Irma

“Are you ready for the storm?”  This question has become the new greeting of all of us here in Puerto Rico…and apparently on Facebook.  “Um, yes?”  Irma has been an afterthought for me this past week.  I bought some water, some popcorn, and placed candles where they could be found easily.  But other than that, we Craigs have weathered worse storms in Okinawa worse than this.  But as today has drawn closer, the storm has increased in speed and shifted closer to us.  We’ve moved from tropical storm like winds to possible Cat 5 winds.  I bought more milk, got gas (for my car, Christopher), and extra wipes.

Unlike Okinawa, Puerto Rico’s infrastructure has been neglected in the years of government debt and neglect.  Public utilities are not up to code so we are expecting to not have power and water for a possible three months.  The Puerto Ricans will go to natural springs to gather water for necessities until power is restored.  Those without generators will be grill kings and queens.  The roads will be flooded and without power, the traffic lights will not be working.  For those of you who have ever driven here, you realize what that means.  Mad chaos, horns blaring, and accidents awaiting.

For those of us living on base, we are blessed beyond measure.  We have concrete houses that can weather the winds and rains. We have a neighborhood that will bend over backward to lend a hand, and we will have a generator that will give us power to everything but air conditioning, oven, and our washer/dryer.  Yesterday as I started putting all my outside stuff in, I saw husbands and wives scurrying about doing the same chatting away with each other as they took down, tied down, and carried in outside treasures.  Wives without husbands’ home had volunteers to move plants, bikes, and lawn furniture for them.  My neighbor stormed ready a motorcycle whose owner was already deployed.  It warmed my heart.  Being in the military makes us first responders, so as catastrophes happen and people leave, we stay.  Our spouses often then leave us to tend to the families as they go out and help the community or secure the bases. We become a large family to encourage, help, and listen to each other through each hardship.  I am thankful for that.

So honestly, I am not so much scared about the storm, as I am for this little island’s recovery.  We will lose some creature comforts for a while…like water, doing laundry, showering, cooking in the oven, and air conditioning, but I remind myself that most of the world does not have these comforts either.  We will use camp showers, drink bottled water, and flush our toilets with pool water while grilling our food. Those that do not live on base will not have these amenities.  Pray for them.  I hope that we as a community that are blessed with so much will be able to help those around us who have less.  Pray for those Coasties who have left their families to weather the storm alone in order to save the ship.  Pray for their family’s peace during the storm.  And please pray for Puerto Rico to be able to recover from what Irma leaves behind and that the church will unite to bring aide.

Ps 46: 1-3

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 though hits waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah