By Rina N. Risper
The New Citizens Press
Throughout time, Mother Nature has held people at her mercy. The destructive force of a natural disaster cannot be blamed on other human beings which makes us feel even more helpless in the aftermath. The toll that they take on the human spirit is universal. In the aftermath of natural disasters, there are many issues of concern including disease, unsafe food and water and homelessness. Even in the physical sense, we seem to forget the psychological stress that these occurances have on individuals, family and friends. The horrible anguish of losing a loved one and where you live is unimaginable for most of us.
In the 21st century, we have seen several natural disasters. Even though we may not have actually been present to experience the full magnitude of the event, we may find that it’s difficult to stop thinking about the destruction. Several of our most memorable natural disasters have included Hurricane Katrina and the Indian Ocean tsunami and more recently the cyclone in Myanmar.
On May 12, 2008, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake devastated the Sischuan province of China. Even though the epicenter was not near the city of Beijing where the Olympics are to be held, the tremors were felt there as well.
Li Pei Han(Jade) a 20-year old college student from China visited East Lansing last summer with the Visiting International Professional Program (VIPP) at Michigan State University. Jade provides us to some personal details about the day of the earthquake in a desperate e-mail written to William and Leslie Eubanks, whom she affectionately calls “grandpa and grandma”:
At that time, I was napping at my dormitory. All of a sudden, the whole bed was shaking. At first, I thought it might be my roommate shaking my bed. But I found that no one was shaking the bed. My room was rolling and shaking fiercely! I realized it was an earthquake and hid my head with the pillow instinctively.
At the very moment, somebody outside shouted loudly, “Run, get out!!!” Then everybody began to shout and panic. Once I heard the screaming, I threw quilt and got out of bed, and ran out of room as quickly as possible.
It was surreal. For every three steps. It seems that I just took 3 steps to every 10 steps of the stairs. Very shortly, I was standing outside on dormitory grounds just wearing my pajamas.
I was extremely frightened and started searching for my roommates and classmates crazily. As building windows shook, we hugged each other. We needed to comfort each other.
When everything appeared to be normal and safe. I ran back to get my cell phone to call to my parents, and found that I couldn’t contact them.
My hometown is so close to our campus that I worried about my parents and friends a lot. One of my classmate’s had an IP card and I succeeded in talking to my mother. I was happy to know that my family members were fine, I took deep breath and calmed down gradually.
The disaster which seems far away from us in the past now is so close to us. Experiencing the earthquake made me think more about the value of life.
As a saying from a movie goes,“I guess it comes to a simple choice, really – get busy living or get busy dying.” – Andy Dufresne, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION.
I can’t imagine dying in an earthquake. ˇWhat the most important thing in my life? The money, the books, the achievement and so on. At that moment I cared nothing about them. My relatives, my friends, the ones I care for, all of them are so important to me!
I know I will enjoy everyday of my life, I know I will cherish more about people around me. I typed down the words, I’m fine, and I’m okay explaining it to the ones who care about me.
Editor’s Note: As of the printing of this article the death toll in China is still rising. According to the Shanghai Daily on May 19, 2008, the death toll had risen to nearly 32,500.
The members of Michigan Governor’s Advisory Council on Asian Pacific American Affairs expresses their deepest condolences to the victims and their grieving family members and friends of the devastating cyclone in Myanmar and the frightening earthquake in China.
They said that the enormity of the tragedies left them overwhelmed and speechless. At a time of such devastation, their collective prayers go out to the victims. As the citizens of those two nations struggle to cope with the challenges before them, they call upon all people of good will to lend the victims and their families support and prayer.
