I settled myself comfortably on the soft green pillow and the luxurious double bed , while talking to my relative Riyaa. It was such a lovely room. I observed every inch of the ceiling and the designed flower border in and around it. After a tiring trip from our capital city, I felt quite sleepy. So I helped myself to a deep sleep after closing my eyes.
I woke up around 8.30 but I didn’t want to get up that soon. So I spent sometime thinking about how I will feel in the absence of my mom. Though I was old enough, I was not thorough with cooking and wondered how I will manage. I also thought of a way to thank my cousin brothers for taking me there.
After waking Riyaa up, I went and took a fresh shower. Everything in this place was easy unlike in Mom’s place. So, it took less time and less energy. By 9.20am in our time we had finished our breakfast and we were both washing our plates and tea cups. I thought I heard some cry. That very second, I looked at Riyaa’s face to see whether she was also puzzled like me. Upon seeing the same expression on her face, I called her and hurried towards the dinning room door. As we reached the door we saw impure and dusty water filling every inch of the floor area, with great speed. We heard more cries and saw my cousin brother’s wife, her sisters and children climbing on to a small hill of coral pieces. She saw us in the helpless state and called us to follow them and we did. The water kept on filling. Everyone was terrified. Me too. Some childhood stories flashed back to my mind and made me think that it was the end of the world. We were all thinking about the Almighty Allah. our hearts were thumping rapidly and making us uneasy. Tears fell down our cheeks uncontrollably when we realized that there was no longer any access to communication facilities.
Unlike our thinking the water calmed down and took few minutes to disappear. We saw the elders ‘on alert’.Cleaning started in a rush. As we were guests they did not want us to ‘lend a helping hand’ in the cleaning tasks.Therefore, we headed out to Riyaa’s place. We were both silent but observing the stuff the water has taken here and there. We saw tins with and without lids , broken plastic pieces , pieces of logs and many more. Riyaa waved good bye and went in when she reached her destination.
I was alone and was experiencing fast pulse rate. But my curiosity to know what happened forced me to see more of it. On my way to the other end of the island I heard a dozen of stories about the extraordinary wave. Among those the most terrifying was the one about the sinking of the island, Kandholhudhoo. No sooner, I heard some announcements coming from the island office asking for the men to go and help our Muslim relations in that island. A very few men stayed with their families and the majority went to aid the ‘needy’ in the ‘available vessels’. I saw a large group of ladies gathering under the shade of a huge bread fruit tree and moved in with them. From there, I came to know the purpose of this group and joined them in preparing drinks for the people coming from that island. We all hurried to the school and made them ready. At the same time the office staff and other volunteers arranged host families for the people who are to be brought to our island.
One vessel after the other anchored safely.They were all crowded with people.
Some of our group members along with me went to receive them at the jetty. It was heart melting to hear the people’s cries; some sobbing,others hiding their tears, some wiping them and a lot of them with ‘withered’ face. On our way to the school we tried our level best to console them by talking to them. Then they were taken to the hall to give them some food and drinks. We carried with this from 12.00 till 7.30. After that they were assisted by the host families who volunteered in sharing their homes and helping them, till they find a better way.
After finishing our work I headed to my cousin’s house. I looked down and saw the latter part of my white jeans covered with mud. I felt embarrassed to be in them for that long. But felt really proud of myself for facilitating them during their hardest time in whatever way possible .
It is so wonderful, to say that almost every individual of our country contributed in helping the Internally Dispersed Population, in one way or the other. It is a great pride for me to be one among them as a pure Maldivian and a Muslim sister.
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