How Would You Respond?

How much do you know about what's going on in Myanmar? China? Anything?

Well, barring the death tolls, are you aware that Myanmar's leader will not open the country for Foreign Aid? He just won't allow it.

The leader of Myanmar insists he's got everything under control, and that he doesn't need help with bringing his country back from disaster. Want to see what the world seems to think about the US's desire to help? See the cartoon below - they believe we have a political agenda with our wanting to help (then agian... are they so far off to assume something like that? Have we done something like this in the past?). Not that I think that's the case, but when you have a certain opinion about someone, you question them when the "volunteer" to help, don't you?!

So before we get all mad at how people can think that abotu us wanting to help - think about how you'd react in a similar situation.

And that brings me to this - how often do you think you have everything "under control", when in reality, your world is totally falling apart? ... something to think about...

And in China - people are sleeping in the streets for fear of another aftershock bringing their home down on top of them in the night. What would it be like to live like that?

People are still being affected by the earthquake, plus fearing more aftershocks - but read these pieces of an article:

"In the Jiangning district of northeastern Liaoning province, a gray-haired beggar in his 60s donated five yuan for people plagued by earthquake on Thursday morning and waddled away. In the afternoon that man in patched blue coat appeared again with another 100 yuan and put the money into the donation box. "I would use my own life to exchange for mom's survival."

(Often, they are saying "mom" in these articles, but not actually referring to a mom, or their mom... it seems to have been lost in translation.)

"In the ruins of Qushan primary school in Beichuan, rescuer Zhu Yunneng found a boy covered with blood lying on several bodies. When Zhu stretched out his hand, the boy refused him, until hours later when about ten other kids were dug out. "I will not leave."

"Under a cement plate, 13-year-old Xiang Xiaolian from the Xuankou Middle School of Chongzhou city neighboring Wenchuan was in a coma after the quake until his classmate Ma Jian woke her up. "Please be by my side until I die. Don't leave," cried the girl helplessly. Ma nodded, began digging the plate with his own hands. Four hours later, Xiang was freed, while Ma's hands were badly hurt. "You have promised. You can't break your word."

"Xiao Xue and Xiao Ya were both buried when the quake toppled their school, the Xiang'e Middle School in Dujiangyan. In darkness, the girls held hands, encouraging each other and promising never to give up. Five hours later, the 15-year-old Xiao Xue was rescued, whereas Xiao Ya has been dead for quite a while."

"Four days after the deadly quake, some people were rescued, some perished. But some of their voices remained to touch many people. "Please, let me save another child. I can save one more!"

"When soldiers were rescuing students buried in the debris of a collapsed primary school in Mianzhu of Sichuan, the wreckage was jolted again in a strong aftershock and rescuers were ordered to leave. A soldier who just pulled out a kid knelt down, bursting into tears. "Dad, save me. I am still alive. [repeating the child's words]"

"The 36-year-old doctor Hao Xingjun from the Nanba township in Mianyang would never forget the last words from his daughter, Luyan. He chose to save other's kids first, and, when he turned back to search for his buried daughter, voice of the six-year-old girl has already died down. Holding tightly Luyan's bag, he watched dumbfoundedly as the girl's body was dug out. "My dear baby, forgive mom."

"Cuddling her son's body, Nie Xiaoyan wailed. The teacher from Yingxiu township kindergarten in Wenchuan saved two children when the earthquake happened, but her own kid, three years old, was killed. She wrapped the dead baby with a new quilt and wiped off dust from his cheek, so gently as if the boy would wake up. "People in the quake-hit regions are more miserable than I am. They even have their lives at stake."

So with that - I leave you with a question. If placed in the same situation... the same sorrow... the same disaster...

How would you respond?