The End Soon??

Is the world coming to an end?

I can't help thinking that when I heard of the devastating news of cyclone Nargis that killed thousands in Myanmar and the recent earthquake in China. Thousands lost their lives and millions are left homeless. Countless children are orphaned. Thousands are sick and injured. Are these signs that humankind will come to an end soon??

I wish I could help in some way or another but I can't possibly leave my job and go join Mercy Malaysia as a relief worker [can't afford to do that and I don't think I'm equipped with the necessary life-saving skills and knowledge to be accepted as a relief worker]. I wish I can make a difference but there's really not much I can do except donate my own stuff and whatever $$ I can possibly afford to give away.

It's really depressing to watch the news on TV and flip through the newspapers these days coz it's neverending reports on the victims of the cyclone and the earthquake. I feel really angry at how slow help is trickling into Myanmar. All coz of the paranoid and selfish junta who think of themselves first before the victims who face the possibility of death NOT directly by the cyclone but because of:

• Disease


• Sickness


• No food & clean water


• No shelter

due to the almost non-existent support and help from their own government. By the time help and supplies finally reach the victims, I think most of them would have already been starved to death or died out of sickness. I think the death toll reported by the junta is like 80% lesser than the actual amount. I received an email this morning by a colleague with pictures of the areas hit by the cyclone and the amount of dead bodies that littered the area was frightening. The bodies were all grostequely black and bloated. Even their eyes were bulging out. I feel sorry for the families of the dead as they couldn't afford to cremate the bodies of their loved ones and give them a proper funeral. Why? WHY didn't the government let help into the country? The whole world was so anxious to help yet their own government refused to permit the entry of relief workers, journalists [who could report on the actual situation and highlight the plight of the victims to the world to get more donations, etc] and supplies. I hope when aid finally reaches the victims, it'll not be too late.

As for the earthquake in China, it's heartbreaking to see so many schoolbags and name tags retrieved from the debris of collapsed buildings. A lot of parents lost their kids and many kids lost not only their parents, but their arms or legs [which were amputated to save their lives] from this disaster. Now, the survivors are scrambling to get to high ground due fears of flood. News reports showe that the river banks might burst and a massive amount of water will flood over the affected towns. The earthquake problem's not even solved yet and another problem arises. I hope the Chinese government will be more efficient in handling this situation.

All I can do is hope and pray hard for the victims and do what I can [no matter how small my contribution is] to help. I plan to donate my clothes and $$, just need to find out the right places to pass my stuff to. Hopefully, all of you out there are able to help as well. No matter how much/ little you can do, it'll still make a difference.