Tuesday November 3, 2009--Any temporary duty assignment assumes its own unique version of normalcy. The passage of time is perceived differently. It’s a strange form of bipolar disorder to think in two different time zones simultaneously. My work days in American Samoa are somewhat longer than at home. I wake up hearing the roosters, really, and am showered and downstairs at 6 to boil water. French press. Espresso. That’s breakfast to me. Yogurt is rare on the island, and milk, from New Zealand, is not always available. My first work hour is email with coffee. Home is now 5 hours ahead so it’s late morning for you by the time I read your overnight messages.

Click here to donate to the Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response in American Samoa.  

Today began in earnest with a meeting with the Director and contract manager from the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs. We are evaluating whether Catholic Social Services should participate in homeless prevention and rapid re-housing services for the island. In August this was a manageable problem. Then a few thousand jobs were lost when Chicken of the Sea closed the cannery. Then the tsunami displaced hundreds more from homes and jobs. The problem is now past manageable.

The VOAD meeting, including over 25 different agencies, kicked off at 10. The establishment of the Long Term Recovery Committee was announced. A representative of the government presented the National Emergency Grant jobs program for unemployed persons in debris removal, restoration, and humanitarian work. 

Rev Rueben Alo & I slipped from the meeting to go to the port. We met two shipping containers and walked them through customs. The maintenance of the supply chain is a job in itself, with tenacious people at both ends checking the progress at every milestone. My role in this is mercifully brief as Andreya Matau, with Rev Reuben, takes receipt of the next shipments.

Our focus returned to CSS grant writing for the next few hours. A diocesan team & I will brief Bishop Weitzel tomorrow about the proposed homeless grant. 

And now I’m already running out of time. We still have to inspect the incoming containers when they’re delivered to the VOAD compound. I’ll attend the 1st LTRC meeting. I’ll work with Cecilia on her agency long term plan. Then I’ll be gone. But these are wonderful, compassionate and capable people here, and now they are friends. We have already agreed to maintain our conversations about our shared concerns and goals. Global communication isn’t such a big deal after all. 

I depart Thursday around midnight. After a layover, I fly from Honolulu to Dallas to Baton Rouge, arriving Saturday morning. Just in time for the Bama game.

I’ll see you at work Monday. Thanks for your prayers…Todd 

October 30, 2009--It’s 5pm Friday (11pm in Baton Rouge). Mass has just started in the cathedral. The choir of voices is rich and harmonious, even muted by the warm wet breeze. Astonishingly, the Samoans also sing with great texture and joy at the 6am mass, too. The campus of the Diocese of Samoa--Pago Pago is similar to Baton Rouge, with the addition of the Cathedral. There are meeting halls and classrooms, Chancery offices, retreat center, and the Catholic Social Services office. As in the days of the Marrioneaux wing (@ BR CLC), CSS offices are clustered in former bedrooms of the retreat center. The offices have a little fridge and a big coffeepot—conveniently echoing my priorities. 

Click here to donate to the Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response in American Samoa. 

The main precaution is to boil water, or use bottled water, for drinking, brushing teeth, etc. The main worry is that mosquitoes carry dengue fever. We have to practice great discipline in using repellent. Some of us, of course, are naturally more repellent than others. Which brings up the point that these are fabulously fun loving people here. Despite the losses and the stresses and the continuing fears for the future there is a hearty good humor among the CSS workers and the visiting team. 

Wednesday & Thursday had been bright & blue but rain—the default setting—returned Friday. The wet winding mountainous roads feature a 25mph speed limit, for the entire island. Once you get used to it, it makes sense.

I am totally impressed by the diversity and quality of the international aid workers here. The VOAD meetings are the forum for all to pool information & resources. In addition to Catholic Charities, and Cecilia Sofola is a member of the Donations Coordination Team, there are representatives from Red Cross (naturally), Southern Baptists, Mennonites, Latter Day Saints, World Vision, and FEMA. (Others, too.) The island organizations include the Congregational Church of Christ, the government of American Samoa, the Community College, Veterans Affairs, media (FM104), Rotary, and Teen Challenge.

As with all committees, there is a painstaking group process required to achieve consensus and a shared vision, but the most significant milestone today was the adoption in principle of the Long Term Recovery Plan. Edits & refinements are expected Saturday, but all plans are works in progress & this one is very solid. 

My work is to support Cecilia as CSS develops a long term plan for the agency. That includes the VOAD participation, plus contributing to other grant development options. We spent 2 hours this afternoon reviewing budgets, staffing, and operational considerations for a homeless prevention/rapid rehousing grant. Next week, as the sole CCUSA rep on the island (also known as the new & improved Joe Mahoney), I will walk two shipping containers thru customs—literally tons of relief supplies for temporary shelters to be distributed by VOAD. But that’s next week…more to follow…

 Click here to donate to the Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response in American Samoa.

October 29, 2009--Americans might be forgiven for confusing American Samoa with Tahiti. We are in the same neighborhood of the Pacific, and our mental pictures of Tahiti (think Marlon Brando & Mutiny on the Bounty) correspond very closely to this island paradise. The island of Tutuila, which includes Pago Pago and Tafuna, where I write, is breathtakingly beautiful and home to some of the most gracious and bright people you could want to meet. The devastation of the September 29th earthquake & tsunami is shocking in its lethality and randomness. But there are positive signs of progress everywhere.

Yesterday I joined the nucleus of Catholic Charities workers, hosted by Cecilia Sofola, director of Catholic Social Services. An impressive network of community distribution sites has been established in five villages across the island, and awesome quantities of food and supplies have been distributed to the affected families. My work will be to assist Ms Sofola in planning the agency's long term response role. Immediate needs have not been met, of course, so I will also assist in receiving containers of donated relief supplies which will be allocated by the VOAD through the distribution sites.

One aspect of disaster response is that teams come, friendships are forged or renewed, and teams go. The first Catholic Charities team arrived shortly after the disaster, led by Kim Burgo, and including Louisianans Carol Spruell & Colleen D'Aquin. The second team of Joe Mahoney and Sr Letecia Benavides welcomed me, then we bid farewell to Sr Letecia last night. Joe leaves Sunday night, and I will stay until late Thursday night. (Or, as we count the days in island time: 6 more cold showers.)

More to follow...off to VOAD...Take care...Todd

Click here to donate to the Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response in American Samoa.