Tsunami Stuff

This past week was amazing. It was a trip that combined Campus Crusaders from universities all over the U.S. with Crusaders from universities from all over Thailand. The combination was incredible. This was why I came to Thailand. This week represents what I love about being in places like this. It was truly amazing.

There were more than 300 of us, American, Thai, and a smattering of other nationalities. We broke into three major teams and various subteams. The three teams went to three different locations. One team went to an island that had been completely destroyed by the tsunami. They spent the week clearing debris and doing whatever they could to help the villagers who were displaced from the island by the waves. Another team worked within a fishing village on the mainland, clearing debris, repairing houses, and doing whatever the villagers needed. The team that I was on worked alongside a tribe of sea gypsies to building a village from the ground up. They had nothing left to even salvage after the waves, so the village that we worked at was being built from scratch. My meanial job was to run the skill saw. I spent most of my time measuring and cutting siding boards. I really enjoyed it though.

We didn't get as much done as I would have liked to. When we first got there things were pretty unorganized and communication was a little difficult, but soon we got a system going and communication improved. Even at the beginning when the foreigners and the Thai were learning to work together and struggling a lttle with communication, everyone was incredibly patient and kind. Watching everyone work together was great.

One day, work was cut short because of another tsunami scare. Apparently there was another earthquake in Indonesia. Somebody phoned the info down to us on the site and everyone headed for the busses and headed out. When one of my team members told me about it, I laughed, rolled my eyes at her and kept working. I totally thought that she was just being stupid. Then I saw everyone running, and I figured that I should follow so that I at least had a ride back to where we were staying. The scare was nothing more than a scare, and I know it happens down there all the time now. Most of us weren't bothered about it, but a few people were a little shaken.

The tribe itself was living in tents and temporary housing constructed from various peices of debris in an area a little ways from our worksite. We were able to spend time with them after work on several of the days. The people there were so gracious in recieving us into whatever form of home they had. I felt like I really made friends with one family in the village. I definately had an opportunity to work on my Thai language skills. I loved using as much of the language as I could. We really wanted to let them know that we care, and that God cares. I hope we were able to show them the kind of love and hope that they need right now.

It was so good to be back in the same area where I was right after the waves hit. It was good to see improvement. It was good to see rebuilding, to see new life spring up where in December I had seen the worst death and destruction of my life.

Honestly, this is what I came to Thailand for. This is why I will be sad to leave. Doing things like what we did in the south is where my heart is. I just wish that I had been able to hook up with an organization like Campus Crusade for Christ earlier in my time here. Who knows what the future holds though. Who knows where else I will go and what else I will be able to be part of. God knows.