Sep18
Flood teaches stranded kids lessons in faith
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Denver, Colo., Sep 18, 2013 / 12:12 pm (CNA).- Two buses driving up to St. Vincent de Paul School in Denver late Friday, Sept. 13 were cheered by weary parents and excited siblings. The 56 students and 11 dedicated adults inside, including school staff, parent chaperones and John Paul II Adventures Outdoor Lab staff, were not coming back from a victorious sporting event but have the rare distinction of surviving the “Flood of 2013.”
Inside, the grimy seventh-graders who trudged through muddy water to get to the buses made a long three-hour trip from Allenspark where they were evacuated Thursday from floods surrounding their cabins at High Peak Camp near Estes Park.
They forged a special connection to each other and a newfound respect for Mother Nature having witnessed firsthand the state’s epic rainfall that caused five confirmed deaths, turned highways into lakes, caused thousands to be evacuated and left thousands more homeless.
After only a few hours of sleep many of the seventh-graders who attended the leadership retreat were back at the school on Saturday afternoon to celebrate its annual fall festival. The students worked the booths to gain service hours in preparation for the sacrament of confirmation they will be receiving in the spring.
“We got to see God through nature even though it was a tough time,” said Luke K. Krukowski, 12. “We were safe so the hardest part was the other evacuated people at the camp who lost their homes in the flood.”
Classmates Jake Taylor, Luke Maxfield, Drew Renner and Billy Mottram agreed the adults kept the students calm but they knew the situation was serious when flooding near the camp was knee-deep. They saw portions of the highway washed away and sinkholes.
“We knew we were stuck there but at least we had our homes back in Denver,” said Luke Maxfield.
Savannah Viereck, 12, agreed. “We weren’t able to get home right away but many people now don’t have homes.”
Caroline McGrail and Annie Seier said the worst part of the ordeal was not being able to shower for several days. The students were supposed to return Thursday and most packed few clothes.
“When we drove up to the school and saw everyone cheering, it kind of felt like we won the Super Bowl,” McGrail joked.
Anxious parents in Denver were informed throughout the ordeal that their children were safe, warm, and had food and supervision. However, that communication was not instant (Read More)
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/catholicnewsagency/dailynews-us/~3/vuMuseKFkWw/
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