I am a small farmer in the Mahiko Farm lots in Waialua, HI. I have been devastated by the recent Kona low storm flooding.
I have lost everything—including both of my vehicles, some of my tooling, all of my bedding and clothing and am now displaced without a home. The floodwaters rose so quickly I barely escaped, especially during the second flood, when I was trapped in my vehicle and the Fire Department could not get to me because the water was too deep. This was a terrifying experience and I had to choose to abandon my stalled vehicle and enter raging flood waters over my waist in the middle of the night in the dark and fight the current for 1.4 miles to get to the local Red Cross shelter where we were then evacuated due to the reservoir dam threatening to fail. The lot I lease was under six feet of water for more than a week and in accessible due to thick mud and unimproved roadways.
I do not have any temporary shelter and need to travel to be with my family so I can be safe and recover from a lung infection I developed from being exposed to the unhealthy flood waters. I am asking for help to provide me with most basic temporary financial resources and to pay for my travel so I can get home and try to recover until I am able to work again and return to Hawai’i to farm.
Small farmers are vital to the local community, and I have been working hard for a year and a half to improve the partially fallow cane land I leased in preparation for crops to provide food, and livestock to reduce our dependence on food imports. I also like practicing self-sufficiency and living off grid as it makes you appreciate the basic things in life and live more efficiently such as not wasting water and energy resources. I have lost all of my investment in the farm but was at least able to save my own tools and generators. I remain committed to small farming in Hawai’i and will be returning to lease other land where I can start over again and rebuild; but need respite from the storm.
The community has already shown incredible kindness by bringing drinking water and food, and helped with cleanup when possible. The medics and nurses who came provided me with essential asthma medicine and treatment for my lungs and a bacterial rash from being exposed to the flood waters. But I genuinely need real help to get home because my savings are depleted and I am exhausted from being up often around the clock helping rescue the other farmer’s horses and goats and serving the needs of our other farmers who needed the help most.
I am a hardworking person who lives simple and I do have a career in Construction Management for our most critical projects in Hawai’i that will help me recover, but I have been struggling with health issues due to stress and PTSD from a former traumatizing experience. I am exhausted and unable to rest well and just need to go home and be safe with my family for a while so I can recuperate. I don’t like asking for help but your help will really make a difference and help me get safe. Funds will be used for my most basic needs like food and gas for the rental van I am using for temporary shelter; and my travel costs. I am in need of basic clothing as most of mine were destroyed in the flood. Maybe just a bowl of hot soup to soothe my congestion. And when others help it does make me feel cared about and loved which helps us heal from natural disasters and other bad experiences.
I have deep gratitude for all who brought us donations and supplies so we could survive the immediate aftermath and it will really make a difference if you can just help me get home and spend a little time with family living frugally. My parents are retired on a fixed income and just can’t help that much right now. Any donation amount is deeply appreciated. Mahalos for caring about me and our other small farmers. We are currently threatened with additional flooding and I can’t return safely to my farm anymore. I would also possibly be able to rent a humble room for a night so I can sleep and shower while I try to follow-up with resources for temporary shelter until I can travel to my family and be safe. Anything you can do to help me is gratefully appreciated and will help me feel less anxiety about being displaced.