Sporadic Internet

Due to having sporadic internet in our home due to the storm, and being very behind in work as well and trying to play catch-up; I realized that I am also behind in updating my blog.

We arrived home Sunday evening around 5:30 p.m. from our hotel hold up with the team of architects in the camp and working along. We left Palmar Norte before noon when we got a tip from the Transit Police that they would be opening one of the highways at 2 p.m. We decided that we would wait in line for the road to open up as many of the truckers were loading up and heading out. We drove about 35 km. and sat for very long periods of time watching dump trucks and back hoes in the distance up ahead in one lane continue to clear debris and large mounds of dirt. When I just about thought I couldn't handle the heat anymore and sweat was pouring off Ken's brow, a policeman came and shouted to us, "pase pequenos vehiculos" meaning that small vehicles were allowed to pull around the 18-wheelers and pass through. What we found up ahead that was holding up traffic was easily a two-story pile of dirt in the oncoming lane with the back hoe driven up the side of it removing dirt and loading it into the dump trucks. We saw roads, power lines and bridges (which were now somewhat repaired for usage) washed out into rivers. Travel was slow at 10 m.p.h. We had to drive through one of the hardest hit areas, Parrita, and as I looked from side to side of house-lined roads I began to tear up. It seemed as though everything that anyone owned was up at the road for the trash men to pick up; clothing, furniture, refrigerators, baby equipment. There were several water trucks and people lined up with any kind of clean container that they could find to fill. There were TV crews interviewing and photographing the devastation. The people looked dazed, tired and frustrated. As we entered the center of town where there was an obvious business district, store owners were sweeping water and mud from their buildings and we heard the sound of cans shaking from the middle and sides of the street before us begging for monetary donations.

Traveling home was emotional. We were saddened, but happy. Before us was an obvious reminder; He is coming again. Lord, let it be soon!