Two cyclones and a national state of emergency has given Vanuatu a huge shake-up. And perhaps one of the biggest lessons has been not to take for granted who we are and where we are; not to take for granted – power, water, communications, the support of people who may themselves be challenged yet give of themselves selflessly.
Personally I found myself fighting the energy, fussing over this and that. In the end, all I could do was accept and collaborate with the energy, work with what is, forget about what I might want or need. I realised how little control we have.
There is always so much to be thankful for – the support from those who are always there for us, the generosity of friends who made donations to buy materials to provide shelter, the example of local people who showed me that life is to enjoyed no matter what happens. Thank you Helen Barton and the JTB Community, thank you Vanuatu.