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01/04/2005 06:59:16 AM · #26 |
I have seen what has happened - because I have been going there these few days for relief work.
And I have lost a good friend aswell due to this .
You cant say its mother nature and brush it aside- you can look at a few press photographs and say 'oh poor people' - and donate a few dollars for the sake of it.
You must go there and feel it - be with those people - lined up receiving clothes and food - going back to their demolished houses and trying to gather whats left of their lives.
It will be years before they even wake up one day and not think about the loved ones they have lost.
These poeple dont have any where else to go - this was where their families before had lived- you cant relocate them.
You cant stop the children from having nightmares about their parents or siblings being dragged out to sea.
2 days ago we went to Matara - there was a Psychiatrist with us- we gathered some of the children and asked them to draw pictures -a little girl drew the sea and dead bodies floating in it - now how the hell do you erase something like that out of a 6 year old.
Thats just being naiive - if your gonna just say - oh what the hell its happened before and brush it aside.
Either that or your racist.
Even I cannot really feel what those people are feling - it has to happen to you for you to really feel it.
Whats the use of all this space age technology if you cant detect something like this - I mean - these people tell us if its gonna rain tommorow if its gonna snow.
Its unbeleivable what has happened - no amount of money can ever make these people who they were before.
Im not saying that you shouldnt donate - all im saying is that donating money isnt the only thing.
Its a tragedy.
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01/04/2005 07:19:50 AM · #27 |
*hugs*
I saw a little Swedish girl on the news just 20 minutes ago (They have the heighest tourist deal toll and have a few tousand missing). I was thinking about all of teh nightmares that she will forever have and she could go on a plane and escape it.
My father died when I was 15, althuogh of nautral causes. Watching him die in front of my eyes was such a hard thing. I can't uimage what it would be like for these peole to have seen thousands die and to also just see all the bodies everywhere.
I know you are right too. It will take years and years for these people to rebuild their lives, and a lot will not make it. There are just far too many homeless people now. It will take years and years to build enough homes for them all.
And then there is the people that now have no income on top of this (since there were a lot of fishing and also farming areas that were hit). How are tehy ever going to recover from this, when they don't have the financial freedom that we do?
These are some of the worlds poorest people afterall.
And ya know people will post here and say its just nature and blow it off, well serious don't bother responding here. This post is here for people to greive and show their respects, even if we don't all personally know someone.
Its not the time and place to argue about what is right and wrong.
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01/04/2005 07:25:02 AM · #28 |
| When I see what happened and read what all has to say, the I can't help but think of our Goodman who was there in the mids of it all and fortunate enough to live and tell the story. Les, I for one appreciate it so much more knowing you are okay.... |
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01/04/2005 07:32:12 AM · #29 |
Please keep the discussion here on-topic (and not a religious debate), or it will have to be moved to 'Rant'.
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01/04/2005 08:18:21 AM · #30 |
Originally posted by kaush:
I have seen what has happened - because I have been going there these few days for relief work.
And I have lost a good friend aswell due to this .
You cant say its mother nature and brush it aside- you can look at a few press photographs and say 'oh poor people' - and donate a few dollars for the sake of it.
You must go there and feel it - be with those people - lined up receiving clothes and food - going back to their demolished houses and trying to gather whats left of their lives.
It will be years before they even wake up one day and not think about the loved ones they have lost.
These poeple dont have any where else to go - this was where their families before had lived- you cant relocate them.
You cant stop the children from having nightmares about their parents or siblings being dragged out to sea.
2 days ago we went to Matara - there was a Psychiatrist with us- we gathered some of the children and asked them to draw pictures -a little girl drew the sea and dead bodies floating in it - now how the hell do you erase something like that out of a 6 year old.
Thats just being naiive - if your gonna just say - oh what the hell its happened before and brush it aside.
Either that or your racist.
Even I cannot really feel what those people are feling - it has to happen to you for you to really feel it.
Whats the use of all this space age technology if you cant detect something like this - I mean - these people tell us if its gonna rain tommorow if its gonna snow.
Its unbeleivable what has happened - no amount of money can ever make these people who they were before.
Im not saying that you shouldnt donate - all im saying is that donating money isnt the only thing.
Its a tragedy. |
My heart goes out to you and those you are helping - because by being there, you ARE helping. My family suffered our own tragedy just before Christmas, so I do understand trying to deal with loss; although, not by any stretch of the imagination on such an enormous scale. I know the difficulties we are experiencing, and I can't even wrap my mind around the horror these people have experienced and continue to experience. Donating my money is one way to say "I care". And I do care.....
So, please, take care of yourself in this effort - you are an important part of recovery, and please tell us how more we can help. I know you don't me as a person, but please know my thoughts will be with you and what you are doing every single day.
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01/04/2005 09:22:15 AM · #31 |
Manic - I do think you have a responsibility with a subject such as this to allow as many people as possible to see it. The religious element is not disconnected but underpins many people's hope and fears when presented with an event of such magnitude and complexity.
Why does it become a rant to discuss the many facets of this? People can ignore it if they wish anyway.
Kaush - sounds absolutely miserable. :(
If we all went to experience it for ourselves though, we'd be less than welcome. Donation is all we have at our disposal I'm afraid.
And I think we should all give much more than we would normally feel comfortable doing so. That's what makes it generous.
And religion? Well, insurance companies believe it's an act of God at least, so that gets them off the hook.
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01/04/2005 11:37:57 AM · #32 |
I didnt say I thought this was a good thing and I remember saying someting about lamenting what happened so not for a minute think I don't feel sorrow at the loss of so many lives, I do, but I just think that we are so caught up in the suffering that we fail to see that this is just part of nature.
I have been physically involved in humaniatarian missions, some during peace time and some during wartime and I can tell you there's nothing worse than watching a human being die and not be able to do a thing about it. There are things I would like to say about disasters and loss of human life for reasons other than natural but for reasons you might figure out if you read my bio, I simply can't. So, do not mistake an objective mind for a cold heart.
June
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