I'm not gonna filter through my thought process, and just type away, regarding this calamity.
... When I first heard about the typhoon heading to Philippines, I knew it would cause devastation, a double combination of hurricane Katrina and Thailand tsunami. I explained this to many people. I pulled on memory of what eventuated in a stadium (visited by a famous talk show host) that was used as an emergency shelter but became a prison; and the degradation of civilities and kindness in cities that were hit as and when people became hungry, thirsty, tired, sick, hurt, alone, desperate, helpless and angry. I anticipated how people would take opportunities/advantages of the lawlessness and lack of control. I talked about it all very matter-of-factly, vocalising how sorry I felt for the poor people (that would be affected), how the crisis would be very critical and very dangerous, but really I did not care about them. I forgot about them after the conversation stopped. I was more worried about the spreadsheet I had in front of me that was important for me that day.
... A day before it hit, because I did not remember anyone I knew whom would be directly affected, I became unaffected, and brushed the typhoon off as "just a storm". I guess I was in denial, I did not want to believe that it would really be as strong and damaging as it became.
... The day, saw footages of the storm as it hit. Everything as I detailed - debris on the flood similar to what we saw during a tsunami surge without the deadly current; and properties destroyed by wind/hurricanes. It was then it became more real. Everything I knew but was still only perceived became actual.
... I started checking what preparation took place. So thankful there were groups and organisations that were more proactive than myself. They were preparing supplies, relief, aid and response teams even before the typhoon hit. The experts trained and equipped (or not) to deal with these kinds of situations. But I think, maybe, like myself, they also could not anticipate/accept how major the destruction would be.
... Foreign correspondents have sensationalised the figures and facts. I'm not downplaying the situation - it is dire - but I was hearing/reading 10,000 dead from foreign news but only 1,000 dead from local news (I cant believe I said ONLY!!!). Maybe it was to wake people up from their "away from danger slumber" into "helping action"?? Or maybe the local news did not want people to panic?? .... I am wary/dismayed of media/broadcasting company also twisting/sensationalising the stories to fit what the audience/government would want to hear/show. For example, taxpayers want guarantees that hard-earned contributions that we'd prefer used in our own country's problems were being used appropriately elsewhere, therefore need convincing of how good our citizens are performing with our money in those poor poor countries - yey to us! Now they are saying most of the help are coming from foreign specialists, no/few local specialists (doctors, aid workers, etc) in sight. Such "saviour mentality", concentrating on taking all the credit, uuuuuggggghhh!! I know local people are working tirelessly and hungrily there. I'm sure a lot of them victims of the calamity themselves. While the situation was still being decided and assessed worldwide, they would have been the initial response, the first to aid, despite being spread thin and also requiring assistance themselves. I doubt they or any country would have been prepared for the magnitude of the situation.
... I'm encouraging of bringing spirituality along as part of the holistic approaches to help communities that want to be helped, or need help. Prayers are just as important, if not more, in these situations. (No I'm not going into a debate of who caused it in the first place, convince anyone of how to think these events through etc etc etc.) But when people are grieving, anguished, hungry and thirsty and homeless... I think it is best and more practical to fill that transport with food, water, communications device, emergency shelters, cleaning/medical/building/sanitation equipment first. Bring most of the holy books later. Pray, communicate, teach or worship with them while attending to urgent physical needs and compassionately/empathetically alleviating their various forms of pains, loss and sufferings.
... Anarchy is apparently happening. Thefts, militia, power grabs, etc. Aid convoys prevented from reaching those needing help! Really!? Mankind so evil and selfish, doing that for their better more important cause. I wonder if there will be news of rape, and assaults/killing out of hunger/anger too...? But these people, who are known to be resilient and good-natured, are panicking, reacting out of normal human nature. I will admit, I commented that land sales would be cheaper, investors could/would take advantage. The fact it entered my mind, I would admit to shamefully considering the opportunities to chase wealth, even if only for a few seconds. I was no different to those whom wanted to benefit despite the demise of others :-((. However, thankfully, I am different because my decisions and actions were to not act on those thoughts.
... I was surprised how hard it was to get generous financial donations from people (more than coins). However, saying that, I encouraged a lot of them to donate online themselves, so that could be exactly what happened. A colleague was teaching me how to market it, entice them into giving (uugh!). I already made tax deductibility a selling point, to encourage action. So far I've collected less than $30 from a floor of more than 100 people. On a positive note, a friend told me in her (much smaller) organisation people fasted for one day and/or donated the money they would have spent on lunch and/or on their break. Collected more than $500 in one day.
... We people are such mixed bags of generous, selfish and in-betweens.
