September 29, 2012
-
Dangers of Shrimp Fishing
Shrimp-fishing is dangerous work! 
The first morning of the season, Paco 
went out to the beach early to watch the some 80 motor 
boats head out to sea, and saw 2 boats 
flipped completely over as they tried to pass 
through the waves (imagine the movie "Cast Away"! Waves push the boat up vertically and it falls backwards! It gives me chills just to imagine it). Paco suddenly found himself pulling bodies and equipment out onto the beach, calling emergency services, and praying over the injured and the worried, crying women and children. So horrible. After the injured were loaded into ambulances and police cars, 2 of the emergency services vehicles got stuck in the sand trying to leave, and Paco was there helping push them out. Most of the village men were out at sea, so besides the emergency services, it was mainly Paco and women there assisting, though other men arrived later as word got out.
Two days afterwards, we heard that one of the injured men died, and the other serious case is still in intensive care. Four of the other men in the flipped boats have only minor injuries, though their financial loss is great: thousands of dollars in fishing boat/equipment that was purchased with loans before shrimp season. Such a tragedy- the lost life, the multiple injuries, and the loss of ability to earn money for their families…
As you can imagine, we pray daily for the safety of the fishermen. Paco went out early the second day of the season to pray for each boat that left the river. Fortunately, now that we are a week into the season, the situation has calmed down alot, and not as many boats are on the water and the men spend less hours out each day. We are also praying that the fishing would be abundant, because the village really needs a good income this week to pay off debts and get set up for the coming year. My heart breaks when brothers from the church return downcast from a bad fishing day.
Please join us in pray for the Lord’s blessing over shrimp season in Boca del Rio.
