Padang Operations Journal

Friends,

Although I'm aware that the Padang Earthquake Emergency has fallen off the news cycle, we remain here at the crossroads of the surfing world continuing our work.

The latest news...

• We were invited to join the local non-profits here for a recent mission up into devistated Pariaman District. KOGAMI, Padang's Earthquake/Tsunami awareness organization, IDEP and the GREEN SCHOOL all contributed with supplies and support.

• Patra Dewi, David Lupo, Tony Litwak and I headed into worst hit area and rolled up our sleeves. With the kits donated by IDEP, we were able to shelter a number of families who are still living under the stars in miserable conditions.

• Our biggest job came when David announced we were going clear all the rubble and wreckage off a house foundation, recycle what usable material we could, and rebuild a basic new tarp home for them.
  

• The whole community pitched in. It was like an Amish Barn building, where everyone worked one place one day and then at another house the next.

• We were also able to treat a few injuries in between the sweltering work of clearing rubble under the equatorial sun.

• I know that I will never forget the sight as we pulled away in the dark, of the families continuing to work by the light of the Glowsticks we gave them.

...These are a remarkably resilient people.

• Little Julia, the 10 year old whose house we were rebuilding, was home alone when the earthquake hit, and became the hero of the village by finding and grabbing her younger siblings, then dragging them out of the house just as it collapsed into oblivion.

Funny how amidst disaster, mankind is often at it's best.

So...of course we would like to ask for your continued support. Every dime helps.
Imagine yourself in this situation...and then donate at LastMileOperations.org and we'll take it from there.

Be well, count your blessings, and appreciate the roof over your head.

Onward,
~Matt