Sunday, July 23, 2006

AMBIVALENTLY CHALLENGED!

I thank those who had given their thoughts and advice regarding my current predicament. When iKelah first embarked in this relief mission, I have often ruminated with the thought that this voluntary work of his will never cease as long as there are catastrophies and wars in this world. Subconsciously I was trying with much qualm to come into terms that I must be prepared to let him go for riskier engagements.

Since the devastating Tsunami that befell Acheh, it seems that the earth has become somewhat unstable. We'd never know when or where the next tetonic plates would move and cause another quake that would shake the richter scales by varying degrees. From the sea-bed near Acheh, the unstable mother earth had decided to shake it's contents unexpectantly, the next year, to the mountains of Pakistan. Hardly a year, another Tsunami raged again at Pangandaran, Jawa. Is Tsunami going to become a regular weather phenomena just like the tornados, floods and hurricanes? It just gives me the creeps when thinking of it!

But wait, GPM relief mission is not only about natural disaters. They have long involved themselves in areas of war zones. Few years back, they had sent medical aids to war-torn Afghanistan and Bosnia, to name a few. Now that Israel (and America) have gone all out to wipe Muslims in the Palestine and perhaps in other Arab nations as well, under the guise of whatever ridiculous reasons (WMD or not!), GPM would have to actively dispatch more and more volunteers.

Having being indirectly 'involved' in this relief 'business', I was often given the reassurance by iKelah that GPM is meticulous in ensuring the safety of its volunteers. Every mission would be initiated by a small group of 'experienced' personels who would do reconnaisance work and search for a safe but practical and reachable camp-site. GPM would never subject its volunteers to obvious risks, I was told. But of course, being the worrying-pot, I am always being hurled with the what-if questions. Truly, I am not that naive to believe that these relief missions are risks-free, especially in a war-wrecked land like Palestine where killing is the norm and peace is a rarity?



If I could, I'd chose an easy path out and say, "No, please don't go". But then, I'd have to live with a guilty conscience for the rest of my life and as it is, I've got enough of those "I should have" feelings in my emotional bag!



Presently, they are waiting for the first group of non-medical volunteers to search and survey Rafah, an Egyptian border town at the southern-most of Gaza strip. Their route would entail a 10 hours anticipated, arduous land journey to Rafah from Cairo. If this inital group finds it safe and feasible to set a medical camp to treat injured refugees, then GPM will start mobilizing it's volunteers in batches.

Inevitably, I can't stop iKelah from going if he wanted to. A man has got to do what he has got to do. But in my small heart, I still wish he doesn't have to.

Latest news yesterday, GPM will not send any medical relief YET since they have closed the borders at Rafah. So for the time-being, I continue with my ambivalent rumination....and guiltily and quietly give my sigh of relief.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

People just can't get into Palestine, even if they're relief mission workers is it...?

Mama Sarah said...

And I give my sigh of relief guiltily too...

Mama Pongkey said...

I normally don't like to pray against other people, even aggresors, I prefer to ask Allah to guide them. Well, that has changed.

mynn said...

.. may Allah do the best for you and your family

Queen Of The House said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Queen Of The House said...

DITH, I am sure you are thankful that you can give a sigh of relief for now. No one can help being a worry-pot in situations like this. My worry pulak -- KOTH has a desire to be a war correspondent (in the fashion of the National Geographic documentaries)!!! Maybe I should point him towards Ikelah (????)

dith said...

Crimson- I suppose one can but at their own risk.

Mama, KKL and Mynn- thanks for the dua and thoughts

QOTH- Perhaps they both can work together, one a photographer and the other a journalist. And that makes us 2 worrying-pots!!

Anonymous said...

i really respect Dr. Azmi... selfless dude...

Em said...

Salaams Dr

Insyallah all will be well on his journey...

Anonymous said...

dr roza

sekumpulan wartawan dari kumpulan NSTP akan ke Beirut & Gaza. berpecah kepada 2 kumpulan.saya akan minta mereka cari dr ikelah, jika dia ke sana.

Anonymous said...

اَللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِيْ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِيْ وَعَنْ يَمِيْنِيْ وَعَنْ شِماَلِيْ وَمِنْ فَوْقِيْ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتاَلَ مِنْ تَحْتِيْ.

Allahumma, protect me from (the evils that comes) between my hand, and from the (evil) before me, behind me, on my right, on my left,and from above me and i seek refuge in Your Greatness from unexpected harm from below me.

'from below me': my beloved Syeikh said that the expected calamity from below are mines explosion

excerpt from Wirdul Lateef

InsyaAllah selamat, Selamat berjuang fisabilillah!

dith said...

Izhal- apa khabar org di Hamamatsu?

Azahar- terima kasih di atas ingatan yg murni itu! Sesatunya kawan journalist saya!

Em- Thanks for the reassurance my dear!

fm- Jazakillah hairan kathira for the dua!


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