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"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars."
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Life here can be sobering, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Days post quake are incredibly random and surprisingly low stress. On any given day I will be doing anything from teaching to clearing rubble to feeding kids. Recently we've befriended a group of soldiers stationed here who come visit us a few times a week. Just yesterday ten of them came to do a lunch swap with our timoun from the neighborhood program. They brought MREs and we fed everyone rice and beans. It's ridiculous though because a lot of them are only 18 or 19... that's five years younger than me. Yikes.
We have groups of people translating at Food for the Poor, bagging food at the Sisters of Charity, a translating and working in a hospital in PaP, excavating and collecting church documents a collapsed cathedral and the archbishop's house in PaP, and translating, working in, and writing documents for a step down hospital at a seminary/clinic down the road. The stories that they bring back are incredible.
Two days ago, I had to go to the seminary to help paint temporary grave markers for the archbishop and vicar general of P au P, Wednesday I got to feed and play with our kids from the neighborhood program, and Tuesday I was sent up to the papal nuncio's house to help cook for and socialize with about 40 relief doctors and journalist.
As for the school, we are up to about 250 students during the week and down to 30 who still don't have anywhere to go during the weekends. We have six classes a day, and many professors are coming back. As of right now, we're not using one of our buildings which has six classrooms and boys dorms because the nonsupporting walls have cracks and we don't want to scare the kids. About six groups of engineers and architects have cleared the building and labeled it structurally sound, but we don't want to scare the kids. So, we're working on ideas for temporary outside classrooms once our numbers get back to normal.
We have groups of people translating at Food for the Poor, bagging food at the Sisters of Charity, a translating and working in a hospital in PaP, excavating and collecting church documents a collapsed cathedral and the archbishop's house in PaP, and translating, working in, and writing documents for a step down hospital at a seminary/clinic down the road. The stories that they bring back are incredible.
Two days ago, I had to go to the seminary to help paint temporary grave markers for the archbishop and vicar general of P au P, Wednesday I got to feed and play with our kids from the neighborhood program, and Tuesday I was sent up to the papal nuncio's house to help cook for and socialize with about 40 relief doctors and journalist.
As for the school, we are up to about 250 students during the week and down to 30 who still don't have anywhere to go during the weekends. We have six classes a day, and many professors are coming back. As of right now, we're not using one of our buildings which has six classrooms and boys dorms because the nonsupporting walls have cracks and we don't want to scare the kids. About six groups of engineers and architects have cleared the building and labeled it structurally sound, but we don't want to scare the kids. So, we're working on ideas for temporary outside classrooms once our numbers get back to normal.
God speed!!
ReplyDeleteso nice hearing a 'blow-by-blow' account of activities:)
Kristen,
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that you are OK and are having the experience that you are having. You work means a lots to the people there.
You never thought that your calligraphy would be used like a grave marker. Strange how GOD's plans for us manifest themselves.
Stay well, and you are in my prayers, Tom Floyd