Hi again everyone!
Well I'm here to pass on more theta. I arrived today along with 16 other
Volunteer Ministers to the "base" which is located at Stuyvesant
High School, about 1/4 mile from the disaster site.
I initially spent my time just unpacking food and handing out water.
There were so many volunteers from the Red Cross and Salvation Army too
and it became apparent to me and a couple of others that we needed to do
more!
There was a very large barricade there manned by both Police and Military
and they absolutely refused to let us though. The SO member in charge of
the VM's "snuck" about 5 of us in another way and on the way
we gave out cold drinks to tired rescue workers.
We stayed in the pier area right near the site for awhile, helping to
unload TONS of supplies arriving by boat. Let me just say this - the
amount of generous contributions to this effort are AMAZING! McDonalds,
Outback Steakhouse, Uncle Ben's sent in a huge food truck, Fruit, and
just thousands and thousands of water bottles (I haven't even
mentioned 1% of the food).
There was also tons of free work gloves, respirators (which we all
needed to wear but by the end of the night it just became to cumbersome),
batteries, flashlights, boots and on and on and on.
One thing that particularly touched me was all the handmade peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches and my favorite - the bottles of water
that children had taped notes on saying things like, "You're my
hero, thank you for everything you're doing, Be safe" etc....
From there a couple of us moved right to the disaster site. It was
an unbelievable scene definitely nothing like I actually expected.
It wasn't even upsetting, just very surreal to see the skeleton of
what use to be the towers and just all the rubble.
Anyway, we of course jumped right in and helped by giving out food,
drinks, unpacking etc... Soon thereafter we set-up an area for assists
right there next to the medical area - outside. We put out 3 cots and we
started body routing people in for nerve assists. I had the pleasure of
giving a nerve assist to a very nice but tired gentleman from the PA
Search & Rescue Team and then gave him a locational afterwards. He
was very VGIs. Well we were successfully doing this for quite awhile
until all of a sudden we heard some type of screams and saw this huge
cluster of firefighters and police officers running in our directions
(hundred of them to give you an idea).
Carol (the VM I was working with at the time) and I ran so fast towards
what we later found out was the Morgue and our lives just past by our
eyes (ironically). We were convinced that some building was crashing
down on us.
Actually what had happened was some debris had in fact fallen a little
bit away from us but not right above us and just the sheer act of
everyone running out of there scared us to death!!!
So we start walking back to our cots and some rescue worker had fallen
during the run and was hurt. So immediately we went to comfort him as he
looked very frightened. I got the number for his home and for his office
and starting using my cell phone to inform them of his being injured but
totally fine while Carol kept holding his hand. Keep in mind cell phones
don't work down there like they use to so I had to keep hitting send to
get through so it was crazy!
After that, I moved over to the triage center thinking to myself that
the possibilities of any one of these other structures coming was very
real as none of them were truly intact and stable but I thought "Oh
well! If I'm going to die let me die doing this!" then I stopped
thinking about it.
At this point my adrenaline was speeding and I was doing things in
triage like pulling of wet socks off this guy who'd been up for like 24
hours and getting him dry socks and bigger underwear (no kidding), new
shoes (all from wonderful donations!) and powdering his feet after the
medics handled his blisters. I made sure that we got him food and drink
and supplied him with extra for his colleagues. We had to find batteries
and more medical supplies and on and on. In addition, I heard from
several firefighters that they had just found 25 people alive!!
Now hours later I don't see any of this in the news, so I'm a little bit
worried now that somehow this was wrong or altered data. I definitely
heard some higher up in the Fire department say that they found them all
together and alive so I'M PRAYING that this is accurate and being that
media were NOT allowed down there they just haven't heard yet. I hung
out there for a long time and even saw the "pit" which is
basically all the rubble that the workers were going through and I was
happy that this not enturbulate me but made me just feel proud to be on
this team and helping.
