Absolutely Devastated!

Hey everyone,

When the Americans suffered through the tragedy of 9/11 attacks, I did relate to their feelings 100%. I sympathized, but not entirely. When the tsunami struck Indonesia and killed so many innocent people, I sympathized, but then, I did not relate to the people. Today, as I read and hear more and more about the devastation that the earthquake has created in Pakistan, I am absolutely devastated personally. The figure has risen dramatically overnight from 1000, to 20,000, and is expected rise further. The damage has been done, and now survivors are being sought.

These people who are affected my own countrymen and women. I identify with them. I identify the places and towns. I know Islamabad and Balakot, another hard hit city in the Northern areas. I sympathize with the men, women and children there because I know the conditions they live in. While I may not know and experience the extent of the damage, I can understand what they might be all doing through.

One of the most bravest scenes I witnessed was to see so many people volunteering to bring out the surviviors from the collapsed apartment towers. To see so many men form a line, working cohesively and collectively, just made me proud to be a Pakistani. To see that there is no looting or killing of innocents like there were when hurricane Katrina struck the US, I was so encouraged to see the Pakistanis help their brothers and sisters in peril. As we all know, survivors, if any, under the debris have about 72 hours to live, beyond which one is declared dead. There are miracles stories, and there have been cases of peopel suriviving beyond the 72 hours.

My heart breaks to see such devastation, yet it also rejoices to see all the men and women drop their differences and unite to help each other. The Pakistani and the Indian soldiers atthe Kashmiri border are sharing resources instead of bullets. They are reconstructing instead of damaging. I hope every one realizes in the midst of all this that wars and battles over Kashmir is insignificant, and that everyone fares better when they work together and accept and tolerate better. If everyone can unite together for the better in times of devastation, why cannot they get along otherwise?

My heart is indeed very heavy as I read about the 200 young soldiers who were killed along with their leader. I am sad when I read about school children caught inside their classroom screaming and crying for help, and in another city 250 school children who were killed instantly. Despite all the anguish and difficulties being endured by the people in Pakistan, there are some success stories of people being pulled out from the debris. There is still hope and hope is very important to maintain.

I would like to end with a short prayer for the people of Pakistan, since I feel so intensely and so deeply for them.

Dear God,

I want to lift up to You the nation of Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, as the men, women and children deal with such a devastation in their lives. God, I pray that You give your support and encouragement to all the survivors as they try to make sense of what happened. I want to pray for the families who have lost their loved ones, be it one family member or entire families, God, I just pray that You give them patience to deal with such an immense loss. God, even I don't understand why such things happen where a large number of innocent people are killed, but I trust that You are in control of the world, and that there is reason for all this which we may not understand right now.

God, I want to continue to pray for the people, for their safety and that they get all the medical supplies, food and shelter to them. I am so thankful international countries have pledged assistance and monetary aids. I am thankful that channels of communicataions are being opened so aid can reach the more deeply affected areas. I am so thankful aid agencies and volunteers rushed to the scene to help out the wounded people. I am thankful all sorts of medications, food supplies and tents are being distributed. I am thankful for all this because You made it possible.

God I think about the young boy, who is carrying his 5yr old sister whose face is ripped off seeking for medical help. I pray some doctor out there reaches to him and her and treat them. I pray that the screaming children buried under the debris are rescued and that no more children are perished. I think about the mother who is wandering out there alone without a family, forced to spend the night out in the open. I think about the father whose wife and children just perished. I think about the child who just realized his parents are no more. God, I pray You touch the hearts of all these people and show them Your mercy, grace and love. I trust God you will do that.

Most of all, God, I pray that people turn to you with a renewed faith, with a revivalism of sorts in their belief in You. I pray that even those who are not in the country take this opportunity to commit deeply their faith to You. As we are in the holy month of Ramadan, God, I pray that we are more diligent in prayer and fasting, and sincere about it. I pray for patience, encouragement, mercy, grace and love to be poured out on all those who are affected, be they in the country or abroad.

Amen.

Mansur