Wildfires Spreading Peace

In the midst of the hundreds of thousands of acres of burning and fear and worry and homelessness, volunteers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, are spreading their own wildfires – of PEACE! They’re giving welcoming hugs to thousands upon thousands of evacuees, walking on stilts and making twisted balloon animals to entertain the children, giving free tutoring lessons for kids who can’t go to school, offering free massages, acupuncture treatments, and spiritual counselling, friendly reassurance...and hope. They’re also unpacking and dispensing mountains of food for Food Banks that just keep growing and growing and growing. There’s even kosher food available and of course, aspirin and antacids for all. Catholic Charities have set up their own tent as have insurance companies. In other areas, food, blankets, pup tents and baby formula are being offered.

If anyone ever wonders: “What IS an Act of Peace?” just consider the response of ordinary people reaching out to bring some peace and comfort and friendship – free of charge – to others in a crisis like this. Volunteers are actually being turned away, there are so many of them. They say that volunteer teachers outnumber kids three to one. Donated food and water are being stored in tents in the parking lot. There’s so much food, it’s like the multiplication of loaves and fishes – the more people eat, the more is left over!

What a different scenario from the debacle at the Stadium after Hurricane Katrina when there was neither enough food or water or medical help or sanitary conditions or emotional and financial support. Not that there weren’t plenty of volunteers and goodwill agents in New Orleans. But the difference seems to be in the level of preparedness and even more, in the tone of leadership from Governor Schwarzenegger – and his personal willingness to take action and be in charge of making the calls for help himself, rather than waiting on FEMA or another government agency to give the orders. And the people of San Diego – and all across the State and beyond -- have responded stupendously. Just shows that it doesn’t matter who organizes a food bank – city, state, federal, private institution, local business, a few individuals – all it really takes is PEOPLE WHO CARE about doing Acts of Peace…or Love…or just plain old-fashioned Compassion for their neighbors in crisis.

The big question is: why does it take the State’s worst firestorm in history to activate this kind of outpouring of generosity to those in dire need? Couldn’t we keep the cooling waters of Acts of Peace flowing freely to all those around us – in our own neighborhoods -- even when the wildfires are brought under control?

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