Float Hopes

About me: My name is Samantha L Forbes of Freeport Bahamas. I a woman of faith in Christ, a wife, mother of two sons, a dental hygienist and writer. Our Story: It was the week before school was to open and my husband and I were finally able to surprise our boys with an end of summer three day vacation to Orlando. They have been asking to go to Islands of Adventure and we were so happy to take them. I bought tickets that Sunday to travel Wednesday and at that time Hurricane Dorian was to be a Category 1 storm going over Hispaniola and predicted to break up and travel more northwestern. It was the day we were traveling that we learned the storm had intensified. We got friends and family to put up shutters while we were traveling and secure our property due to the quick unfolding of events. What was to come was not expected. We watched from our hotel room as the storm shifted more east making a straight line for Abaco and Grand Bahama island, my home. Our return flights were cancelled and so we had to remain hoping to return home within the week. The storm continued to strengthen and was now a strong Category 4 strengthening to a Cat 5. Needless to say we were helpless as we watched our home experience the most powerful storm in the history of the Bahamas destroy two if our most Northern islands. it was just a matter of time before we got word of the devastation, deaths and widespread loss of property that we were not exempt from. Our home, like many was gutted. Walls were stripped bare, kitchen and bathroom cabinets are gone. We did not even have clothes left in our closets. A house full of furniture empty. Closets emptied of clothes that were filled with back to school supplies and new clothes have no evidence of that. Precious memories and 17 years of hard work destroyed by 35 plus hours of Category 5 winds and 20 plus feet storm surges that submerged the islands claiming many lives. We are grateful to God for protection. Yet we mourn for our land and people. We do not know what is next for us, what we do know is that we must begin again, for the sake of our children. The heart break and pain runs deep but we are not exempt from the human experiences. We just need to start again knowing that hope floats. The money that is donated to our campaign will be spent on rebuilding our lives. In any case we need to buy furniture, a vehicle, household items, clothes and essentials for every day living. We will need to rent a place to live which requires first, last and security deposits. We have to get our sons back in school. Your contribution will help us to replenish all that was materially lost, and whatever it takes to get us established in our new home and lives. Purpose of Fundraising : To start again. To replace what was lost. We need a new home, replace basic needs such as clothing for my family and to survive until we can navigate our next steps. This is not a road we chose yet we must walk it and trying figure out what's next.  Thank you for taking the time to be apart of rebuilding our lives. Though we are broken we are not without hope.