FACE OF GLOBAL COMPASSION
The communication technology, aerial imagery, and
internet have brought before the world the magnitude
of the tsunami disaster. It numbs the human mind and
senses to see that the mighty tidal waves have ravaged
the landscape and indiscriminately swallowed towns,
villages, temples and churches and caused incredible
loss of life in a catastrophic arc of destruction
that stretched across time zones and continents.
The dead, injured, and missing represent 40 countries,
many faiths and cultures. Behind the terror-filled
eyes of each orphan child or grief-stricken adult
are shattered lives and dreams and deep sadness etched
forever on his/her soul. Amidst this incomprehensible
tragedy, there are occasional miracles, unprecedented
lifelines of hope, and the true face of compassion.
Nations from around the globe are responding to this
unimagined cataclysmic event with generosity and compassion
of epic proportions - rushing aid, supplies, and reassurances
to assist the living. Millions of large and small
efforts to raise funds for tsunami relief are reaffirming
that as One God's children we share the victim's anguish
and grief. Americans are not seeing the affected countries
as Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or Christian nations or
cultures. We are seeing our own face mirrored across
the world media screens and are wise enough to recognize
that this is another corner of our common global village
and extended human family.
Kanwal Prakash "KP" Singh
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
