By Damion Mitchell, Staff Reporter
A section of the house where Mrs. Goode and her family lived in Mt. Lebanus St. Thomas. A part of the house collapsed on May 24.
- Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
IT WAS 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, and Zipporah Goode, 87, of Mt. Lebanus, St. Thomas, had no idea about the source of the evening's meal for herself and her family of six.
Mrs. Goode, the widow of Adolphus Goode, 90, was washed away during the May rains when a section of their house collapsed in the Mount Lebanus River. She says since her husband's death, life for her has become even more difficult.
"I have high blood pressure, heart problem and diabetes and I can't even (afford to) go to the doctor," said the senior citizen, as tears filled her eyes.
BABYSITTING MOM
Beverly Brown, 55, with her hands on her cheek, gazed at the ceiling as her mother related her plight. Brown, unemployed, said she has turned down several jobs, as she has to stay home to care for her mother.
A mother of seven, Brown said she returned to Mount Lebanus two years ago to care for Mr. and Mrs. Goode, as their health deteriorated. Mrs. Goode's other child lives overseas.
Since the disaster, the family, including four grandchildren and her son-in-law, has been living in a two-bedroom house close to their original home. However, they are searching for somewhere of their own.
"The owner for the house is overseas and the agent told us, just the other day, that we have to come out, but we don't know where we going to go," said Mrs. Goode. A section of their original house still stands, but the continued erosion of the banks of the river threatens it.
LITTLE RELIEF FROM AGENCIES
Mrs. Goode said she has received little support from relief agencies since the May 24 disaster, and that her community has not provided much assistance. "Them come and tell we them sorry, but nutten more," she said.
Recently, the welfare committee of the St. Thomas Parish Council gave the family several household items.
Clinton Gordon, secretary/ manager of the St. Thomas Parish Council, said the Council was aware of the family's conditions. However, he said there were several other destitute individuals in the parish who the Council could not further assist due to scarce resources.
Mrs. Goode said her family was considering leasing a piece of land, with the hope that a poor relief organisation would provide a house.
She said she was optimistic that the Lord would provide a way out for her and her family whose lives she describes as "very rough".
