With all the latest headlines about the disasters hitting Japan, there's a lot of buzz here and there throughout the world especially in the media; social media. You can see people setting up pages, retweeting, reposting statuses about the disasters that is happening in Japan. From the first disaster - the earthquake followed by a tsunami shortly after; that swept away thousands of lives and hundred thousands of homes then, consequently leading to the explosions and leaking of radioactive gases from nuclear reactors causing radiation levels to increase x10 and currently, blizzard while the search and rescue teams continue their efforts in saving people in evacuating and such.

You see many people including famous artistes contributing/donating money to the victims, mostly by channelling the sales of their tickets from their concerts/merchandises but it requires the public to buy them. I think while it is a nice gesture that the artistes contributes/donates but I also think that it is their marketing strategy to get the public to buy what they are selling but at the same time they are doing "charity" for the Japanese. While offering financial aid could be very helpful to the Japanese, but I guess it just wouldn't help them as much at all.

At the moment, I wouldn't say I understand how the Japanese feel as I've never experienced any disasters of that sort myself. No earthquakes nor tsunami, not even flood. I guess while having some money does comfort them a little but having to survive the frightening disasters probably have set an impact on their lives forever. I really cannot fully understand how will they feel now. Probably they will live in fear, forever, for not knowing what will happen next. Probably sorrow, as they watched how the disasters robbed the lives of their precious ones. Probably anger and confusion, as they do not understand why this of all people in the world, happened to them instead. But, I'll never fully comprehend how they feel.

While many efforts are made by the various country officials and organizations to try to help the Japanese rebuild the areas affected, how much can we really help them as ordinary individuals? I'm not sure if the "5mil clicks for Japan" in Facebook is that helpful after all or even the events that are created like "Pray for Japan". Not like they are really meeting up together to pray for Japan but just another event created to join in the hoo-ha in my opinion. More ridiculously, changing your profile picture to a Japanese flag to show support. Seriously? Changing your profile picture is a show of support? I find it very degrading and shallow. Hahahaha, seriously how does that help them? Not relevant. I find it also very hypocritical for people who've never said a thing about current issues and such suddenly showing so much feelings towards the Japanese. Never see them said a thing about the earthquake in Christ Church, New Zealand, which happened not too long ago.

Why? Is it because of the huge publicity from the media about the Japanese disasters have somehow moved the public to be interested? Because everyone is talking about it and being part of the topic is cool? Or because they are truly genuine in their sympathetic attitude towards the Japanese? Pity, in this case is a word too shallow to express how we felt for the Japanese. I don't think they need pity at all. Not even sympathy.

I think, in my opinion what the Japanese need now is stop all the publicity stunts and what not. It is as if we are really giving them support. Ask yourself, what is behind all these that we are doing? Creating/joining/liking pages and events kononnya, we want to (show) support them but what we are really doing is trying to glorify ourselves because kononnya we're concern about these souls. Not helpful, not supportive. But instead show them real, relevant support - offering your earnest prayer silently, alone or even donating money the amount you really want to bless them with through the right channels available. And you don't have to announce "I'm praying for Japan" in facebook or twitter seriously, it is not required for God to listen to our prayers. They are facing a rough phase now - economically, physically and emotionally. What we can do least, is pray. In our prayer, we also express our hopes to Him and hope is for those who believe. And if we are hopeful, that means we also believe that the prayers we uttered will make a difference.

My thoughts are with the Japanese though I really confess, I can never understand whatever that they are going through now. But I know what it is like to lose someone you love...

As we have many questions as of why this happened to the Japanese, do we still believe that God still loves the Japanese? Do not doubt and as for the many questions we have of why He allowed this to happen and etc, I may not have the answer but I know that if any humans can answer the questions they don't need God anymore. That's why in the first place we need Him. Don't forget. :)

Jesus loves me, and this I know.