for the past nine years.

The Viatorian missionaries -- three priests and 12 lay volunteers -- are working to get food to the poor in the area and find sheet metal roofing to begin repairs.

Despite the desperate need for supplies, Glancy remains upbeat. The Viatorians in Belize are in the process of compiling a needs assessment and will be asking the Arlington Heights community for help in the coming days.

"All donations will be spent directly on the needs in Belize -- not overhead costs," said Brother Michael Gosch, Viatorian assistant provincial.

Donations can be sent to the Clerics of St. Viator, 1212 Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights.

Gosch said funds will be placed in a Belize bank account that the affected Viatorians can draw from as needed.