Humanity in the midst of disaster

When you speak with anyone who was involved in the flooding disaster of the past week, whether they were in need or helping others in need, a common observation is the compassion and humanity they witnessed throughout the ordeal. You’ll see it in our main story, with accounts of communities coming to the aid of strangers.

Sue Sawatzky can vouch for it as well. The St. James, Abbotsford, parishioner and her family were heading home from Lethbridge, Alberta, Sunday morning. Sue and her husband Dave, their four children, and Dave’s mother were driving along Hwy. 3 when they started to feel the weather “sink in.” Alongside the highway they could see logs and trees rushing along in the water. 

As they approached Hope at about 9:30 p.m., traffic came to a full stop. The family spent a miserable night sleeping in the van. The next day the road remained impassable, and not only were they low on food and water, but Dave’s mother’s health was a concern after having spent 30 hours in the van.

When a road worker advised that the road to Hope was safe to drive on despite 18" of water, they headed for the local high school, where they’d been told stranded travellers were being sheltered. 

“When we arrived at the high school the energy was intense,” Sue said. “People looked very tense and scared.”

As they helped Dave’s mother out of the car, a woman came over and told Sue, “They don’t have what you need here.” She advised them to go to nearby Camp Squeah, a popular site for retreats in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

“We did as she said and drove to the camp where we were offered a handicap-accessible room with a bathroom!”

Sawatzky said the facilities were exceptional and the people “warm and welcoming.” Staff volunteered to make meals and host as many as 75 stranded travellers. “The children all became fast friends and everyone came together to work as a team to keep everyone safe.” 

By Monday evening “we were dry and fed and feeling so much better.” On Tuesday morning they needed some emergency medications. Of three pharmacies in Hope only one was able to open. “They had hundreds of emergency prescriptions to fill and you could see the stress was really getting to the staff.” The cashier “looked near tears as she desperately tried to help everyone.”

The Sawatzkys arranged to pick up their prescriptions the next day and made their way to a grocery store to buy food and supplies for travellers at Camp Squeah. While waiting 45-minutes to enter the store and then an hour to pay, “we had two people offer us their homes to stay in.”

Even the shopping experience had its moments of grace. “No one was hoarding or taking more than they needed.”

Sue wanted to be sure to let everyone know how grateful they are for the compassion and kindness they received, from staff at the campsite to those who airlifted supplies in by helicopter.

“The people of Hope were amazing!”

I couldn’t help but notice how refreshing it was this past week to see the divisions that have been separating us lately set aside for a few days as people came together.

I continue to be contacted by people I haven’t heard from in ages who know I live in Abbotsford and want to know how I’m doing. We’re fortunate that apart from bailing water at a family member’s house in Chilliwack, we came through high and dry.

Unfortunately many did not, and if there’s any blessing that came from the disastrous flood of 2021, it was that people came together again to help others. I pray that it’s not only for a few days.

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Twitter: @paulschratz