The orders that went out to JOTC this Monday has been filed and we started our first distribution of this week today. We are aiming for 1,500 families today in the National Football Stadium in Fort Nationale. Problems always occur here, when planning is not done properly. When we arrived at the Stadium, people were already sitting in the seats. This was not suppose to happen, so there was curve ball #1. The people waited outside ever since 4am and the distribution was not suppose to start until 11am at the earliest. People were all frantically trying to get all the distribution materials ready. A group of Si Guo and Si Bro went and started to dance and sing for the people waiting. It was super hot, over 40 degrees C, it was ridiculous. A huge group of us were outside getting all the plastic recyclable ware ready for all the people. In each bag we needed to put three spoons, a Jing Si Aphorism slip, a plastic bowl, and an accompanied lid. We had to get 1,500 bags ready. It took a while, but we finally finished. We tried to shorten the ceremony a bit due to the ridiculously hot weather. Like always, due to the sun, many people had heat strokes. It is very sad to say, but at every single distribution that is outside, usually a pregnant woman will faint from heat stroke and dehydration. It was not any different today. She was carried out and one of our doctors helped revive her to get well. Her and her baby are doing fine right now. At least we always have a medical team on staff at each distribution for any mishaps during the ceremonies. We started to distribute and people were very impatient. It took us a long while before the lines could form. I understand where the people are coming from. It is super hot and they want to make sure they get their stuff. It took us about 3 to 4 hours total to distribute all the goods, which is wayyyyy longer than normal. Many people, by the time they get to the goods, look like they are about to faint. I was very worried for all their well-beings.
The Peruvian troops were really great. Even when two people cannot communicate we still find a way to connect. They speak Spanish and I was trying to use my broken Spanish to communicate with them, it was quite funny. It is very funny. I could understand more Spanish than I speak it and it is the same thing for them when it comes to English. So you will see Peruvian peacekeepers speaking to me in Spanish and with me answering them back in English. The conversation still flows, it is pretty awesome. They were very professional and it was a great experience. I look forward to working with them for the rest of the week.
Today was super hot; so many Si Guo and Si Bro had heat strokes. Many people came back to the OECC compound around 3pm, when the distribution was over, to rest up. I was feeling okay, so I went to see a couple more possible distribution sites after the initial distribution this morning. We also had three different organizations come to the OECC compound to give us their list of families and to receive vouchers for possible distributions. So the order of how a distribution can happen goes something like this:
1. Received a cover letter of a specific organization that is asking for assistance with aid.
2. Need a list with all the families’ names and the number of people in each family. We need the exact numbers of names to match the exact number of families. One person represents one family to receive aid.
3. We need to visit the sites to make sure that the papers are telling the truth. We want to believe everyone, but sadly, some people do manipulate and lie.
4. Either the people come to OECC or the stadium to pick up their vouchers to distribute to the people before the actual distribution date. The vouchers need to be signed by the person who is responsible and have the organization’s stamp on it. Without that information, the people cannot get in.
5. People arrive at the Stadium for the mass distribution.
I look forward to tomorrow’s distribution. Hopefully the weather will be cooler and the people will arrive a little bit later than today.
No comments:
Post a Comment