What happened?

Part 11: The book of clarification

Amy:

After that speech I gave like 2 months ago, my life changed completely. The fundrasing project blew up and we had at least $50K down. However, I just couldn't seem to know what to do. I've lived in poorest conditions for the past years. Everyone else on this planet would've been happy and unbelievable lucky to receive so much money, but I didn't know what to do at first. My thoughts were about my sisters and the village Bakari came from. I'm used to the poor, simple, but happy life now - not the rich and difficult one.

My first action was only like 2 and a half months later, because the money needed to be political accepted or verified or whatever it is called... taxes and stuff. I bought a flight ticket for Christina. I was endlessly happy and excited to finally see her again. I put it in an envelope and then my jaw dropped... I didn't have the address. I didn't even know if she got the recent letter. If the flight ticket gets lost, I will never know.. but the other letter didn't come back though. I did it like last time. I addressed it to the post office of her Indian district. I hoped it would reach her... Or should I just go by myself? No. I can't leave. Not now.

Katherine:

Just another basic Wednesday morning. I got up at 5.30am, brushed my teeth, dressed up, prepared the table for the girls, put the papers for Dani's appointment out and grabbed toast for me. I checked on Dani if she's sleeping well, go to Lauren's room to wake her up and stick a list for groceries on Lisa's room. Since she's at home now, we split the tasks. Lisa does the laundry and goes grocery shopping once a week and I drive the girls and prepare breakfast for them in the morning. Now you might ask why Lisa won't do it when she wakes up. It's because Lauren and I have to be up at the same time anyway and sometimes Dani is up early in the morning due to her sleeping issues, so she can have breakfast. But we set a rule that Dani has to do the dishes and she agreed with pride. It's not like she is a grumpy teenager or a baby who likes to have everything done by others. She asks for tasks all the time, but many times she tries it and then breaks again. She does everything she needs, but in little seperated sessions. For example when she attemps to wash the car. It usually takes like half an hour up to one hour - depends on how detailed you do it - but Dani needs like 3 hours to get it done. It's not like she just chills or takes breaks, it's the relaxation technique she learned at therapy when physical stress or mental stress sets in. For her, even the little things are 100 times more intensive than for us. This technique helps her to control her body. However, the dishes work perfectly for her.

Well, Lauren and I got ready to leave and I dropped her off at the orphanage. As far as I know, she has to be there to wake up the kids who need to go school. She helps the little ones to get dressed, prepares breakfast and drops the elementary school kids off at school. Later, she does some light household and gets lunch ready for the kids who come home earlier or stayed at home. Plus, she picks up the younger kids from school. Afternoon is homework time. She loves to work there and the people who work there love her as well. She has the best experience anyone could have. She was an orphan herself. She can relate to the kids alot and so she can help them overcome the thought of being dumped at the dumping ground. Just a few days ago she told me that she is afraid of telling her colleagues and kids that she plans to leave. We tell her to stay if she loves it that much, but she won't listen. She's not a kid anymore, she knows about our financial problems. It breaks my heart to see her this sad. If we just had money... then she could stay there.

I drove to work. The book store opens at 9am only, but I have the longest way to go, so I need the car, but Lauren needs it as well to get to the orphanage. It's currently 7:45. I get in the back of the store, drop my bag and make myself coffee at the coffee mashine. I sit down on my desk and sip it. After I finished it, I got in the front of the store and unpacked the new arrivals, just like every Wednesday. I suddenly spotted a book that had a really nice quote on the back. It was in kind of a speech bubble.

"You will never know what will happen tomorrow. We are all human and we all have feelings. No matter if we experience grief, hope, joy, isolation, pain or anger, we are alive and allowed to feel. A fate won't make us different person, it will just make us wiser and give us memories. Memories we need."

Wow, that's something Amy could've said I thought and smiled to myself. Then I turn the book around and read the title out loud:

"Australia - A nightmare we won't forget"

Wow, this is an actual book about the tsunami. Soon after I browsed in the book for a while, I stumbled over a page that had kind of a caricature on the right side. And there was another speech bubble. I read this one first.

"Six sisters, six continents, six years of pain."

Wait, what? Is this coincidence?! I read it again, this time word for word. No this can't be coincidence. I read it over and over until I finally analysed the caricature on the right side of the page. THIS PERSON IS AMY! I browsed the book once again in hope to see more of Amy, but sadly there wasn't. What kind of book is this?? It's definitely not Amy's. I browsed it the thousand's time until I finally found out that this book was based on a press conference in Africa. Now I had the verification: Amy got our letter. She knows that we are alive.