SI MONTHLY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2005 Comments
From SI Exco News
Comments on Disasters
Can Servas Friends Help in Time of Disaster?
Again this year, the world has seen several terrible disasters – the Asian Tsunami, War Victims in Sudan and Middle East, flooding in Mumbai and now, Hurricane Katrina along America’s Gulf Coast.
Could Servas assist people in their long re-building phase, to help re-build homes and communities, following such disasters?
For the first phase, of Rescue, our Servas networks may be limited to what we who live near the disaster can do locally.
And even for immediate Relief, it seems that Servas people may best to contribute through others – although where Servas exceptionally well-trained members like Gurdev and others in Servas India. There, strong leadership facilitated the use of Sevas networks and personal resources to aid victims of the Asian Tsunami.
According to Servas history, Servas began by helping workers travel to areas needing reconstruction, at least in some areas, in the 1940’s.
What can we learn from our history, to apply to the great needs of our times?
Might Servas reach out, to welcome new travellers, areas of need, where they might work locally with others, e.g. Red Cross?
Is there room in Servas for study/discussion of the causes of these disasters – unheeded poverty and poor nature conservation practices among them – to determine how to avoid the worst risks?
Your thoughts?
Gary Sealey
Peace Secretary peacesecretary[at]servas.org
Thoughts on Peace
Hi All
I am sending this letter to the group in order to check - What do people in the wide world think about our chance to peace in Israel - according to the terms we are in.
If we can have peace in South Africa, peace is attainable anywhere. If you think of where we come from and compare it to where we are now, it makes you realize that miracles do happen.
Tracey In Durban, South Africa
Views from Chile
I am surprised to see that there is not even one message of support or thinking in ways to support those that are suffering due to the hurricane.
Servas Chile contacted directly the hosts in the area and now we are collecting money that we will send to a host that works there helping directly (no administrative expenses) with those most in need, mainly poor blacks (african americans).
May be other national groups can try to help and also be prepared for the next disaster to help those in need, as proposed by the Peace Secretary Gary Sealey ?
May be we are just writing too much how to get more members (a very important issue) and forgetting the essentials of Servas without even realizing it.
Servas is not a question of money, as most give our work for free, but emotions and about to know each other.
Gaston, Chile
Faith and Hope in Life
I'm the peace secretary of Chile, and think that the most important for the people of this terrible experience, is not lose the faith and hope in the life, the earth it's our home, and maybe we have to learn any things of this success, and restore us across this.
The members Servas of this zone can give a great help for the damage people, receiving them in their homes. A good idea would be communicate this, across de Servas bulletín or others forms.
My english it's not very well, but I hope that this fine grain be a message of mitigation of pain. Best regards,
Claudia Nercasseau, Secretaria de Paz,
Servas Chile
inserted by Amelia
