Beauty in the Mess
It’s been two nights now since the storms that hit Brisbane. The whole city has been declared a natural disaster area and the army has been bought in to help with the clean up. Tens of thousands of homes are still without power and some residents are being asked to boil their water. Miraculously the death toll remains at 1.
What’s really amazing about this mess is the way the city has pulled together. This morning I was listening to the radio whilst the announcer asked for as many people as possible to help. Some people rang up offering to house whole families in their homes, others were willing to donate trucks full of pies or offer their services as a crane driver. Literally thousands of volunteers are descending upon the worst hit suburbs to offer whatever help they can.
Many neighbours are meeting each other for the first time as the sound of chainsaws fills the suburbs. When I left for work this morning people were out in the rain continuing to clean up the debris that litters the road. This storm (and the threat of more coming) has given the community a common talking point, and a common goal.
I don’t know why it takes something terrible to create something beautiful, but my faith in humanity has been greatly improved. On Sunday, when were were trying to make our way home, and cars where taking turns to drive on the only remaining lane around one section of flooding, one of my passengers remarked on how beautiful it was that we were all sharing and that perhaps we should pray for disaster more often.
All that being said, I think I am ready for the rain to stop now…
