New Hampshire

The town river's dam broke while we were in assembly today. It's been raining for 7 days, and many of the dams around here can't take it. There was just a three-foot storm surge, putting much of the town under water. We were sitting there when the principal interrupted the assembly to tell us, and people cheered. I have never been so angry in the entire time I've been here. My friend lives next to the river, and she was crying because her house was probably about to be under four feet of water. Meanwhile, people were cheering because they didn't have to go to class today because we were all being evacuated to our dorms. We have three kids here who are here because of Katrina. I just can't imagine coming somewhere where you think you'll be safe, and not only is there flooding, but your classmates are rude enough to not only not understand, but to celebrate. Another friend lives near the river, too, and she called her mom, who was busy (already ankle-deep in water) leaving the house with the family photos, important documents and my friend's baby brother.

I suddenly understood how people in the town can hate us so much. How can people understand so little? How could people not understand that 200 kids here are day students, that several of them are probably going home to ruined houses, to lost family photos?

St. Paul's has just canceled the rest of their school year. They're sending everyone home. A lot of their campus is flooded, including three dorms. They don't think they'll have it up and running in time to make finishing the school year feasible.

So I guess the conclusion of this is that I'd appreciate it if you could pray or do whatever you do for the people in northern New England. A lot of us could use it.