I had so many things lined up for the blog this week. After the events which transpired this last weekend however, I feel it hypocritical for me to speak of anything else.

knysna nmbm fires

The earth is mourning around us as we still feel the remnants of the past fire. Although most of the smoke in the air has cleared the smell remains as a reminder of all that has been lost. I don’t think anyone in the surrounding areas had the weekend they had planned to have. Our social media feeds and Whatsapp groups were filled with blow by blow information as the disaster unfolded. I’m not sure if I was grateful for it or if I just wanted to bury my head in the sand as so well put by Born Geek. Talks of “Doomsday” and whispers of the agenda’s behind it, resounded behind the sound of fear in everyone’s voices.

It didn’t affect us, but fear paralyzed me most of Saturday. I tried to imagine what those affected would be going through, people like us. Imagine arriving home to nothing, just an empty burnt out shell of where your home use to be. Everything that you know and love gone – imagine the fear and complete and utter uncertainty that comes with that. Having to be ushered to sleep with people you don’t know in big school halls in winter time. Being dependent on others for your bare essentials, not knowing who you could ask for something as simple as a sanitary towel if you needed one. Only having the clothes on your back, and hoping for someone your size to donate something you could wear. Or at the least for your children. To possibly not be able to meet the immediate needs of your children, and at the same time try to be grateful.

Every time I try to take myself there I shudder, but I want to continue to think about it.

To bare them in mind and to keep giving to the cause even after I have given all that I am comfortable to give. Just because I would hope that should I ever be in that situation, in a place where I didn’t know. That somewhere someone would be doing more to help me and my children. If you would like to assist the victims you can find the drop off points here!

In the meantime – Let’s be more than just grateful because we were excluded from disaster, let us too be full of grace with our blessings.

2 Comments on In the wake of the fires

  1. It’s been an emotional few days my friend! I can’t still imagine how hard it was for the people at the front of all this. Such a raw and hard hitting post. Love it!