December 26th, 2004, was an unusual Christmas holiday for my family. Instead of listening to Christmas carols, we were tuned into the local radio station, listening to the unfolding story of the tsunami that hit parts of Asia in the early hours of the morning.
The tsunami killed tens of thousands of people, with most sources citing the death toll as over 200,000. Not only did it kill people, but it took away homes, businesses, and towns. Leaving a trial of chaos, streets turned into garbage dumps, as chairs, vehicles, dead bodies, and other articles clogged the streets. Help was needed badly, as many of the countries hit (including Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka) were poor, with huge shortages of medical supplies, food, drinking water, and housing on their hands.
Because modern technology can send messages accross the globe with the click of a mouse, the news of the tsunami spread fast. The World Health Organization supported the help that came quickly from different militaries (including Canada, US, Britian, and Thailand).
Quickly and efficiently, different organizations and countries donated money, military support, food, clothing, and water. By January 9th, 2005, 90,000 persons in affected communities, relief centers, and displaced-person camps had received medical and mental health care. If it hadn't been for modern airplanes, ships, communication, and quick national awareness, one can presume that the death toll from the tsunami would have been much higher. In this case, the effects of globalization played a big part in bringing fast relief to the thousands of people who had lost their homes in the tsunami. How should we respond to this effect of globalization? With thankfulness. :)
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