A shanty town discovered
This morning as I was driving my motorbike to one of our projects, I heard someone shouting at me (for me to hear anything on a motorbike is a miracle in itself). It was my housekeeping lady from our hotel and she was trying to ask me where I was going. She then informed me I was near a very poor section of town and if I wanted to find really poor people she would take me there.
We went down a small pathway (and I do mean small) and up to a small lake where we parked our bikes and walked about a quarter of a mile across a small lake. Sitting up on a hill was the beginning of a shanty town made from salvaged metal roofing, cardboard and just about anything usable that was left behind from previous use.
She then told me that her home was in the midst of this little community. I began to venture into some of the homes or make do shelters. Most of the people were fishermen who had survived the typhoon, while there houses had not. I got the suspicion that this had always been a very poor area, but that the typhoon had done its work and made it a true disaster area.
The shanty pictured above is housing eight families and all are living on a dirt floor and some are sleeping on cardboard beds. The roof is actually made from new medal roofing supported by Bamboo poles (the metal was probably provided by the government). The cooking fires were at the back of the shelter and everything else was pretty much in the open. The old man on the right was ill both physically and mentally. It was a desperate situation. I managed to find a couple of homes that we could actually supply new roofing for and did so immediately.
I discovered from my housekeeping friend that thirty families lived in this humble commune. I went out and purchased thirty sacks of rice and had my new found friend distribute it to every family in the commune. I tried to come back and help distribute the rice, but I was causing a minor riot with my presence. Everyone was so desperate, that logic and common sense were not present and desperation produced panic and everyone was in a panic to get to me, to get what it was they perceived I had that they needed. I had to leave immediately.
I did come back later and checked on the new roofs for the two fishermen’s homes and all was well and I was even able to chat with the men. They were ever so grateful and words were not needed to express the appreciation they expressed to me. I wish you could have been present for that part of this story.
This is a view from across the pond looking up at the shanty town. I will go back to this commune tomorrow with my Vietnamese friend Cau and survey the needs for future relief work.
It was an emotional day, but also a day of success with what we came to do here in this section of Da Nang. I’m here representing all of you, so say a prayer for me as I come to the end of my time here. I would appreciate your prayers.
Your man, still glad to be in the field.
Bob
The need just keeps coming
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
