I received an e-mail message to Luis Fernando, sent by a friend in common. It is a remarkable story about what happened in Santa Catarina.
"My friends,
Today November 27, 2008 the sun came out and got back to work. Despite the jokes and witty comments on the normal "forced off" the truth is that I never felt so happy to return to work. Not only the work by the institution and by the ease of having nowhere to earn a living, but also because it is a sign that life is returning to normal here in our Itajaí.
The photos circulating on the Internet and news programs now give us the clear pictures of everything that happens then I will not extend narrating and describing the scenes being viewed these days. All of you already know by heart. I really want to talk about lessons learned.
Even though theories thousand in the readings and talk about it is still surprising to witness a tragedy of this magnitude can bring out the human being the noblest sentiments and their most primitive instincts. The scenes and situations encountered in this long weekend in Itajaí made us cry with joy, anger, sadness and helplessness. They made us lose faith in the human being in seconds, to retrieve it the next. He made us see that when someone will take advantage of misfortune, but it is also easier to start again when all hold hands.
What higher authority that each believes (God, Allah, Buddha, GAOTU etc..) And so that each one imagines that has mercy on those:
- If you used the situation to make withdrawals at supermarkets, mostly leading drinks and cigarettes
- What looted a pharmacy taking prescription drugs, equipment and safe and destroying the basic necessities that were and the physical structure of the same.
- Who asked for 5 dollars a quart of mineral water.
- What were asking 150 dollars a gas canister.
- What have been asking for donations of food and water in dry areas to sell in the flooded areas.
- What were eating and get clothes in sorting centers even if they had their houses damaged.
- What people expected out of their homes to steal what was left.
- What did people sleep on roofs and slabs with cold and hunger to not have their homes looted.
- What did not feel concern for anyone, something is wrong with your heart.
- That simply have pretended that nothing happened, because they are in dry areas.
Similarly, that same entity superior bless:
- Those who responded to the call on the radio and have appeared on Sunday at the fire station to help in any way.
- Firefighters who were patient with us in the quarter to instruct us and guide us in the activities that we develop.
- The class of boats, the owners of the motorboat fisheries weekend that quickly brought their boats on their trailers and have made much difference.
- The launch team, people who looked sensational that we knew of a lifetime.
- To the soldiers of the army of Parana and Rio Grande do Sul
- To the brave gauchos, often victims of our games that brought trucks and trucks of supplies.
- To the cadets of the Academy of Military Police who have behaved in training with veterans.
- At local Firefighters and Police Officers who rescued, cared for, guided and helped in every way, often with their own houses under the water.
- For Physicians Volunteers.
- At Volunteer nurses.
- To the firefighters who worked the Paraná shoulder to shoulder with ours.
- To the Helicopter Air Force and Army that made the rescue in places of difficult access.
- At tireless SAMU ambulances and in general have not had time even to breathe.
- The staff of the Military Police Helicopter of Sao Paulo, which showed that the long arm of solidarity.
- The staff of the radios that kept the public informed and maintained the hope of those who were alone at home.
- Students who have lent their people to load and unload trucks in sorting centers.
- To the people who cooked for thousands of strangers.
- The entrepreneur who is not identified and handed over a thousand marmitex the center.
- To all who donated even just a piece of clothing.
- To all who served even a glass of water to those who needed.
- To everyone who prayed for everyone.
- In all of Brazil, who mourned our dead and our losses.
- To the new friends I made in the sorting center on Monday.
- To all those who called me concerned about us.
- To all those who still care for someone.
- To all those who have done something, but I did not know or forgot.
Some years ago a great flood in Argentina an anonymous wrote this:
START AGAIN
I was afraid of the dark
Until the night is long and have no light
I could not stand the cold easily
To spend the night in a wet slab
I was afraid of the dead
To have to sleep in a graveyard
I had who was rejected by the Buenos Aires
So they gave me shelter and food
I had an aversion to Jews
To give medicine to my children
I loved to show my new jacket
So give it to a boy with hypothermia
I carefully chose my food
Until I was hungry
I suspected the dark skin
Until a strong arm me out of the water
I thought I had seen a lot
To see my people wandering aimlessly through the streets
I did not like my neighbor's dog
Until that night I hear you whine till you drown
I do not remember the elderly
To participate in the rescue
I could not cook
Until it in front of a pot of rice and hungry children
I thought my house was more important than the other
To see all covered by the waters
I was proud of my name and surname
Until we all become anonymous beings
I do not listen to the radio
So be it that kept my energy
I challenged the students mess
Until them, the hundreds, I have extended their hands in solidarity
I had absolute assurance that they would be my next years
Now not so much
I lived in a community with a political class
But now I hope that the tide has taken away
I do not remember the name of all states
Now I keep each one in the heart
I had a good memory
Maybe that's why I do not remember everyone
But I will anyway I have left of life to thank all
I did not know you
Now you are my brother
We had a river
Now we are part of it
It's morning, the sun has gone out and does so cold
Thank God
Let's start over.
Anonymous
It's time to start, and maybe it's time to start not only materially. Maybe it's a good chance to be reborn, to reinvent itself and grow as human beings.
At least that's my time, I believe.
May God bless you all.
Luis Fernando Gigena "
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