aid
yesterday morning, we arrived at school to find trucks unloading boxes upon boxes of shoes, milk cartons, toothbrushes, canned food, blankets, and other supplies. we were told that today's goal was to make 5,000 packages, containing a specified number of each of these items. the packages would be driven to phuket that night and handed out to victims of the tsunami.
between the teachers, a handful of students who live nearby, and some volunteers from the community, we had about 50 people ready to work.
and work we did.
the sun was blazing as we laid out row upon row of the supplies and set to work collecting the proper amount of each item, bagging everything, tying the bags, and loading them. it was an entire day's work and by nightfall, everyone involved was exhausted. but i have never welcomed such exhaustion as i did that day; sweating under the sun, doing honest, real work- accomplishing something so tangible that there was a clear beginning and a clear end- knowing that every movement i made, every item i bagged, was going to help someone- it made me push myself; made me lift heavy things even when i was tired; made me postpone taking a water break until i had made just a few more bundles; made me feel just the tiniest bit less helpless in the face of the millions of tragedies that are going on in several countries at this moment.
i know that i did not accomplish any huge thing that day. i know that 5,000 packages are going to help 5,000 people for maybe one day, or half a day. if even that. i know that millions and millions of packages and dollars and hours and miracles are needed to help the millions of people who have lost their homes, the millions of people who have lost their families. there is no human alive who can help everyone who needs it right now. but on the other hand, i alone didn't make those 5,000 packages. alone, i would have made, what, 100 in eight hours? i wasn't alone, and neither are the thousands of people everywhere who are pitching in.
when it came time to deliver the packages, we learned that the storehouses of supplies are full because aid has been pouring in in a steady stream. our packages will be needed on monday- the truck will come then. i guess a lot of people spent their wednesdays- and mondays and tuesdays and thursdays and todays and tomorrows and yesterdays- pitching in.
maybe those millions of packages and dollars and hours will actually be.
maybe the millions of miracles will too.
(i don't say this to pressure anyone - nothing like that. but i have had a couple of people ask me how to make donations and i think this is the best place to answer them. the unicef website makes it very easy- big "donate now" link.)
yesterday morning, we arrived at school to find trucks unloading boxes upon boxes of shoes, milk cartons, toothbrushes, canned food, blankets, and other supplies. we were told that today's goal was to make 5,000 packages, containing a specified number of each of these items. the packages would be driven to phuket that night and handed out to victims of the tsunami.
between the teachers, a handful of students who live nearby, and some volunteers from the community, we had about 50 people ready to work.
and work we did.
the sun was blazing as we laid out row upon row of the supplies and set to work collecting the proper amount of each item, bagging everything, tying the bags, and loading them. it was an entire day's work and by nightfall, everyone involved was exhausted. but i have never welcomed such exhaustion as i did that day; sweating under the sun, doing honest, real work- accomplishing something so tangible that there was a clear beginning and a clear end- knowing that every movement i made, every item i bagged, was going to help someone- it made me push myself; made me lift heavy things even when i was tired; made me postpone taking a water break until i had made just a few more bundles; made me feel just the tiniest bit less helpless in the face of the millions of tragedies that are going on in several countries at this moment.
i know that i did not accomplish any huge thing that day. i know that 5,000 packages are going to help 5,000 people for maybe one day, or half a day. if even that. i know that millions and millions of packages and dollars and hours and miracles are needed to help the millions of people who have lost their homes, the millions of people who have lost their families. there is no human alive who can help everyone who needs it right now. but on the other hand, i alone didn't make those 5,000 packages. alone, i would have made, what, 100 in eight hours? i wasn't alone, and neither are the thousands of people everywhere who are pitching in.
when it came time to deliver the packages, we learned that the storehouses of supplies are full because aid has been pouring in in a steady stream. our packages will be needed on monday- the truck will come then. i guess a lot of people spent their wednesdays- and mondays and tuesdays and thursdays and todays and tomorrows and yesterdays- pitching in.
maybe those millions of packages and dollars and hours will actually be.
maybe the millions of miracles will too.
(i don't say this to pressure anyone - nothing like that. but i have had a couple of people ask me how to make donations and i think this is the best place to answer them. the unicef website makes it very easy- big "donate now" link.)
...Natural is the static
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