Χάος

It's enough to make you puke.

This week I have caught glimpses of chaos.

Chaos shows up on your doorstep. What is your reaction? As a child my reaction was crying, followed quickly by the question, "Where is my Mommy?" Now my reaction is, "I need a blanket to crawl under."

Monday afternoon two local women, not being responsible and careful, not paying attention to road conditions and their speed, almost killed themselves by driving off a local highway into a flooded ditch. Luckily for them, the vehicle did not roll over. Instant chaos for the motorists following. The first could not swim and could only watch as the second jumped into the water to successfuly save the women's lives. The women and their savior stranger stood along the edge of highway rescued. Other motorists rushed to their backseats and trunks and brought blankets.

Wednesday, a family of nine was re-united with relatives after a long flight into the unknown from Kenya to Pelican Rapids. On Thursday they found themselves in cars on their way to Fergus Falls. Their sponsor stopped for gas at Ilmagesh the Iraqi's general store in Erhard. Not paying close enough attention, he got too close to the gas pumps and struck the cement and steel guard post. He attempted to drive on, but underneath his van, something was making noise. Somebody called the police. The sponsor called for help, another car. I came to the rescue. Mid-morning chaos in Erhard. A Pelican Rapids squad car and an Otter Tail County Sheriff Deputy car parked next to the post office, both with lights flashing, both with Somalis in the back seats. A mother steps out of the backseat into the bright sunlight. She is wearing a white hijab, a shiny one, must be Damask, with circles which reminds me of a Target commercial. It is strikingly beautiful. Two car seats are bought over to my SUV. Having almost forgotten how to do this, I struggle to belt them in. The mother puts two little toddler boys in the car seats and walks away to another vehicle. One of the boys is crying hard. I think it's because his mother has just left him in a strange country, in a strange car, in a plastic contraption with straps he's never seem before, with a stranger. Then he pukes all over the back seat, repeatedly. The sponsor holds the boy on his lap as we drive back to town. "I lucky today, I hurt car, car no problem, I not hurt people."

These glimpses this week into the abyss of chaos have reminded me that becoming a refugee brings instant chaos to your life. Somebody shows up at your doorstep meaning to cause you harm. Maybe he shoots you, maybe he "sexed" your wife in front of you first, maybe the kids have to watch as both parents are killed. Maybe you are lucky and you run from the chaos. But the chaos follows you. Maybe it's not life threatening chaos, just the chaos of your life being turned upside down, being driven from your home, your town, your country, your family split up. Then, if you're lucky, you're put into a refugee camp. Then, if you're lucky, you're resettled in strange land with a strange language, strange looking people with a strange religion and strange food.

56572 offers people shelter from the chaos. Others here are or have been in the same chaos boat. Our LSS office helps people define the chaos and deal with it. Jennie-O offers them a job. Our schools offer learning, opportunity and acceptance. Our library offers a neutral setting where learning can occur. Our clinic does its level best to provide medical care despite the communication difficulties. Our police department offers reassurance that chaos will not reappear at the front door. Our three grocers seek to provide familiar food. Our citizens offer patience and understanding when dealing with refugees in traffic, volunteer to teach them English, donate to the Pass It On store, quilt, maybe even say hello on the street. Chaos fades, just the nightmares remain.

56572 used to tout the words "Pelican Rapids, sure to make you feel at home." Johnson's Furniture and the Channel 6 tv commercial jingle are gone. We don't tout those words anymore, they are ingrained in us. We just live them, without giving it too much thought.

(To Jeff and Tom, this is what I meant to say yesterday, but could not.)