The one thing I truly want to share is that in the 9 hours I spent down
there today NOT ONCE did I see someone angry or upset or downtone. Not
one argument or anything which would be expected at such a sad time and
with so much outruds. EVERYONE was a team!! And I'm proud to report that
everyone appreciated us in the Yellow Shirts! WE were there and we
helped out in everyway we could. This included being in comm with people
and just making them smile!!! I was running the team after our last I/C
had left and afterwards it made me wish I was on staff! The camaraderie
I experienced today is like one I never have before. There were
literally thousands of workers comprised of police, firefighters,
paramedics, electricians, iron workers, sanitation and more and it was
just so great to be there and helping.
Carol and I left together and as we're walking down this big street away
from the site this really nice Salavation Army volunteer offered us food
and water (we looked really dirty and tired) and I accepted some water
and thought how funny to end my day on the other end of the flow.
I'm tired now and please excuse any grammatical or spelling mistakes and
I'm sure I've missed out on a few things but I think this is good for
now and I'll be going back tomorrow.
They were starting to make it more difficult to get in and out of there
but we can do it again!!!
Much love and MUCH THETA,
What can I say. Wow. I was glad to be able to contribute but I have
truly gotten the mass of what has happened here and seen it for myself
and I have to admit - I've had a moment or sadness and a reality
adjustment to be sure.
Just before our trip to ground zero (as it's now called) we had a candle
light vigil outside of the org. Many people in the streets at the
Broadway theatres also were standing outside lending each other a light.
The two people I was with (arrived all the way from Florida) and I,
walked down 46th street with candles lit, and I sang a song appropriate
to the moment. A lady walked up to us and asked us how long the vigil
would be going on for - I looked at her and said 'as long as you decide
to" and she acknowledged me by saying " this is nice."
We created a very theta effect.
Slightly later on, there was a van load of us (about 12) and we drove
down the west side highway (which was eerily empty - with the exception
of the Intrepid with her lights strewn from her mast marking her as the
landmark that she is) and drove past one of the shelters at the Chelsea
Peers. As we got closer to the place where we were going, we trailed a
marked police car to the other rescue vehicles on the way. Many clusters
of people along the way were clapping and cheering us (and others
allowed to help) on.
When we got as far as we could go in the traffic of dump trucks, police
and army vehicles, we all got out and walked the remaining stretch of
highway together down to the high school where the shelter was put for
the relief of the workers that are down there.
I'd like to add, that amongst the Mounties, the army, the police and all
of the other people that were placed along side the road to STOP anything
that was able to be stopped, WE were easily able to glide past them. In
the end, THEY were the one's who told US how to get by THEM. ("Just
say that you're RELIEF") the secret password has been given to
us!
I had a moment of pride, and felt their flow of commradeiere. (Us in our
yellow t-shirts, and them in their green camouflage - deep stuff!)
I took on the hat of "Chick who served dinner" on the hot food
line - and served an army (or two) of fire men, police men, paramedics,
you NAME it -- their dinner. Or breakfast. Who knows!
What I can tell you though - is that everyone there was tired, but glad
to be creating an effect. There were VM's who were brand new and TAUGHT
ME assists that I could deliver before we left for the area, and the
general need and want that I observed today was that they were just
happy to have us there - holding up their space and flowing them theta.
And being in comm.
And so much of them were thanking us -- and we were thanking them -- and
it was all very thankful and appreciative!
I loved it!
Oh, and as a side note, I was very pleased to see the "Mental
health" section empty, and Kumi Kimball's assist cot FULL -- every
single time I had the opportunity to venture away from my post for a
break! It was a beautiful thing!
I have never experienced what I did today - as regards to the kindness,
and generosity, and closeness of all of our separate groups - brought
together.
And pardon me if I "wax sentimental" but, one of my personal
favorite demo's (when done right) is "What is a team." And I
saw one, and got to add my theta flow, and something I am quite good at
(I even sang while serving dinner on occasion by request... yes, it pays
to have a repetoir!) - and witnessed that everyone was doing what they
should be doing, while they were doing it.
This is a truly beautiful thing, and I was glad to be there - and know
that I will sleep like a baby tonight because I helped.
Upon leaving, the flow was returned by people on the side of the streets
- asking us if we wanted water, or Gatorade - passing us gift bags made
by the children of a local Catholic school.
I am truly touched - and especially glad and grateful for those who are
coming to New York from California to help us despite the counter
intention that has demonstrated it's presence.
I thank you and New York thanks you.
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