Ice Storm Cripples Little Portion
John Michael got this out via his cell phone which has intermittent access.
Brothers and Sisters,
Little Portion Hermitage has suffered the full weight of the recent severe ice storm. We have been cut off and without power since around 10 PM Monday night. The weather is now clearing and warming, but we are still without power, phones, and internet until mid to late next week according to "reports." There is little information available.
Currently we are low on diesel for generators to run limited electric for lights, water, and some heat. We do have small propane heaters for places without adequate heat. We only wood heat in a couple of places.
Our mountain road is still impassible for anything but farm trucks with chainsaws to cut their way out due to fallen trees. At least tire chains are no longer necessary. We will be seriously clearing this in the next couple of days. Then cars and the diesel trucks can come and go. But fuel is in low supply, and at best that will only provide minimal electric.
We are considering evacuation of some of our 35+ people as a last resort, with a skeletal work crew left at the Hermitage. Hopefully it will not come to that.
This has made us painfully aware that old backup systems were not maintained and updated. We will be correcting that as soon as we are out of this immediate crisis.
Please pray for us that power will be restored, or minimal provisions can be supplied and maintained. Pray for those even harder hit. I cannot imagine facing this alone without community. We are blessed.
In Jesus,
John Michael Talbot
Founder and Spiritual Father
The Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage
Brothers and Sisters,
Little Portion Hermitage has suffered the full weight of the recent severe ice storm. We have been cut off and without power since around 10 PM Monday night. The weather is now clearing and warming, but we are still without power, phones, and internet until mid to late next week according to "reports." There is little information available.
Currently we are low on diesel for generators to run limited electric for lights, water, and some heat. We do have small propane heaters for places without adequate heat. We only wood heat in a couple of places.
Our mountain road is still impassible for anything but farm trucks with chainsaws to cut their way out due to fallen trees. At least tire chains are no longer necessary. We will be seriously clearing this in the next couple of days. Then cars and the diesel trucks can come and go. But fuel is in low supply, and at best that will only provide minimal electric.
We are considering evacuation of some of our 35+ people as a last resort, with a skeletal work crew left at the Hermitage. Hopefully it will not come to that.
This has made us painfully aware that old backup systems were not maintained and updated. We will be correcting that as soon as we are out of this immediate crisis.
Please pray for us that power will be restored, or minimal provisions can be supplied and maintained. Pray for those even harder hit. I cannot imagine facing this alone without community. We are blessed.
In Jesus,
John Michael Talbot
Founder and Spiritual Father
The Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage
posted by JTC at 2:00 PM
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