The Power of a Wave

I was out in the field the other day, conducting interviews and gathering information for stories for the next edition of the newsletter that we produce here. It gets sent out monthly to the 49 villages where the Canadian Red Cross works.

I love being out in the field. That’s where I really come alive. There is such a different energy, compared to the office. I love meeting with the people who live in the small, rural villages. Thousands of families have already moved into the houses they have received from us, and are making them into homes. Curtains hang in the windows. Potted plants sit on the front steps. Freshly washed clothing hangs on the line, drying. In the rice fields, mothers, with their young ones in tow, separate the good seeds from the bad ones.

I can’t help but be affected by my interaction with these people. We don’t speak the same language, but somehow we manage short conversations, full of lots of smiles and giggles. It’s the children who have the most effect on me. I visited a couple of classrooms on my latest excursion, where students were learning all about proper hygiene and how to properly dispose of garbage.

They all look at me, wide-eyed when I walk into the room. Some are shy, and are hesitant to make eye contact with the “bule” (it’s pronounced ‘boolay’ and means foreigner in Bahasa). Some just stare, not sure what to make of me. Others chance a small smile. I very quickly work my way into the background as I don’t want to disrupt their class. I’m there as an observer. As quickly as their attention was focused on me, it’s gone, their enthusiasm for the lesson at hand once again taking over.

It’s awesome to see. They are so eager to learn; so eager to try. And they’re having fun doing it. The Environmental Health instructors from the Canadian Red Cross have them up out of their seats, dancing, and singing. Many eagerly raising their hands as high in the air as they can reach, hoping they’ll get picked to answer a question, and go home with a bucket full of goodies; towels, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

At the end of the class, a group photo is taken, and I’m invited to join in. Then we go our separate ways. I may never see these children again. They will likely forget all about me. But I will remember them. Because as they walk away, they turn around, one last time and wave. It’s something that’s repeated as I drive through the villages. People recognize the Canadian Red Cross vehicle, and they smile. And they wave. It’s a small gesture, but it’s a great gift that leaves me feeling upbeat, inspired and grateful to be here. Ah, the power of a wave.

Handing over homes

It was just what I had been hoping for! A bright sunny day with just a few wispy clouds in the sky. It was February 24, 2009, the day the Canadian Red Cross was going to officially hand over 68 homes to villagers in Mata Ie, Calang.

I checked in early with the pilot to make sure nothing would delay the planes bringing our guests to the remote destination, and was given two thumbs up.

The troupe of young dancers was ready, outfitted in their brightest finery, waiting at the archway to the village for the delegation to arrive. Canadian Red Cross Secretary General Conrad Sauvé, and Canadian Ambassador, His Excellency John Holmes, arrived with Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah) and local government officials. Children from the village held on tightly to their puppets, anxious to deliver their show on proper hygiene to the crowd. The marble plaque was signed. A large red symbolic key handed over. The houses were blessed, and tours were given. The day ended with everyone sharing a lunch of goat curry and rice.

This day belonged to the villagers. You see, these people have been through quite the ordeal. Like hundreds of thousands of others, they survived the tsunami of December 26, 2004. Their village though was wiped out and had to be moved, four kilometers inland, further away from the Indian Ocean. Think about that; your entire community having to pick up and move to a new location. A neighbouring village came to the rescue, donating land on which they could settle. You know that old saying about what goes around comes around? Well, the villagers of Mata Ie passed on the graciousness they had received, and in turn, welcomed close to 100 villagers displaced from their own communities.

68 light green houses with the distinctive red roofs of the Canadian Red Cross now sit on these 26 hectares of land. More than 220 people call this village home. They’re proud of their homes. They’re excited about living in them. They can’t thank Canada enough for helping them out in their time of need. Because of that generosity, they haven’t had to worry about where or what they are going to live in. And that has allowed them the freedom to focus on earning a living. Many have returned to their lives as small business owners, farmers and fishermen. It’s a community that is on the verge of thriving once again.

The residents of Mata Ie were impressive in their efforts to make sure this event was a success. They got involved from the beginning, and celebrated long after we had left. And for me, it meant that all of the planning, all of the running around, all of the ‘waking up in the middle of the night’ worrying if it was all going to get done; it was all worth it.

Written by Kathy Mueller