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Ibu Bule (Mrs. Foreigner)

I wish every Canadian who donated to the Tsunami Reconstruction Project had the opportunity to come here and see first hand the good their money has done.

I was in an Acehnese village recently, where I had the chance to sit down and chat, quite extensively with one family who has been helped by Canadian generosity. We talked about the tsunami, and their tears flowed, but before long everyone was smiling again. You see, Sulaiman and his wife Aizah are so happy with their new house. They’ve made great additions to it, and Aizah is known in the village for her composting ability; skills she was taught through Canadian Red Cross programs.

They love the fact Canadians have built a kindergarten, complete with some pretty colourful playground equipment, in their village. It means their two children, and the third who is on the way, can stay close to home and don’t have to travel to another community to begin their schooling.

The kids are simply adorable. I played with 3 year old Rahmati and 2 year old Rahmat, tickling them and playing peek-a-boo. When it came time to leave, they were waving madly, and blowing me kisses.

The following day, I passed through this same village again, and stopped at this family’s roadside store for some water. Aizah told me her son had been asking about me, wondering where Ibu Bule (Mrs. Foreigner) had gone and when was I coming back.

We, and I mean Canadians, have accomplished good things here. We helped rebuild lives and give hope for the future. I’ve said it before, I feel so fortunate to be here and to be on the receiving end of so many thank-you’s, from both parents and their young ones. The memories I am creating, well, they’re just priceless.

Emotions

It’s an emotional time of year here.

December 26th marks five years since a tsunami came roaring in from the Indian Ocean, leaving in its wake, indescribable death and destruction. Thousands are gathering for a mass prayer here in Banda Aceh that morning. Many of my colleagues will attend, themselves survivors of that deadly day. Others will spend the day in quiet, solitary reflection, remembering with fondness the loved ones they lost.

But it’s also a time to look toward the future. Those who lived through that horrible day are marrying and forming new families. Babies are being born. Children are going to school. Fishermen are again working in the ocean. Markets are teeming with activity.

As Canadians, we can and should be proud of the role we have helped play in this recovery. We have provided hope for a better tomorrow. Not just in concrete terms, like building new houses, but also through something a lot less tangible. We have let the people of Indonesia know they are not alone. We may live on the other side of the world, but we all belong to the same massive global family. And in times of trouble, it is a family that pulls together and becomes even stronger.

The Canadian Red Cross family working here also became stronger over the past five years. We come from all walks of life; from Canada, Nepal, Bosnia, Bangladesh, and many cities and towns across Indonesia itself. There were close to 300 of us here at one point, all pulling together towards one common goal. But now those numbers are dwindling.

December 31st marks the official end of some of our programming in Indonesia. Many of our staff are moving on to new adventures and jobs, or returning home to families who miss them incredibly. It is a sad time. Close bonds have been forged, not only among staff, but also between us and the villagers. Residents in one community now say they live in the “Canadian village”, because they consider themselves part of the Canadian family. We are proud of what we have accomplished, knowing that our efforts will pay dividends in Aceh and Nias for generations to come.

Today, local Red Cross volunteers helped to distribute almost 25,000 kilograms of relief supplies to six of the most remote villages devastated by the earthquake. The distributed supplies include food, blankets, jerry cans, hygiene kits, plastic sheeting and cooking utensils. Some cried with relief. Others shook our hands. Others simply said thank you. They say they are humbled to know that strangers from around the world care about them.

It’s a story that will be repeated. Tomorrow the Red Cross volunteers will be back out again, distributing aid in 4 more villages.

Thursday October 8, 2009

Today a ship arrived, carrying equipment that the Red Cross will use to provide clean drinking water to thousands of earthquake victims. Shelter is also a priority. It’s believed that 200,000 houses were damaged during the quake. The Red Cross is in the process of providing 22,000 families with the tools and materials needed so they can repair their homes, or construct sturdier temporary shelters.

Thanks to the swift and generous response of donors from around the world, earthquake survivors in Padang are getting the supplies and support they need.

It’s going to be months before things return to normal here, particularly in the remote villages – but the Red Cross is committed to helping the people of Padang fully recover. We were here before the earthquake struck – responded immediately after – and will continue to help survivors rebuild their lives in the months ahead.

Wednesday October 7, 2009

Many people are aware Red Cross teams are working around the clock to get physical materials to earthquake victims in Padang, everything from tents and blankets to food and medicine. What you may not know it is the Red Cross is also helping people, particularly children, recover from the emotional trauma they have suffered.

Over the last few days, I’ve talked with parents who say their young ones haven’t spoken a word since the earthquake. Others have babies who now spend the night crying.

Today, a Red Cross team armed with puppets went to one village; their goal to get kids smiling and laughing again. It didn’t take long for the team to be surrounded by children of all ages. The puppets became oversized on their tiny little hands. And the village was soon filled with the laughter and squeals of high-pitched voices.

Mission accomplished.

I met up with a PMI search and rescue team today. We went to the site of a collapsed 3-storey building where crews were again working, for the fourth straight day, on finding a person buried beneath the rubble. Dozens of people gathered around, silently watching the very delicate work. The big claw of the heavy piece of equipment ripped away large pieces of debris, when rescue crews suddenly yelled “stop”. They had found her. A young woman estimated to be in her mid-20’s. Digging with their hands and small shovels, rescue crews, including volunteers from PMI, gently removed this earthquake victim and returned her to her family.

She was one of 28 people pulled from the wreckage at this site alone.

I ask the PMI volunteers why they want to be part of the search and rescue team. They tell me how happy they are when they pull someone alive from the debris. Even when a body is retrieved, they at least feel they are helping to provide some closure to the victim’s family.

The site itself is quiet now. The crowds that had gathered to watch are gone. The heavy equipment moved to another location. The rescue crews head back to their base to await their marching orders. There is little doubt they will again be pressed into action.