Compassion and justice twin pillars of flood relief
CALGARY, AB—The leader of a First Nation reserve says that more than four months after their homes were badly damaged by flooding, members of the community are in a variety of emotional states.
"Some are still in shock," says Chief Fred Rabbit Carrier of Siksika Nation. The flood that swept across southern Alberta in June displaced most of the 1,000 band members in Siksika's six communities, located west of Calgary.
"The older [members] have lived in the area for decades, and their history here goes back for years. They're still in the shock stage. Then you have some who have moved on—mostly younger [people]—but also a lot of anger states involved right now."
Carrier declined to elaborate on why members of Siksika Nation are angry, although the CBC reported at the end of September that Carrier feels the federal government is dragging its heels when it comes to flood funding for the community.
"We would definitely like to find out how much they're going to provide us in funding, so this way we can start working on our planning," Carrier told the CBC.
Three camps have been set up to house most members of the community, while some are staying with family in other areas and those with medical needs are in hotels. Carrier told the CBC that the three-month plan is to get mobile homes for most people in the community as it begins efforts to rebuild.
Thousands of people from different faith communities got involved when the flooding first began, and they continue to help today.
More than 700 volunteers from Centre Street Church, Calgary's largest church, have worked more than 6,200 hours since June. The church has served 1,000 meals to evacuees through its drop-in centre and raised almost $166,000 for flood relief efforts.
"At Centre Street, we feel we're called to be the hands and feet of Jesus," says Pamela Aramburu, the church's communications director. "Reacting to the flood is a very tangible way to do that."
Aramburu adds that responding to the flood has been a three-phase effort: initial response, clean-up, and now, rebuilding.
To help with rebuilding efforts, Centre Street Church members are volunteering with Samaritan's Purse Canada, an evangelical organization that provides spiritual and physical aid to people around the world.
Dan Rossi, a program manager with Samaritan's Purse who will help lead rebuilding efforts over the coming year—including in Siksika Nation—says that during the initial response to the flood, his work was high-paced.
"You have to be fairly effective, and balance compassion and justice," he says. "It's not justice in the literal sense that you would think of in terms of our legal system, but loving people the way Jesus did in a very stressful time, and making sure our staff and [volunteers] are putting relationships before everything else."
Rossi is currently taking a year away from his job as a police officer with the Calgary Police Service to help out. Initially, he says he asked God not to send him to Siksika.
"As a police officer, my views on First Nations people were very limited to the five per cent who are involved with drug and alcohol addiction," Rossi says. "I think a lot of the information I've received about First Nations people came from colleagues … [who would use] derogatory terms. It wasn't something I would repeat—just loving people the way I do, I wouldn't reduce someone to a label or term—but I was frustrated with the addiction, the abuse and the entitlement I would see" working as a police officer.
Working alongside members of the Siksika Nation has given Rossi a different perspective.
"I've been extremely blessed to work with amazing people," he says. "It really opened up my eyes to the resiliency of the Siksika people and changed the exposure I had from policing."
Rossi adds that Samaritan's Purse is committed to helping long-term.
"We don't want to move too fast," he says. "We're in the mode that this is a marathon and not a sprint."
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