Megan Stielstra's Blog

A year ago this week, I sat in front of my television in Prague and watched CNN International's live coverage of the terrorist take-over of an elementary school in Beslan. Over three hundred people died in the fall out, mostly little kids. I remember, after three days of my sitting hypnotized in front of that TV, Christopher and our friend Tracy said ENOUGH and took me on a paddle-boat ride on the Vlatava River. I thought, God, I am lucky lucky lucky. I am safe, I have wonderful friends, a home, family to go to for help.

Now, a year later, I'm in the same place. I'm sitting in front of the TV in front of the TV in front of the TV in front of the TV and I have to turn off the TV for a minute. Have to go for a paddle boat ride on the Vlatava. Have to sit very still, and remember how lucky I am.

Anthony Doerr, one of Christopher's favorite writers, wrote this post on his blog, expressing many of the things I'm feeling--that many of us are feeling, I think--especially that helplessness. Of wanting to go down there and help. Dig my hands into it.

But my hands aren't what's needed most. It's my money. I'm far from rich, but the littlest bits are going a long way right now. If you haven't already, I urge you to do what you can. Here's the link to the Red Cross.

I keep hearing stories--on NPR, news sources online, blogs--about the real people affected by Katrina . The real people. Not the numbers, the statistics, the nameless faces on CNN. It's those stories that make this all so alive to me, the same way The New York Times coverage of September 11th included NOT just facts and figures, but the stories of all the victims. Where they were from, what they did, how they tried.

Everybody, meet Jabbor Gibson. I don't know the guy, and he won't ever hear me, but I'd like to stand up and give him a round of applause. Him and everybody else who tried, however they could, to get the hell in there and use their hands.