Saturday, February 06, 2010

It is good to be back home

My broken ribs seem to be mending well, and as the world seems to be suffering all around me I give thanks for what little I have.

As I write this many are still enduring the latest monster blizzard in the East. While others are struggling to recover from the storm that ravaged the Dakotas

Storm Takes Steep Toll on Destitute Tribe
Thousands of Downed Power Poles Leave South Dakota Sioux Reservation Without Heat, Water; Melting Snow to Use in Toilets.

By JOEL MILLMAN

A tiny tribe of Lakota Sioux has been battling wind, rain and subzero temperatures this week as ice storms lash one of the U.S.'s poorest communities and leave thousands without electricity, heat or drinking water.

"There's been winters this bad before, but not with rain so bad it freezes the power lines and snaps the poles," said Joseph Brings Plenty, the 38-year old chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, whose reservation lies about 200 miles northeast of Rapid City, S.D. The tribal chairman said 500 power lines were brought down in a blizzard in November, and that between 2,000 and 3,000 more have been lost since Friday from ice storms.

The Cheyenne River tribe is made up of four of the seven bands of Lakota Sioux Indians in the Dakotas, whose reservations also include the Pine Ridge, Standing Rock and Rosebud bands. Power-line damage across all reservations may exceed 5,000 downed poles, which tribal authorities said may take weeks or months for utility companies to repair.

"These events are showing just how painfully inadequate our emergency response capabilities are. Because of one ice storm, we had over 3,000 downed electrical lines and mass power outages," said Tracey Fischer, chief executive and president of First Nations Oweesta Corporation, a national nonprofit working on economic development in Indian country.

"There has been looting of homes and businesses by people desperate for food and water. Schools have been out of session for a week and will likely be unable to open their doors for at least another week," said Ms. Fischer, a member of the Cheyenne River tribe.

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Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God, First fill your own house with Fragrance of love...

Go not to the temple to light candles before the altar of God, First remove the darkness of sin from your heart...

Go not to the temple to bow down your head in prayer, First learn to bow in humility before your fellowmen...

Go not to the temple to pray on bended knees, First bend down to lift someone who is down-trodden...

Go not to the temple to ask for forgiveness for your sins, First forgive from your heart those who sinned against you.

Vanshaj's


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If you look at me with full of anger, then I will look at you with full of smile.

If you hit me hardly, then I will hug you tightly.

If you wanted to kill me, then I will truly forgive you.

If you feel regret after all in the past, then I hope you can forget everything in this present and start to love people around you.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Broken ribs??? What happened, Walt? Hope you are on the road to recovery. Take care and may God's healing touch be upon you.

Shalom

Walt said...

Paula, be thankful you never have to deal with ice and snow. In my lifetime I have experienced many a hard fall, but I have been lucky, as much as I like to climb I never really hurt myself. But this time when I my feet slipped on the ice, I fell back on my left side, and a short piece of wood poked me in the ribs. Sleeping is the hard part, it feels like I'm lying in a bed of broken glass, and I have a lot of strange dreams.

C. JoyBell C. said...

Walter Smith!!!! I didn't know you broke your ribs!!!! Oh, you poor poor you!!!! :(

Unknown said...

O dear!! I am so sorry to hear that! I hope you are well now. I can understand re the strange dreams..check out Antares' posts on what happened during his coma! Fantastic account. Take care n God bless.

Shalom