Saturday, August 18, 2007

Peruvians helping eachother

All the media covered information about the earthquake in Peru and that's the reason why I will not explain about it. Even thousands of persons are still in pain and recovering from physical and emotional distress there are many wonderful things going on that are important to talk about.

First of all I'm Peruvian but I live in Slovenia. Many people called me or contacted me to show they care and to ask for my family. I was very happy for that and also for being able to report that my family and friends are scared but healthy.

After the shock and communication problems the information started to arrive to the media, and like that I started to realize the magnitude of the disaster. But at the same time 10ths of messages, posts in forums, emails, videos on YouTube started to appear. Yes, the telephone network (Managed by Telefonica) crashed but the internet was working! Hundreds of families started using internet technologies to communicate. The Peruvian newspapers online offered tools for communicating and connecting members of the family living in different areas. Internet is definitively one very important media of communication capable of saving lives and release distress.

After all that I was asking to myself how to help? I hadn't any clue but it looks like many Peruvians living abroad started making the same questions and many of them contacted me to join their efforts. Wow! I didn't know there are so many hidden leaders all around the world! Soon many companies offered themselves to collect money and send it to bank accounts opened all around the world for the purpose of helping to the victims. Now the Red Cross, Caritas and many other organizations are collecting resources. A connected World started to organize itself to help. That is wonderful!

Talking with my mother I found out that in Lima, there is a mass movement for offering help. The municipalities are receiving donations, the private sector is organizing their employees help and providing additional resources, the stores are collecting founds from each of their customers and many trucks are going each day full of good intentions and brotherhood. In the meantime the political organizations are solving problems in the infrastructure and security. They are facing challenges and making mistakes but it is also true that they are reacting fast and focusing in what matters the most. Individuals are discovering that each one can help, that each one is powerful enough to organize support activities. It is great to see that the people stops making their routines to help.

In the "Plaza de Armas" or main square in Lima more than 500 persons started donating blood. Thats great but it is event greater because tourists participated as well! authorities, members of the army and police department helped and gave the good sample.
Thanks! to all the heroes that are investing their time to help so much. Heroes from all the world and from many different nationalities that took the opportunity to make a positive mark on our history.

Nature is wild and powerful and we, Humans, are experts to adapt. There was never a moment in history with so much people living and using our planet's resources, we need to start thinking where is best to live to avoid nature's dangerous behavior.

7 comments:

Matthew May said...

Jose, great post, if you have any links to organizations helping out with this, I would be more than happy to post about it and help spread some awareness.

Or any information on what other people can do to help.

Thanks, again great post. :)

Jose Antonio said...

Dear Matt!
thanks for your comment.
I just made a new post answering your suggestion.
Many people from all around the planet is already in Peru helping. What is important now is to help organizations with experience to offer help and resources that are really needed.
Thanks a lot Matt!

Partnership said...

Hi Jose: Wonderful post and a really worthwhile cause. I'd love to add your link to my blog.Although a different subject,my blog is for supporting unfortunate children, I still think it would fit well there.
Come take a look and if you agree ,i'll add your link to my blog.Just let me know.
http://theyareourchildren.blogspot.com

Jose Antonio said...

Dear "Partnershhip"
Thanks for your comment. Of course you can link to my Blog.
I have checked your site and I like it! Im sure my friend Matt (also with a comment on this post) will like to see it.
Please let me know when that link will be ready. I will be glad to add your blog also on my site.

regards

Anonymous said...

hi my name is monica, I'm from Peru, I pray that the consecuences from the earthquake in Peru can be healed and the people can receive all the help they need to live better than before...I like to knwo which organization is supporting the people from this earthquake, that way we can send our donations and money for this cause. Because some organizations in Peru, I heard they are not honest.
Mi oracion va a los Peruanos de este terremoto en 2007. Les pido que siempre oren a DIos para ayuda en todo tanto temporal como emocional. y si necesitan mas ayudas me dicen y donde es la organizacion donde son honesto donde les provee todo para la ayuda a las personas que sufren del terremoto, me escriben al monicacoca56@hotmail.com o vea la pagina www.foudation-peru.org DIos bendiga al Peru.

Jose Antonio said...

Dear Cocanut,
Thanks for your post.
First of all I advise you to not publish your email in a Blog because you will get a lot of spam :(
Second I found that the link you provided has a typo so I would like to show the correct link:
http://www.foundation-peru.org
I trust in Caritas, UNICEF, RedCross, Care.

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