We will overcome!
It is with a heavy heart that I write this.
My wife Erica and I have been off island for three weeks and are now stuck in Narita, Japan, waiting for our airport to open so we can fly home.
The pictures are horrifying. I do not recognize our island. So many are now homeless. I heard 300 power poles are down. I have never heard of a power pole going down on Saipan due to a storm.
According to some news sources, Soudelor is working its way to becoming the strongest storm this year so far.
Back home, people are weary, many have lost homes and our island is beaten and battered.
It is during these times that the character of each one of us will show. It is the time for us all to come together.
Erica and I know in our hearts that our island and our people will recover and thrive again, but it will take time and effort.
If you have a home, take others in. If you have food, share it with others, but most importantly, be strong and face this menace together, and we will overcome!
To our young men and women, this is the opportunity to show your talents and skills by helping our island recover in whatever way you can. Every little effort will help.
May God bless our island home Saipan!
Tom Thornburgh
via email
Buenas Tom,
We can relate to what you are going through at this point in time. Years ago, we were stranded at Norita’s International Airport during Typhoon Tingting. And it was one of the saddest days in our lives, because many of our underprivileged from the CNMI had to sleep on the benches and floors at the airport. Instead of going to a hotel for the duration of our delay, we decided to stick around with our people and help them with their baggage and to give them company. It was very sad that several of our so call super rich individuals (locals) turned their backs and look the other way on our people. From that day on, we realized that this so call big local companies from the CNMI were out for themselves. We hope that there were no underprivileged individuals from the CNMI that had to endure the hard floors and the benches at the Norita’s International Airport this time around. For those fake individuals who had made millions on the past on our islands, it would not hurt if you can fork up several hotel rooms for our people in need in a far away place call Norita International Airport.
Thanks for the nice story Tom and have a safe trip back home.
Si Yu’us Ma’ase