Earthquake and cyclone help

Two devastating natural disasters in the past two weeks; more than 100,000 people dead in total; thousands of them children…you can sense the cry of hundreds of parents in Dujiangyan and Juyan, China, and those in Myanmar for the lost children, so many of which have yet to be found under the rubble of buildings as a result of the earthquake in China and the cyclone in Myanmar. So much grief, so much sorrow, so much pain. You can hear their cries of anguish, their fears, their prayers, and finally, their acknowledgement that life will never be the same again.

We feel for them; we wish we could help them. All of them, like us, will have to go through the same grief journey, although each person must do what is best for them at the time. Each person grieves differently, even husbands and wives. Each person has his own time period for grieving, whether it is days, months or years.

What is important to note is that although it is a long dark journey through shock, disbelief, denial, anger, panic and finally, acceptance, we do come out at the other end. We do endure. We do find strength. Most of all, we find hope, hope that resonates in all of us to move forward with our lives.

NOTE: For those who want to do something, international organizations such as CARE, UNICEF and the Red Cross are all asking for help in different ways. In Myanmar local organizations such as Orphan’s Hope and Mercy Corps are seeking donations, and in China the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, the Tsinghaua Foundation and the Hidaya Foundation all need support. You can find information about them online.