Power of a single thought

What happened, the tragedy is beyond the possibilities to express in words. We all have seen the scenes in news. The only difference perhaps we (who are in Pakistan or have relatives in those area) see is that the actual disaster is much greater then the one we see in news. I personally fear the actual death toll could be of 100 thousands people or more.

As I mentioned before, personally we felt it was not a time to wait and think what or how to help and just do what we can at that moment. The initial idea started to get some food and clothes at PAF Museum from the collections of few friends’ places and two days ago we end up getting three cars full of supplies there.

We heard the plea for medicine there and thought to get some medicine the next day and we end up collecting RS 117500/- in less then 24 hours. Yesterday we sent medicine/first aid of worth 90000 and around 225 "Kafans" for the dead. All in all, we end up having one pickup full of medical supplies, one car, and 7 more with clothes and food. And we still have more, which is left to be given today, hopefully. And not more then 15/20 friends and neighbors were involved in this tiny effort we were able to put on, all ordinary people.

The pickup that we hired for carrying the medicine, when they reached at the scene of PAF Museum, they refused to get their rent of the vehicle. When known the medicines were for the victims, we got it at the factory rate with not a penny's profit. While we were arranging the vehicle we placed the materials at the corner of the street, and guess what, people started to donate other stuff thinking it was a camp or something for the relief.

About the PAF relief effort which initially was started by Fakher-e-Alam at PAF Museum has turned out to be what is, the biggest ever relief effort I have seen live (if you have seen it in TV, trust me you have seen nothing) It is huge, unimaginably huge. Thousands of girls/guys/families are volunteering and all you see is the mountains of goods, all around you. No matter if you reach there at 2 AM you will need to go thru a huge cue of vehicles. Okay, that too can not be described in words.

Back to personal level, we still felt we can be utilized as manpower to help get that enormous aid as soon as possible to the needy. We personally felt (after looking at the thousands of volunteers at PAF) we are probably not needed there and we could find some other place which really is short in manpower. We end up signing at Ranger’s relief camp which is nearer to home, spent hours sorting the things and loaded 8 trucks with bare hands (okay now you know why my back hurts).

Just in a day, within the radius of a mile from where I live, 14 trucks were sent from the Ranger's camp, 6/7 from Al Akhtar trust, few from Ahsan-al-uloom and few from some political party’s camps. That is, just one mile radius of the city, I am sure every mile of the city and the country has done what it could. Let us all hope that the Aid actually reaches the needy and that too, on time.

Tomorrow, we have to collect 700 big hard board boxes that we will get and going to give those at PAF hopefully. Those will be used to pack some of the stuff, I have to manage & provide pick and drop to some lady doctors who have spoken to the officials and will help in sorting the medicine in the relief camps. Rest of the materials we have, had to give it away and then I am again going to labor at the Ranger’s camp.

The reason why I started to write this story half an hour ago was, that the day before yesterday me and my friend thought okay, lets meet in 30 mins and we can at least give some of our clothes at the PAF Museum, we thought it will probably be a handful bag with 10/15 pairs of clothes. That single thought between two people grew and managed to get around 150 thousands worth stuff and a manpower that can load 8 trucks in less then two hours and sort out the stuff for them. The single thought between two people. That a single thought between two people hopefully is going to grow tomorrow within our capacity.

Maybe...just maybe, if this post/writing can create a similar single thought.

And never underestimate yourself.

-Atif