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Changes of Tsunami: A Journey to Thailand (cont.)
by Christine Creel
Page Three
I have mixed emotions about today. It touches on polar opposites of the aspect of life. This morning about 10 of us went to a remote village that was completely flattened by the tsunami. The villagers are working diligently to rebuild their homes. The culture here is a very proud culture that has much dignity in what they so and how they live. They are currently living in tents and temporary plywood structures. The toilet is a hole in the ground - for those of you that have seen these before, you know what I am talking about. For those that haven't, ask me if you really want to know. They have 31 homes to build. I learned how to mix cement today. This is a skill I can bring back to the
USA
with me now and construct a brick mailbox. We assisted in nailing the floors, setting cement posts, etc. My back and arms will definitely be sore in about 36 hours. We will return tomorrow morning at
9am
. And work until there isn't anything left to do for the day. There is only so much we can do at one time. Supplies are short.
They work together to build each home. Very simple and not in competition with each other for who has a bigger house or more things. They are resilient and will overcome this challenge as they overcome others. They work barefoot or in flip-flops, no gloves, one saw, one wheel burrow. WE would mix the cement in four big tubs, carrying the dirt and rocks to the tubs in little plastic baskets. Once the cement was ready, we would fill bucket upon bucket and carry them across the road to the current house being built to dump them in the posthole. There are probably 30 villagers working.
We did get a list of things they need in order to build the homes. Gloves, work boots, circular saw, hammers, drills, etc. Since there is no Home Depot, we will be organizing how to get supplies for these people and take what we can find in stock. This experience was the signs of hope, cooperation, resilience, courage, endurance, pride, new beginnings. A rebirth of their livelihood and community.
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Christine and others mix cement without the luxuries of motorized mixers , and then carried it via buckets to awaiting local homebuilders.
~ photo by John Moretti
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Khao Lak Sunset Resort: the once-lavish pool area now completely devastated. Many lives were lost at this and other nearby resorts
~ photo by John Moretti
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When our jobs were complete there, we headed home and stopped at a couple of tsunami devastation areas. They community that we went in has not been helped by the government and the community is apparently responsible for cleaning it themselves - at least for now. The pictures are the best description that I can send once I am back in the states. Guards stand guard through out the area to protect people from stealing bodies from this area. There is a $100 payment per body brought to the morgue if it is a family member. The way the bodies look, it is nearly impossible to tell who would be who. Leaving this area we continued back to the base camp and stopped to see a military ship that was washes up against the mountains, a good 25-minute walk from the shoreline. The rubble and the wiped out areas are not comprehensible. We can see where the vegetation has been ripped out of the ground, debris in trees, cars opened up like a can opener.
Unbelievable.
We finally made it back to camp. John (my travel companion) and I decided to go down the road from camp about a mile and take some pictures of the shoreline over looking a beachfront property. There was sign at the entrance to the Sunset Resort advertising rooms for 1000 baht (roughly $25. A different hotel just down the road cost about $200 regularly so I imagine this one should be close to the same. After being in the humid weather with mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds we thought we'd look into it. We drove
down the drive and went inside.
The front the hotel looked very nice, clean and inviting. The gentleman sitting at the front said that the hotel wasn't opened and would reopen in March/April. Being a little disappointed we asked if we could look around. I had no idea what I was in for. I have no words to describe to you what I saw and felt. I thought I had seen devastation until this moment. From the edge of the lobby I could overlook the ocean and what used to be the hotel. I gasped from shock, my heart sank and my eyes filled with tears. We were able to walk amongst the destruction and see things and feel things that people shouldn't see. I don't know how anyone could experience what I experienced today and not lose control of emotions. As the sun sets, I stood on the edge of the ocean - which I have always associated with peace, serenity, and beauty - with the waves gently breaking over my feet and the sand slipping out from under my toes, the rush of emotions of what has happened in this very spot was unbearable. I stood at the line in-between one of the most sought after vacation spots, feeling the rhythmic, calming, enlightening energy on one side of me and the tragic, horrifying, burial ground of others from behind me.
~ photo by John Moretti
Some of you have asked for me to share my experiences with you, good and bad, no matter what. I could never have prepared myself for today. I will not share any details here. I will save this for a personal conversation for a different time if you'd like to know.
The sunrises tomorrow and we will be back at the village to continue working in the community to provide permanent shelter. Another moment in time that brought tears to my eyes - as we were driving in to a beach area to survey for clean up, the driver of our caravan stopped to ask some of the locals a question. It apparently was break time for them as they were eating. Several of the locals picked up bowls of food and brought to us in the back of a truck. These people have no homes and they are welcoming us into the community with their only gift to give - their food. Few times have tears filled my eyes on this trip and this is one of them. These are truly amazing people.
God bless.
Love, Christine
There will be more to come...
Page Four
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