In the midst of devastation and the despair in the flood affected areas, there have been some signs of hope as the same flood waters that tore homes apart – have brought people and communities together. That is the case in Bullet Tree. Again parts of the village are still accessible only by boat. And that’s why since Friday, Michael Torres and Selvyn Rodriguez have been ferrying residents back and forth – from 6 am to 6 pm via canoe. It is invaluable public service and today after taking us across, they told us that a love for their fellow villagers is what prompted them to do it.
Michael Torres, Bullet Tree Resident
“We are helping the people to get their stuff and anything that they want and they need. We just help them cross because they can’t walk because the water is still flowing and we cannot, we have to help them because that is the people’s need. We help them cross their stuff and with anything they want to cross.”
Keith Swift,
Why are you doing this because you could have been home doing something else?
Michael Torres,
“Yeah we were fixing stuff, because our house got flood too, and then everything finished to do and we didn’t have anything else so we came and helped them because we saw the necessity so we just came to help them cross.”
Selvyn Rodriguez, Bullet Tree Resident
“I heard the river was going up and they were telling people to come out and they didn’t want to come out because the river wasn’t going up. When they saw the thing got serious, then they were coming out.”
Keith Swift,
How many people have you helped to cross?
Selvyn Rodriquez,
“Right now more than 200, up and down from Friday. We start at 6 in the morning to 7 in the evening.”
Selvin and Michael work with a group of about 4 other young men.
