“DOES anyone know we’re here?” asked a young Year 8 boy. He had only been at boarding school for a week and a half. This was probably the first time he had been outside his remote indigenous community.
The strange new world he had recently entered had just been stirred and shaken like never before. It had been a big night for everyone.
“Maybe they’ve forgotten us?” he said. He was reassured that no one would forget us and told that as the bridge was probably under water, it might take a few days for the waters to go down enough for anyone to get to us. Meanwhile we would be alright.
Although we had no electricity and no running water, our generator would soon be working and we would get by. Later on the generator would fail, be repaired and fail again.
With the ingenuity of a good bush mechanic on the job, the generator would get going each time it failed. Each time it took a little longer to start working again, but none of us dared to think what this might mean. We had enough challenges, we were not looking for anymore problems to emerge.
This was Thursday morning (Day 4).
On the previous Monday (Day 1), we kept watching the cyclone forecasts. Cyclone Yasi looked big and big enough to affect us, even if it hit the coast 500km away.
By Tuesday morning (Day 2) we started to swing into action. We had a good look around, but this time we looked differently … (for) anything which might become a missile, any potential danger. Which was the weakest and the strongest of our buildings?
We started to feel uneasy about the path of the cyclone. It was headed north of Cairns, but we wanted to be prepared because cyclones have the habit of behaving erratically as they approach the coast.
The senior students were briefed so that they could assist the staff, just in case.
On Wednesday (Day 3), we moved all of the students into what we considered the three strongest and best protected of the seven dormitories.
The senior students were briefed again. Their help would keep all the boys settled and calm.
It is a wonderful thing to see boys step up to be reliable young men we all know each one has the potential to be.
Last-minute precautions and supplies were put into place and rechecked and by lunchtime the rain came.
Some members of the local community came seeking refuge, “just to be on the safe side”. Offering “sanctuary” is an ancient tradition. In a world that idolises individual self-reliance and achievement, seeking and offering sanctuary reminds us that we really do need one another and that we are never too old to hold hands and stick together.
After dinner, all students were locked down, counted and recounted. The paradox of anticipation, but not knowing what was to come, made the atmosphere in the dormitories almost strangely exciting.
We watched movies until 10pm when the power went out. This sudden lack of distraction meant that the noise of the wind and rain was intensified.
A couple of younger boys were obviously frightened, but everyone stayed calm. Some even slept.
The wind gusts increased in ferocity and then they stopped. After a while, just long enough for most to drop off to sleep thinking that the storm was over, the wind and rain returned with more anger than ever.
Some looked out windows, most remained still.
They sky was a different grey on Thursday (Day 4) morning. While we were all thinking it, no one tempted fate by saying it aloud – no injuries (or worse). All were safe.
We moved carefully, checking for damage, awed by the big trees everywhere. So many of them were not where they were before.
We checked for dangers and kept saying that “this looks worse than it
probably is” as if we wanted to believe it.
We decided to keep the boys locked down until we were sure everything would be as safe as possible. This meant that it would be another 24 hours that we would continue to improvise activities to pass the time.
After dinner we could watch movies together. The challenge to this was the loud noise from the generator. The noise was increasing some people’s stress levels and
made it hard to hear as the generator was in the centre of our lockdown area.
As the movie was nearing its climax, the generator failed. At this moment the inconvenience of the generator’s noise was preferable to the lack of power and water as we made our way to bed.
It is ironic that keeping relatively still for a couple of days made everyone so tired. The boys slept well.
The sun was shining on Friday morning (Day 5). Boys being boys, we knew they had been confined too long so we told them to organise themselves into work details and help clean up the grounds of the college as much as possible.
Once again they were magnificent. Working together in adversity can be a wonderful community -building activity.
Even though many fallen trees were too big to be moved, everything that could be done to repair the grounds was done and our college started to look better.
On Saturday morning (Day 6) we received a visit from the SES co-ordinator. His presence was a sign that “they knew we were here” and that “we were not forgotten”. This raised spirits considerably.
The damage in the local community was much worse than we experienced. Many houses had badly damaged roofs. Our boys volunteered to help out wherever they could.
A modern generator arrived on Saturday evening and power came back on to where it was needed.
More work teams were sent out on Sunday (Day 7). Some groups worked to clean up debris from people’s homes and other groups assisted SES personnel to place tarpaulins on damaged roofs.
New friendships were formed. It really is an ill wind that blows no one no good.
Making new friendships, community building, giving boys the opportunity to realise their potential to be good men are no small things in life. Buildings can be rebuilt, trees and gardens replanted, but opportunities for things that really matter have come as blessings in disguise.
Our regular Sunday-morning worship was moved to late Sunday afternoon and as we had power from our generator, we had the parishioners stay and join us for dinner.
Breaking bread together and sharing our stories, was put into profound context.
By Monday (Day 8) most staff members were back and the weary had a chance to rest while some normality began to resume. Like a good shepherd, our bishop (Bishop Michael Putney of Townsville) came to visit and spent some time just casually walking and talking.
The majority of students had classes until lunch. Some were keen to keep helping out and finish what they had started in the community.
The new generator promised to keep much of our daily operation running and a phone line became functional about 6pm.
The nature of teachers’ work means that they have to be flexible. The coming weeks will no doubt test this flexibility, but the teachers will do what good teachers have always done (whatever they have to, to get the job done and keep the students engaged).
There were many things not spoken in teachers’ college – getting through a category 5 cyclone, a national disaster, was only one of them.
