Every little bit helps
05/22/08 15:57 Filed in: Family &
Friends
Every little bit helps. That's what I tell myself
when I am feeling particularly helpless when it comes
to all the worldwide suffering we hear about.
Sometimes it's just downright overwhelming because
there are so many people who are in need of help. I
started this post a while ago, but have just now
gotten around to finishing it. Partly because I have
been so busy, and partly because I've been avoiding
writing about such a sad topic. The recent natural
disasters in Burma and China have affected everyone I
know. It is just so tragic.
I don't know if I pondered these events as much as I do now (probably not) but it breaks my heart to hear about all the parents who are waiting by toppled school buildings to find their child. Hoping for a miracle, and if not, finding a way to have some closure - when, in reality, I don't think any parent ever really gets over the death of a child (they just learn to cope as best as they can).
As for Burma, I've avoided posting about it because I haven't really wanted to stop to think about it too much. It's just so sad. As I've mentioned before, my family is from Burma. Entire villages in Burma have disappeared. People aren't getting the help they need and the available assistance is very slow and often inappropriate. I've stopped asking my folks if they've gotten through to family on the phone because I think the communication system there is a disaster right now. I think the cities where most of our family were relatively spared (they had big storms and some buildings were damaged, but not to the extent that you see on the news).
After having visited once, I immediately saw how peace-loving the Burmese people are. Despite having their rights constantly denied by the ruling government, they manage to (in my opinion) overlook the unfairness of it all and make do with what they have. People tend not to be very aggressive (passive, some would say) and hardly ever complain, even though they have plenty of reasons to. There's a mentality of enduring the hardship because that is all they have. It's pretty unfair and a situation like that anywhere else would not be tolerated (people here get angry when we have to wait too long in line at the supermarket). It's just not fair.
I often think that I haven't changed that much after having children. But something that has obviously changed a lot is how I feel when I imagine putting myself into the shoes of other parents who are living a total nightmare. Whether it be while rotating through the children's hospital or hearing about the loss of a child through the media, it always floors me whenever I imagine how horrifying an experience it must be for a parent to lose a child. I have often told people that I just don't know how parents who have suffered such losses make it through each day, because I don't think I could handle it. Just the mere thought of anything happening to my kids forms a lump in my throat and brings tears to my eyes.
In any case, the wheels have been spinning in my head about how I'd like to (at least start) helping those in need. I am finally approaching a time in my life where I can afford to contribute financially, however small (earning a meager income still beats building debt every year). Never mind that our combined school loan burden is equal to twice the average home cost in the United States. Relative to many people, we're living very comfortably. And we'd like to try to help.
I'm going to start by donating 100% of the profit generated from this site to a particular charity that will change every few months (I'd make it more structured, but am afraid my schedule might make it too hard to do so). We will also make direct donations on our own. I would love to be able to match contributions in the future - we just aren't quite able to do so at the moment.
I've chosen Unicef's cyclone relief efforts in Burma as the first charity. Please consider donating directly using the button below, or consider shopping through the Shopping Resource page. Whether it be $1 or $1000, every little bit helps. Or, shop for textbooks, toys, clothes or whatever - just click through the appropriate links, and you'll be contributing a small but essential amount to help those in need. I don't plan on browbeating everyone to donate (it's a personal decision and depends on your own situation), so the only times I'll post about this is to let you know when we've switched to another charity. And also to give you occasional updates about how much we've raised.
Thanks for reading this lengthy post and take care.
-msm
I don't know if I pondered these events as much as I do now (probably not) but it breaks my heart to hear about all the parents who are waiting by toppled school buildings to find their child. Hoping for a miracle, and if not, finding a way to have some closure - when, in reality, I don't think any parent ever really gets over the death of a child (they just learn to cope as best as they can).
As for Burma, I've avoided posting about it because I haven't really wanted to stop to think about it too much. It's just so sad. As I've mentioned before, my family is from Burma. Entire villages in Burma have disappeared. People aren't getting the help they need and the available assistance is very slow and often inappropriate. I've stopped asking my folks if they've gotten through to family on the phone because I think the communication system there is a disaster right now. I think the cities where most of our family were relatively spared (they had big storms and some buildings were damaged, but not to the extent that you see on the news).
After having visited once, I immediately saw how peace-loving the Burmese people are. Despite having their rights constantly denied by the ruling government, they manage to (in my opinion) overlook the unfairness of it all and make do with what they have. People tend not to be very aggressive (passive, some would say) and hardly ever complain, even though they have plenty of reasons to. There's a mentality of enduring the hardship because that is all they have. It's pretty unfair and a situation like that anywhere else would not be tolerated (people here get angry when we have to wait too long in line at the supermarket). It's just not fair.
I often think that I haven't changed that much after having children. But something that has obviously changed a lot is how I feel when I imagine putting myself into the shoes of other parents who are living a total nightmare. Whether it be while rotating through the children's hospital or hearing about the loss of a child through the media, it always floors me whenever I imagine how horrifying an experience it must be for a parent to lose a child. I have often told people that I just don't know how parents who have suffered such losses make it through each day, because I don't think I could handle it. Just the mere thought of anything happening to my kids forms a lump in my throat and brings tears to my eyes.
In any case, the wheels have been spinning in my head about how I'd like to (at least start) helping those in need. I am finally approaching a time in my life where I can afford to contribute financially, however small (earning a meager income still beats building debt every year). Never mind that our combined school loan burden is equal to twice the average home cost in the United States. Relative to many people, we're living very comfortably. And we'd like to try to help.
I'm going to start by donating 100% of the profit generated from this site to a particular charity that will change every few months (I'd make it more structured, but am afraid my schedule might make it too hard to do so). We will also make direct donations on our own. I would love to be able to match contributions in the future - we just aren't quite able to do so at the moment.
I've chosen Unicef's cyclone relief efforts in Burma as the first charity. Please consider donating directly using the button below, or consider shopping through the Shopping Resource page. Whether it be $1 or $1000, every little bit helps. Or, shop for textbooks, toys, clothes or whatever - just click through the appropriate links, and you'll be contributing a small but essential amount to help those in need. I don't plan on browbeating everyone to donate (it's a personal decision and depends on your own situation), so the only times I'll post about this is to let you know when we've switched to another charity. And also to give you occasional updates about how much we've raised.
Thanks for reading this lengthy post and take care.
-msm
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