It sounds just like any other news headline if you say it quickly enough. Over one hundred thousand people lost their lives…and the numbers are still climbing as I write this. We, here in America, just go on about our daily activities. Many of us haven’t even stopped to take notice because it hasn’t affected us.
Most of the people killed were the poorest in already poor countries. The poor don’t have the material possessions that Americans and Western Europeans have been blessed with. What they have…had…were families. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, grandparents...that’s what the survivors lost. Sometimes the only thing that makes poverty bearable is family…and that was taken away from thousands and thousands of people in only a few hours.
The loss is incomprehensible to me. To those who survived the loss it was their child or their parent, perhaps their neighbor, perhaps all of those. It was personal. I can only think of the quote by John Donne: “Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
I don’t have the ability to help any victims of this cataclysm directly…but the survivors are in my prayers. I take note that humanity has lost a great deal in the last few days. They’re not strangers or aliens to me…they’re human beings, made in the image of the Living God…they’re part of my family. My heart goes out to my family. May the hand of the Most High bless and comfort His children. May He heal the hearts, bodies and spirits of those left behind...eventually. May we open our hearts and our purses to our family in their time of need. Humanity has the opportunity to show it's heart in this too. May we all stop and take note that the bell tolls…
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