Post-earthquake Vanuatu – short stories of gratitude and impact
BY DARYL CROWDEN
Two Australian Salvo workers – Major Darren Elsley and Daryl Crowden – are assisting in Vanuatu after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck near the coast on 17 December. Below, Daryl shares three stories from local people who are grateful to The Salvation Army for the changes their assistance has brought.
To donate to The Salvation Army Australia Earthquake Response Appeal, click here.
Chief Kaltonal
Chief Kaltonal is the hereditary chief of The Salvation Army 21 Jump Street community. It’s to him that the people of the community turn in the first instance for all matters relating to justice, support and discipline.
Living directly opposite The Salvation Army’s church since its beginning means that his family have always had a close relationship with Lilyrose (The Salvation Army leader) and the church. After Cyclone Pam (2015), his children stayed with Lilyrose. After the 17 December (2024) earthquake, it was to The Salvation Army’s garden, kitchen and women that he looked for support to provide food and water – and once again they didn’t let him down.
So, when he walked across the road to join the church for worship recently, no one was surprised. He then asked to speak and thanked The Salvation Army for everything they had done in the last four weeks.
“During this last week, all the campaigning politicians have been promising all kinds of things to our community – if we vote for them – but they have actually done nothing, given nothing, not even been here until the week before the (upcoming) election,” he said.
“But you Salvation Army, you were here among us, you stayed ... came back, and when you said you would be back, and you promised to help – not just your church but the community – you did it. Thank you, on behalf of all of 21 Jump Street.”
Peter Dick
“I was just like you; my body was same as yours,” Peter, a man of faith living with a disability, shares. Peter’s life changed when he was just 13 years old; he was forced out into the world to fend for himself. His grandmother took him in for a little while, but now, as he has for a long time, he lives in “his” (he says that word with great pride and a smile) small, clean and well-organised rented house.
Peter worships with a Seventh Day Adventist fellowship. To provide for himself and pay his rent, Peter explains that “I go into Port Vila town most days, with my amplifier and microphone and sing [religious songs] in the Chinese district. On 17 December I was in town singing but I felt bad, I felt that something was wrong, something bad was coming. I rang my bus and asked him to come quickly and take me home. I had just got out of the bus and taken five steps when I was thrown to the ground. People were screaming and running around me, but I was calm – I stayed relaxed. When the shaking stopped, I went to the hills with everyone else and stayed with people who took me in for two weeks before I came back here.”
Peter received a voucher to a local department store to help him replace some of his damaged household items and replenish his food and supplies. Proudly he points out to me a shiny, new, stainless-steel pot that “The Salvation Army blessed me with” and he asks me to thank all those who donated to The Salvation Army’s appeal and made this possible.
Rolyn Lui
Rolyn was at home in 21 Jump Street with her five-month-old baby daughter and her one-year-old brother when the earthquake shook her house. While she knew what the cause was having experienced an earthquake before, this was worse than anything she had ever felt. Grabbing her baby and brother she didn’t stop to pick anything up – she ran (literally) for the hills.
The rest of the community (about 500 people) were running and since she had no idea where to go, she followed them up into the surrounding hills.
“One thing we know is that if a tsunami is coming, we go to the hills,” she says.
Like many of her neighbours, Rolyn had no one to go to. Generous people were taking in everyone, and so for five days she stayed with strangers.
“They are now friends,” she shares.
When Rolyn returned to her house it was “leaning at a bad angle, and I did not trust it [enough] to go inside.”
Like many people in this community, if you need help you turn to Mama Lilyrose and The Salvation Army. Rolyn, her baby and her brother are currently living in The Salvation Army’s buildings.
Everything Rolyn owned is in the brick house she is sure will be condemned, and she is not sure she will be able, or allowed, to get her belongings.
“When The Salvation Army gave me a voucher, I was able to buy things for my baby and my brother and food. I want to thank the people of Australia who made these things possible. Everyone is blessed, God used you guys to help. The people of 21 Jump Street are so happy … I can see smiles on their faces.”
But she says, “People are still scared. We need more help, but not stuff. We need help to come ‘home’, not because our houses are damaged – we need help to forget.”
“People are still scared. We need more help, but not stuff. We need help to come ‘home’, not because our houses are damaged – we need help to forget.”
The Salvation Army and other agencies are continuing to provide mental health and psychosocial support to this and all communities and impacted people, but with an estimated 80,000 people affected, it’s going to be a huge task.
To donate to The Salvation Army Australia Earthquake Response Appeal, click here.
