It’s been a tough week.
Right now Christchurch is a city of two halves. I am fortunate enough to work on the west side of town, but unlucky enough to live on the east side.
It feels odd to write about an east west divide in Christchurch, although in some ways it has always been there. It’s just never been a big factor to most people – never been as in your face as it is now.
A colleague at work volunteered this weekend and spent some time digging out in Avonside. Good on him. He had energy, and enthusiasm and a genuine desire to help those in need. More energy than I can muster right now – in any case.
He came to work today full of stories of the things that he had seen, and appalled at the conditions he saw people living in. Rightly so. The things he saw, are appalling. The conditions many people are living in are unbelievable.
But that wasn’t what struck me as I was talking to him. What I felt most strongly was surprise. Surprise that he was expecting to see anything different.
Those pictures you are seeing on the TV and on the web are real.
They have been real for nine months.
I feel the need to say it again.
Those pictures you are seeing on the TV and on the web are real.
I hate writing this next sentence, because I have always liked to focus on the vision of my community as being strong, and for the most part capable and caring. But right now, the people around me are just tired, and traumatised.
A sense of community remains, but for many of us it is turning inward. I don’t really want to list all of the reasons why. But the fact is that most of us know that despite the good intentions of the wider community in New Zealand and the very genuine sympathy that many people feel for our situation, we are no longer a fresh story.
We are an unplanned expense in the country’s budget, or an excuse to sell state assets, or a source of quirky one liners for a humorous book.
Or a group of people who “build their lives around complaining”.
I am not a man who is by nature a victim. So I will admit to feeling real and genuine anger when I read the above statement. It just seemed so casual. Cheap point scoring at the expense of others. A shameful way to behave.
My reaction was disproportionate, and I have tried to turn it into something more positive. The motivation to write this piece.
I hope that when you read it you will understand my community more, and what we are going through. I am not going to ask anyone for sympathy. We know that we have that. I will ask you to try to understand us though, and what we need.
Andy-Roo
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