So today is the opening day of the great 4-H Center/Washington County Farm Park Corn Maze. It's been quite an ordeal getting it together, and while I would normally call it a disaster, I don't think it's the right time to be throwing that term around lightly.
This morning, Sam and I were talking about the maze and what's been going on, and both of us said that it's been difficult to see what's going on in NO and still have any concern for what we're doing here...there's just too much of a disconnect between what we see and hear on the news and what we're actually experiencing here. It's hard to feel any concern or urgency for anything else right now. As a result...I think we're going to offer all the beds and living space in our camp cabins as shelter for refugees. The offer has been made to the local emergency personnel, if anything comes of it I'm certain we can rally support for food & volunteer work (for preparing & serving, etc.) from the local community. If we can provide the space, I think there are people who will provide manpower and consumable resources. I'll keep you all updated on how that goes.
Edited to add: RL Burnside died today. Not hurricane related, but still sad. Another blues legend gone.
8 years ago
1 comment:
You are so right about the disconnect with day to day living for most of us.
How wonderful to be able to make the offer you are making-and you for thinking of it! I hope the community responds as they should and can react with compassion and understanding if they find themselves hosting victims who fail to conduct themselves as expected (grateful, meek, "plucky" and stalwart).
I know it is not your job and it would be far and above the call of duty but is there any way that you could call on social workers and the ministers of the community to put together a training that can help prepare volunteers and the community at large for some of what they will be faced with if there are refugees there?
The folks who most need help are, for the most part, a rough bunch hardened by generations of being used and abused. Now they are severely traumatized by a natural disaster of epic proportions and what they no doubt perceive as a massive failure of humanity to come to their aid until too late. Sad, sad, sad! These are going to be already hardened folks, now severely traumatized - how will they ever integrate back into "normal" society?
Just like an abused animal does when first faced with sympathy or kindness, these folks may very well "bite the hand that feeds them", both figuratively and literally, when they are "taken in"! Most well-meaning people are not prepared for that.
Think I will suggest to Mike that he address this issue from the pulpit at some point.
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