Field Letters
"My story from the front line"
by Daniel Bruce., TOP team member
I'm doing well as is the team. We just completed our first
few days in the field and now have a moment to take stock,
debrief and prepare for the next day. In just a short period
of time we have done a lot and made good contacts with organizations
in charge of the survivors.
Moving 9 people from place to place is a big deal, I was
so glad when we finally reached our destination. We are headquartered
in Khao Lak which is a little north of Phuket. Despite the
military's attempt at cleaning it up there are still lots
of areas that look like they did one day after the 'wave'.
It doesn't compare to Banda Achee but it is still impressive,
the extent of damage.
The displaced people are in 'camps', where temporary housing
is being constructed as fast as possible. We drive to the
camps in the morning and split up into teams with an interpreter.
We either visit people in there 'homes' especially those that
are still in 'freeze' and shock mode. While the other teams
stay at a centrally located area just outside the camp and
treat people who can get there.
We are able to do exactly what we are trained to do; the
challenge is always the interpretation. So far we've been
blessed with good translators. We listen to the stories and
force back tears and hold a hand. The translators are blown
away at what transpire in a relatively short period of time.
They watch the people transform in front of their very eyes.
I am so moved by the value and power of this work and the
sacred connection it engenders. That connection heals. We
all felt so good after our first day, everything we went through
to get here was validated in that moment. For those of you
that have been present to a birth or a death the feeling that
arises at that moment is what is happening in the sessions,
it's just amazing.
As word gets out we are being asked to show up at more places.
We have gone to a school where some of the children have either
lost one or both parents. I went that morning to help out.
One of our members who works with children had them draw pictures;
happy, sad, fearful, whatever captured there attention. My
job was to see what was being drawn and to see how the children
were handling it. Then I would sit down with one and process
her through it. A 10 year old by the name of Sunida talked
about how she felt warmth in her heart but missed her mother.
I spent more time with her processing her sadness and later
she made a point of finding me to say goodbye and show me
her new gift. It was another one of those precious moments
of connection.
When we don't go to the field we're busy processing and debriefing
our encounters and our personal reactions to the grief and
loss. Fortunately the team is very supportive.
We are now creating mini training models to pass this on
to teachers, monks and mental health professionals.
You might have read some articles about 'ghost' sightings.
Well it's a big concern here. More on that later.
I will close for now. Thank you for your support, I do feel
it.
Peace, Daniel
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