by Freida Marie Crump
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Greetings from the Ridge.
Web sites crashed, phone logs were clogged, relief agencies put out calls for volunteers to handle the millions of inquiries, and the story captured the headlines day after day. The Second Tsunami had begun.
Battleships steamed toward the ravaged coasts, the logistics of delivering the supplies became a nightmare, over $500 million was pledged by nations of the world, and militaries from around the world geared up for help. The Second Tsunami kept rolling in.
A cab driver in Baltimore grabbed a handful of donation envelopes from a relief agency and passed them out to everyone entering his cab that day. He had to go back twice before his shift ended to get more envelopes. Two children walked into the D.C. office with a small pile of cash and a note that said, "for peple who help peple." A teenager of Indian descent set up his own website and within hours he had to ask friends to come help him man his cell phone.
The American Red Cross, American Jewish World Service, CARE, Direct Relief International, GOAL, Habitat for Humanity International, The Red Crescent, UNICEF, Network for Good, Oxfam International…all swamped with donations, and because of Internet giving, many of these donations were already in hand.
The Second Tsunami, the flood of compassion and aid, like a wave hitting a mountain and flowing back again, continued. The German army geared up for massive troop movement to Indonesia, France sent a helicopter carrier to the area as New Zealand and Japan sent helicopters in search of survivors.
The U.S. had 17 Navy helicopters rescuing survivors from the isolated west coast of Aceh. Michael Elmquist, the UN Coordinator in the area, said, "We are absolutely thrilled that Americans are doing that. They are the only ones who have the capacity to reach those parts of the population right now." Meanwhile, 1500 Marines are headed for relief in Sri Lanka.
And this was just the first giant swell of the Second Tsunami.
We sat in our living rooms watching the news, our hearts wrenched by the sight of homeless families, motherless children, and parents whose little ones had been swept away in the wave. The television and the newspaper that we had cursed for bringing horrible images into our living rooms were now the very instrument that spread the call for help around the world. Face it, in 1940 the response would have been much slower simply because we couldn’t hear the crying and see the tears.
And the thought has surely crossed millions of minds…Why can’t we always behave like this? Political campaigns bloated with dubious promises, questionable motivations for starting wars, terrorists with no regard for the preciousness of life, and racism that still clings tightly to the underbelly of the world…all paled in the wake the Second Tsunami…a wave of relief and compassion like nothing the world had seen before.
Again we asked ourselves the question, "Why can’t we just behave?" The churches did not lead the way on this effort, the governments chimed in only after a swift kick from a United Nations’ spokesman. Besides, all of these cumbersome organizations take time to get in gear. The Baltimore taxi driver started first thing the next morning. The two kids in D.C. went next door and got to work as soon as they heard the news.
Most of the victims were not of our race nor did they worship our God.
When you log into the Google website, there’s a new button directing you to "Ways to help with Tsunami relief." Click on any of the agencies you wish and none of them will ask if you’d like your money sent to a brown girl or a white boy, a Catholic or a Muslim. And I have a suspicion that no one logging in wants to specify.
I don’t know the mind of God. If I did, I’d have given more thought to marrying Herb. Far too many people speculate as to what God causes and what He allows, and I wouldn’t wallow into that debate for anything.
However, I am pretty sure I know what God can use, that is just about everything. Not only can this Second Tsunami show the world that our nation’s tainted reputation just might be undeserved, that governmental spokesmen don’t always speak for the heart of the American people, but it might remind the entire globe that the world can behave. We can get along. Behind most political and religious facades are hearts of people truly wanting the best for others.
The first tsunami was a terribly tragedy. The second wave has made me just about as hopeful as any event I can remember. I hope it encourages you, too.
You ever in Coonridge, stop by. We may not answer the door but you’ll enjoy the trip.