Joany has lived through many hurricanes, but Maria was one of the worst — destroying many homes in the Puerto Rican village of Villa Esperanza, including Joany’s. From a friend’s home in another village, Joany could see everything being blown away at home.
“It was a really crazy experience, because coming back and not having anything and seeing everything destroyed, you feel like you have nothing else to hold onto,” Joany says.
Convoy of Hope arrived in Puerto Rico just days after Hurricane Maria struck the island and began distributing relief supplies to families in need. As the response transitioned from meeting immediate needs to long-term relief, Convoy began helping repair and rebuild homes destroyed by the storm.
Groups from all over the U.S. came to Puerto Rico in partnership with Convoy as Field Teams. The teams helped in the rebuilding houses around Villa Esperanza — from laying the foundation to the final coat of paint.
Joany’s house was the first of many to be completed in that area. As Convoy handed Joany the keys to her new home, she was overcome with happiness.
“I started to cry,” says Joany of the moment she received the keys to her new home. “But I was crying happy tears, because I have a house.”
The continued support of people like you makes these moments of hope possible. For Joany and many others in Puerto Rico, home is where the hope is.
