We’ve had unusually heavy rain storms for a solid month. The ground can’t take anymore. This is a regional problem and now the dams in China, Laos and Myanmar are at capacity. Three weeks ago, they released their dams to save their cities and pushed the water down the mighty Mae Kok river into our city. The results were catastrophic.
Many houses were filled to the ceiling of the first floor with the flood. When the waters finally receded a week later, entire houses were packed with mud. This was not ordinary mud. It was all the refuse and sewage of the city mixed together, now inside everyone's home. Such a toxic cleanup!
You can see how demoralized people are from it. Some disasters are met with a huge burst of community spirit and everyone pitches in together to dig out. This one hit differently. Inside your personal space is the smell of death. It’s gross and you feel sick and everyone is up to their own necks in the putrid muck. Unlike a fallen tree or power line, this problem surrounds you on all sides and you attack it day after day. It’s been weeks now and many are still trying to clean out their homes and sanitize them so they can live there again.
Then there is the lack of possessions like bedding, clothing, food and kitchen set ups. It’s been a tough month for our little town here.
Therapeutic Storytelling
This weekend we are going to send our new Medialight students out to interview people who are rebuilding their lives and create photo journal pieces to allow them to tell their stories. So many are still struggling.
Sorry to Hear About Florida and North Carolina
We're sorry to see the devastation that happened in Florida and North Carolina. So happy that they avoided the loss of life experience by North Carolina in their storm.
Storms and last days go together. I think we're all just going to have to soldier through times like these and help each other out the best we can. Thanks for your prayers for our safety and the preservation of our campus. The water came right up to our house but did not come inside.
Thanks again for standing behind us! Tough times never last. Tough people always do, so, let's all hang tough!
Love,
Chuck and Sherry
Share this post