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It's a tragedy...


Tomster

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I think almost everyone of you has heard or read about the devastating bush fires in Australia. 

Some of you know that my husband and I own a house in Queensland, Australia. For both of us, Australia is the country where we see our future. Although the centre of our lives is still in Germany, we are also so called permanent residents of Australia since a few years now. 

We love that country. 

The news that have been reaching us for some time now are simply terrible. 

Since Christmas we accommodate in our Australian house the family of our employee, who lives in and takes care of the house all year round. He called us just before Christmas because he needed more days off since he had to help his family. He told us that his parents and his sister's family had to leave their homes as the bush fires were coming closer. Not sure if it was his worries or our English, but it took some effort to explain to him that he should bring his family to our house. 

To this day they do not know whether their houses are still intact or not, nor do they know if and when they can return. I am unable to imagine the situation they are in. At least they had enough time to take mementos and other valuables with them. 

A few days ago we talked on the phone with an acquaintance who moved to Australia ten years ago. She and her husband lost anything. Their house burnt down completely. They just had enough time to grab some important documents before they were evacuated. 

When she said: "There's nothing left, no plant, no bird, but dead koalas everywhere..." I was overwhelmed by sadness. We knew the area where she lived. 

We have at least started to take some actions to be able to help some families to rebuild their homes. Well, it will be a drop in the bucket.

Right now we are torn whether we fly to Australia or not. 

The house is safe and has room enough even with the two of us. But should we disturb the family who lives in a stranger's house? Should we get to know them personally or is it better to leave them their privacy for now? 

Would we be able to support them emotionally if we were there? 

What else can we do there at the moment? 

So many questions but no answer. 

What would you do? 

 

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15 Comments


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Kawika

Posted (edited)

I have been horrified since this began... my friends in Australia are all safe by some miracle... and I'm grateful for that and have done what little I can contribute to help and recovery. With that being said... If I were in your position I would give the family some time to deal with the present issues and have some sense of normalcy in a strange house; however I would set a date for your arrival in say a month or six weeks to give them a time line for when you will be there. I would encourage you to let them know you will support them emotionally and in any other way that you can to help them during this difficult time and that your arrival should be viewed as two more people to help the situation for recovery rather than being evicted from your home. There are no answers to all the issues and problems but if you can help them sort out some of them when you get there that is a start in the right direction. My thoughts are with you and everyone who has been impacted by this tragedy.

Edited by Kawika
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derekjames57

Posted

Thanks for sharing this very sad event. It's true, just writing helps and knowing the folks here are reading and thinking about you. 

Reaching out to the people who live in the house you own is a very natural things to want to do. Why not begin with a call or email to the new family and offer your support and see how it is taken and then see if a trip there is a good idea and would be helpful to both you and them. Get a feel for it via phone or email. It's a way to begin...maybe? 

Thinking of you all, DJXX

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majikthis

Posted

I can't top the advice given by Kawika and Derekjames57.

I just wanna say this:  you have done an act of kindness and compassion and for that I take my hat off to you and your husband.

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(As to drops in the bucket - well, enough drops can fill that bucket, or indeed  the whole ocean, as the Buddha pointed out.)

 

 

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I can imagine how much you imagination the situation being difficult but I assume the family is outstandingly thankful for your act of kindness and I am rather sure they wouldn’t have a problem if you “joined” them in your house. 
But as Kwalka said, maybe give them a few more days to get back some “normality” in this devastating situation. 

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ColtMann

Posted

I am so very sorry for all who suffer in these terrible wildfires. I especially grieve about the animals that have no resort and have perished. Advance Australia Fair!

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Tomster

Posted

Thanks, everybody. 

We decided this morning to go to Australia. We have came to the conclusion that there is no right or wrong. We can most likely communicate better when we are there that they are very welcome. A hug helps more than thousand words. 

We messaged their son that we will arrive tomorrow evening. His answer a minute ago: 🤗 THANK YOU!!! 🤗

I'll keep you updated as best I can. We leave in about 10 minutes... 16000 km

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Kawika

Posted

Have a safe trip... I think your decision to be there in person is very sound.

 

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Cool_a

Posted

While the fires are in Australia, the smoke from them has been filling the skies above me some afternoons. Days of orange sky and dull orange sun.

Its too close for me to be able to think straight about any of this. I know many people from the East Coast of Australia, including family over there. 

I wish you a safe journey and a fruitful outcome.

XX. 

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from Sydney here and lucky the skies are no longer orange/dark/smoggy and full of ash, we had rain which was like manna from heaven!! so many human and animals lives lost though not forgotten...….   Sean 

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Tomster

Posted

It's time for a quick hello from 🇦🇺 

We had a long but comfortable journey. The last 100 km were pretty adventurous, because we had to charter a helicopter at short notice since the airport closes at 4 pm.

The two sons of the family already awaited us at the heliport and welcomed us warmly in cute kangaroo shirt. Since then we call them "The Roo Brothers". 😁 The next warm welcome was given to us by their mother and sister. A few days before our arrival, father and brother-in-law had left for home to check if their houses still exist.

Unfortunately, the worries have turned into certainty. But they were not desperate, only sad. They were especially sad that so many animals and plants were burnt. It's a setback, but we can build a new home, they said. 

They have by now found a new property and prepared the small house on it so that they can live in it while they build a new larger one next to it. I should mention that the father and brother-in-law are construction workers. Their new location is as close to the next bigger town as the old one was, just in the other direction. Only my understanding of "very close" is still completely different. 

The younger brother is much more affected. He is a nice 19 y/o guy who has lost his home where he lived most of his life. As if that's not enough, he lost his job, too. Finally, shortly after the turn of the year, his girlfriend broke up with him.
Well, we took the opportunity and offered him to work for us together with his brother because we need both for our charity project. They both have full-time jobs since Monday. 

On 1/23/2020 at 1:42 AM, fincum said:

we had rain which was like manna from heaven!!

Rain helped a lot. Even nature is recovering from the wild fires. We got some pictures where you can see that blacked trees are sprouting again. 

But there are still quite a lot fires in ACT and NSW. 

XOXO 

Tommy 

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Kawika

Posted

I'm glad that things are on the mend and that people have friends like you two. Me ke aloha.

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derekjames57

Posted

Thanks for the updateXXXX It seems like ages since you went, but that's just my warped sense of time passing:-) Please keep sharingXX Thinking of you all!

You are really helping those folksXX Hugs from DJXX

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My heart goes out to the victims of that terrible fire..Amazingly, only a few lost their lives while I imagine many were injured in the fires.    But, my biggest broken heart string is for the innocent and helpless animals that were lost.  They had no where to go.  It will take a very long time for that ecosystem to totally  recover but, the animal loss may never recover.  How sad that is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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