... When I first heard about the typhoon heading to Philippines, I knew it would cause devastation, a double combination of hurricane Katrina and Thailand tsunami. I explained this to many people. I pulled on memory of what eventuated in a stadium (visited by a famous talk show host) that was used as an emergency shelter but became a prison; and the degradation of civilities and kindness in cities that were hit as and when people became hungry, thirsty, tired, sick, hurt, alone, desperate, helpless and angry. I anticipated how people would take opportunities/advantages of the lawlessness and lack of control. I talked about it all very matter-of-factly, vocalising how sorry I felt for the poor people (that would be affected), how the crisis would be very critical and very dangerous, but really I did not care about them. I forgot about them after the conversation stopped. I was more worried about the spreadsheet I had in front of me that was important for me that day.
... A day before it hit, because I did not remember anyone I knew whom would be directly affected, I became unaffected, and brushed the typhoon off as "just a storm". I guess I was in denial, I did not want to believe that it would really be as strong and damaging as it became.
... The day, saw footages of the storm as it hit. Everything as I detailed - debris on the flood similar to what we saw during a tsunami surge without the deadly current; and properties destroyed by wind/hurricanes. It was then it became more real. Everything I knew but was still only perceived became actual.
... I started checking what preparation took place. So thankful there were groups and organisations that were more proactive than myself. They were preparing supplies, relief, aid and response teams even before the typhoon hit. The experts trained and equipped (or not) to deal with these kinds of situations. But I think, maybe, like myself, they also could not anticipate/accept how major the destruction would be.
... Foreign correspondents have sensationalised the figures and facts. I'm not downplaying the situation - it is dire - but I was hearing/reading 10,000 dead from foreign news but only 1,000 dead from local news (I cant believe I said ONLY!!!). Maybe it was to wake people up from their "away from danger slumber" into "helping action"?? Or maybe the local news did not want people to panic?? .... I am wary/dismayed of media/broadcasting company also twisting/sensationalising the stories to fit what the audience/government would want to hear/show. For example, taxpayers want guarantees that hard-earned contributions that we'd prefer used in our own country's problems were being used appropriately elsewhere, therefore need convincing of how good our citizens are performing with our money in those poor poor countries - yey to us! Now they are saying most of the help are coming from foreign specialists, no/few local specialists (doctors, aid workers, etc) in sight. Such "saviour mentality", concentrating on taking all the credit, uuuuuggggghhh!! I know local people are working tirelessly and hungrily there. I'm sure a lot of them victims of the calamity themselves. While the situation was still being decided and assessed worldwide, they would have been the initial response, the first to aid, despite being spread thin and also requiring assistance themselves. I doubt they or any country would have been prepared for the magnitude of the situation.
... I'm encouraging of bringing spirituality along as part of the holistic approaches to help communities that want to be helped, or need help. Prayers are just as important, if not more, in these situations. (No I'm not going into a debate of who caused it in the first place, convince anyone of how to think these events through etc etc etc.) But when people are grieving, anguished, hungry and thirsty and homeless... I think it is best and more practical to fill that transport with food, water, communications device, emergency shelters, cleaning/medical/building/sanitation equipment first. Bring most of the holy books later. Pray, communicate, teach or worship with them while attending to urgent physical needs and compassionately/empathetically alleviating their various forms of pains, loss and sufferings.
... Anarchy is apparently happening. Thefts, militia, power grabs, etc. Aid convoys prevented from reaching those needing help! Really!? Mankind so evil and selfish, doing that for their better more important cause. I wonder if there will be news of rape, and assaults/killing out of hunger/anger too...? But these people, who are known to be resilient and good-natured, are panicking, reacting out of normal human nature. I will admit, I commented that land sales would be cheaper, investors could/would take advantage. The fact it entered my mind, I would admit to shamefully considering the opportunities to chase wealth, even if only for a few seconds. I was no different to those whom wanted to benefit despite the demise of others :-((. However, thankfully, I am different because my decisions and actions were to not act on those thoughts.
... I was surprised how hard it was to get generous financial donations from people (more than coins). However, saying that, I encouraged a lot of them to donate online themselves, so that could be exactly what happened. A colleague was teaching me how to market it, entice them into giving (uugh!). I already made tax deductibility a selling point, to encourage action. So far I've collected less than $30 from a floor of more than 100 people. On a positive note, a friend told me in her (much smaller) organisation people fasted for one day and/or donated the money they would have spent on lunch and/or on their break. Collected more than $500 in one day.
... We people are such mixed bags of generous, selfish and in-betweens.
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| (Photo : Erik De Castro/Reuters) |
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