Mexican Red Cross helps console, translate for Harvey evacuees at shelters

A group of volunteers from the Mexican Red Cross are helping translate for Spanish speakers who are staying at Houston shelters due to flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

A total of 33 volunteers from across Mexico arrived in Houston late Thursday. First thing Friday, the tired but determined Red Cross volunteers were dispatched to shelters all across Houston.

The volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds -- some of them are paramedics, others school teachers. But all of them are able to understand and speak some English and they've assisted more than 100 evacuees.

“It’s difficult because they want to explain a lot of things... and well we don’t have the fluency in English, but we try our best to try and translate,” said Manuel Berjano, Mexican Red Cross.

One Spanish-speaking man, Caietano Torres, has been at a shelter since Monday and suffers from diabetes. Torres says it wasn’t until today, when he could talk to one of the Mexican Red Cross translators, that he could fully express his symptoms and have his needs addressed.

“They just feel distressed, basically they just need a little bit of comfort telling them you know just relax we'll figure out you can stay here the night we'll give you food,” said Connie Penner, Mexican Red Cross.

The Mexican Red Cross will remain in Houston until their services are no longer needed.