We are now officially in the rainy season. Some weeks that means puddle jumping around the roads rock to rock attempting not to get your shoes wet (but inevitably mistaking a muddy hole for a rock and showing up to work with a trail of mud). Other weeks that means rain boots are necessary as you could be walking in knee deep water in some sections of Mount Sinai.
In particular we have had two intense storms this month where in just a
couple of hours the streets were flooded. The canal behind our house floods and
inundates homes – neighbors have swum out of their cane houses. Our road
becomes a river with water above our waist and a strong current. Some cane homes
have been completely destroyed. In the second storm I was driving our van,
affectionately named Big Blue, back from the other Rostro de Cristo house in
Duran. At times the water was above the tires and entering the car. Smaller
cars around us stalled out and were either abandoned or pushed along.
Neighbors’ appliances are breaking from water damage – many are bought on
credit and they now are continuing to pay for an appliance (refrigerator,
washing machines, etc) that does not even work. Beds are ruined and thrown out
onto the street. Entire wardrobes are filled with mud and women work for days
hand washing everything again. Random flip flops and pots are swept away by the
river flowing through their homes.
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| Our road...a river |
We have stayed safe and relatively dry – we are fortunate to be situated
high enough that water does not enter our house. I have sat in this feeling of
helplessness and hopelessness as the clear vulnerability of our neighbors is
exploited in the rain. As a foundation we do not give any monetary support
directly to families. While I agree with the value and purpose of our
foundation’s mission, in these past 2 weeks I have struggled so much with being
instead of doing. I want to help, I want to act. All I can do is help my friend
wipe off medicine boxes as she puts back together her pharmacy, or help hang
clothes up and chat while washing with neighbors.
While it has been a difficult month, Monte Sinai is resilient. The
people get back up and keep moving forward, sometimes there is no other reason
than that they have no other option but to fight and continue. I pray to learn
from and embody this same form of resiliency. So, amidst these tragic nights of
rain, there have still been reasons to celebrate during this rainy season:
We celebrated MANY birthdays these past months. A LOT of banana breads
baked!! (a couple photos above)
As mentioned in a previous post, we took advantage of every second of Carnival,
a 3 day national holiday and water fight in February.
While 3 volunteer´s families were visiting Greg, Jimmy, and I went to
the beach to reunite with his Uncle and relax on the beach.
We are in school vacation now! I went to the graduation of one of our
neighbor´s and we celebrated him being at the top of his class.
We celebrated women for International Women´s Day in the center of Guayaquil.
We also celebrated dia de amor y Amistad (Day of love and friendship, or
Valentines Day) with Greg’s family and wings! We saw the Super Bowl together –
unfortunately the only entire football game I have seen this year. We’ve had
two GREAT retreat groups come stay with us, College of Idaho and Fordham
University. And we are working at vacation courses for the kids at our
afterschool program – teaching English, Math etc. and then working in workshops
(I am helping with the bracelet making workshop). It has been a quick and
eventful few months.
Please keep Mount Sinai and the
numerous families affected by flooding in your thoughts and prayers.
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