After a while we were able to get clearance to go around to other streets and help start the clean up of silt. Those of us who didn't have any equipment settled for more door knocking. The community was thrilled to see us. They practically through the shovels at us and came around giving us food. They handed out anything from apples, cookies, pizza, and yes I was offered a case of beer. Well I was offered to take four cases to be exact, but who keeps track really? My group decided to join forces with another and head down another street. We worked straight through lunch until 3:00pm. We helped a family who had there entire yard submerged in silt. We spent about two hours there until we were able to get a Caterpillar in. We went across the street and helped an elderly lady who had a mother who was confined to a wheel chair. She was unable to use the ramp due to the silt on and around it. Every time we started one job, we had other members of the community come and ask us for help. One family had offered to pay us, but in all honesty there was no way we could have taken it. We were there to help and enjoyed doing it.
As we worked our way back to the main base area the other workers had already and lunch and were working hard. There were piles and piles of silt on the pavement. As my group sat and had our lunch, there was an elderly lady who came out and gave a speech. She called us heroes and legends. There were hundreds of us who had put all of our things to the side and helped out an innocent community. It was so rewarding to see the joy on these peoples faces.
Today was much different than yesterday. The streets weren't as bad as the one we has worked on previously. But it was still in very bad shape. We cleaned out peoples yards, garages and even gutters. Later that afternoon we all headed down to another street. This site was quite different as well. It was so interesting to see that one persons yard was completely trashed by the silt, but there neighbor didn't have a single trace of it.
Being that my luck for the day was working out quite well, my group had found a yard that had an abandoned pool in the back yard. And you can guess that the entire pool was completely filled with liquefaction. Ahh how lovely. So we pretty much said every word in the book and started digging. We had a total of four wheel barrows and 30 people working on this one site. Through the process the had to say goodbye to two wheelbarrows and half of the people who had come lost their desire. We shoveled and filled one wheelbarrow after another it was a constant flow of work until 5:30pm. We were still no where close to being done. However, the dining halls close at 7 and we still had to pack up our equipment and head back. We had called it a day and headed back to campus.
After we had dinner, the school announced that classes would not resume until March 14th! We still had basically two weeks to kick back. But of course they had a plan. The school and offered to take us on a two week tour of the south island. They would pay for the buses but we had to fit the cost of accommodation and food plus the cost of the activities we wanted to do. I'm thinking I might take them up on this great offer. They are not going to lengthen the semester or shorten our Easter break, but the classes are supposed to be very condensed. It may be my last opportunity to really travel. The school will be housing embalmers and crematory's on campus tonight. On Sunday they plan to bring in about 150 police officers to put up. It will be an eventful weekend.
Overall it was another proactive day. We accomplished a great deal and touched soo many lives. We had all been called "living legends" from everyone in the community. I can say that I feel soo proud to help out in the effort of this earthquake. Many people don't truly realize the severity of it or the damage it has caused thousands. People may see it on the news and say, "oh how horrible". But the irony of it all, is that they go right back to what they were doing before....nothing. Thousands of people need an extra set of hands to help them ease the sweat of their brow. Let us unite and make a difference. Even if you are across the world you can lend a hand, you just have to ask how. But will you? Please do not be too proud to make a difference in your community. There are numerous helpless people who need a lending hand.
Looking back on today, I have to say it was a huge success. We had hundreds of students out in the rain helping innocent families restore their lives and their faith. There is no doubt in my mind that I would be willing to take home a handful of blisters and calluses just to help lift the burden these people face. Homes are having to boil water to drink, they cannot shower or even flush a toilet. They are out there everyday breaking a sweat to restore their lives, but cant even go inside and wash up after a hard days work. So please, the next time you are able to have access to water, think of the hundreds of thousands of people who cannot have that luxury.
"Today can be a healthy unusual day for you -- and for others -- if you take time to give someone a smile . . . to express a word of kindness . . . to lend a helping hand to someone in need . . . to write a note of gratitude . . . to give a word of encouragement to someone who is temporarily overcome with problems . . . to share a portion of your material possessions with others.”
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