Sorry I haven't posted much the past week and a half. It's been super crazy and hectic with relief efforts and the work we've been doing around ChristChurch, but I will try and update you on what we've been up to:
I returned to CHCH last Sunday and have been staying with the ReChurch pastor, Hamish, and his family since Yo, Neil and Ethan stayed in Queenstown after the family camp weekend. Starting Monday through Saturday, I woke up at 6:30am so we could leave the house by 7 and get to the University of Canterbury campus by 8. At that time, ReChurch staff and other volunteers (some students, some from just around the city, and some from Dunedin) would set up and start making sandwiches. Our sandwich assembly line produced anywhere from 200 - 1,200 sandwiches each day, depending on the need. The first couple of days, we were making food for the student volunteer army, a group of students and younger people that would go out into the city and shovel silt/liquefaction in the streets. There were anywhere between 400-1000 students that were helping out each day. After we were done making food for the army, we would make extra sandwiches to distribute out into the city.
Our attention for food distribution was focused on Aranui, a lower SES area that was hit SUPER hard by the earthquake. I was blown away by the destruction in this area of the city. When we first arrived, it had been almost a week since the earthquake and there were still people who hadn't left their houses since the quake. There were still people that were injured from the quake just sitting and waiting for help. There were people who hadn't really eaten since that day, either. Almost everyone in this suburb didn't have power or water. This did not look like a first-world country to me. With the dust and sewage that stretched across the town, I could not help but weep. Literally. I cried. A lot. Probably didn't help I was overly emotional from the whole experience anyways.
Since last Monday, we have gone back to Aranui every afternoon to deliver food (now hot meals at nights, which have been kindly donated by the salvation army) and to just talk to people in their homes. We started out door knocking, going to every house and making sure people were okay. Taking notes and mental observations of the areas... basically just trying to give them as much as we could and trying to plan on phase two of relief beyond power, water, and food as well. The second half of the week, we still door-knocked, but we also had a van full of food packages in a van that we left at the local park. From there, people could walk up and just collect food parcels. After a few short hours, the van would be scrap empty. Now, after a week and a half, we have more pin-pointed notes on who we still deliver food to. Since most power came back to most people a couple of days ago, people are able to cook and boil their own water. However, there are still 80 people we are bringing food to every night.
I have met some incredible people. It's amazing how close communities and people get when disasters happen. Multiple families living in one location (one house had 30 people living in it) but never once complained about what they did not have, young people so willing to help distribute and guide us to other houses that needed supplies, Lorna (the "Queen" of Aranui) who had the biggest heart of anyone I have met in NZ thus far, Katrina - a young mom that was helping her elderly mother AND delivering food with us, Kelvin - a chef from Lake Tekapo, NZ who came up for a week to help us properly prepare and package food, Kevin and Richard - Two baptist pastors that run a youth center in Aranui and were letting us use their facility to distribute food, some loving elderly couples that gave US food and lemonade (Sprite, to all you Americans) as we were walking around, Michelle - a young university student that lost her two jobs due to the quake and yet still dedicated all her time to organize the two weeks of food distribution, and several other individuals and families that were so friendly and so encouraging and grateful this week. Most people, more than food and water, just wanted to talk and have a friendly conversation. So many people hadn't left their houses, they just wanted to tell their stories to someone... and honestly, I was HONORED to listen to them. These people that have been virtually ignored by the government and council were more loving and supportive and faithful than a lot of people I had met in the aftermaths of the quake.
My heart is still super heavy. I still have nightmares at night and worry every time I feel an aftershock. I am finally sleeping through the night, but not before an hour of anxiety hits me as I lay in bed. However, I cannot deny or forget the ways I have seen God at work in New Zealand. He is softening hearts more than hardening them. He is opening doors for communication and for genuine, honest relationships. He is continually making me more compassionate. He is teaching me how to be more of a leader. Yesterday, I had to lead food distribution on my own, and it went so well... better than I anticipated. He is working so much in me and giving me more confidence that I am here in New Zealand to see more of HIS loving nature because of the love of others toward me and the outpouring to the community. He is opening doors for me to freely talk about the church and the faithfulness of the Lord. This was definitely not how I pictured my internship, but I am so thankful that God's plans always triumph over mine.
For six weeks, ReChurch's sermon series is called "The Remedy". We are using this David Crowder song as the theme. Last week was the first week and it went so well. There were a lot more people there than we predicted there to be, and everyone seemed to be so on board and so encouraged, which was incredible to see. Our venue is destroyed (the movie theater) so we met in a tent behind the ReChurch office... which still needs to be examined by EQC (Earth Quake Commission). As of now, we are going to be meeting in a pub on the other end of town, but pray that ReChurch can find another meeting place for the future.
Pray for Neil and Yo - Although their house is liveable for now, it will eventually need to be torn down and rebuilt because of foundational cracks.
Sorry, this post was really erratic and all over the place... I don't even know if I included everything I wanted to, but I guess it is kind of a reflection of how I feel at the moment. Thanks for sticking with me, praying for me, and most importantly, praying and thinking about CHCH during this time. I can't express my thanks to those who have sent me messages and emails and all the support I am receiving. Love you all. I promise I will try to be better at updating now that relief is slowing down a little!
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