The world celebrated the rescue of 12 Thai soccer players from a flooded cave in Mae Sai, Thailand. We grieved over the loss of one brave man, Saman Kunam who sacrificed his life to deliver supplies to the trapped boys. Many of us watched the media reports fearfully, while praying and hoping for a miracle.
The deliverance of all 12 young boys at the hands of skilled divers was something we jointly cheered about. Reports indicated that time was running out for them— more flooding was coming; oxygen and food were in dismal supply. However, thousands of people participated in the rescue effort, including 2,000 soldiers, 200 divers and representatives from 100 government agencies around the world.
We don’t want a scenario like what happened in Thailand to ever happen again. Such a scenario was a global nightmare and was something that no political group, religious entity or anyone would surely debate. Everything possible that could be done was done to save those young Thai boys.
Yet, everyday on this planet there are desperate plights playing out around the globe. Young children in Syria still live in desperate conditions daily. Families in Iraq and Afghanistan don’t face a day without the fear of who may invade their homes to rape, pilfer and murder their families. There are a lot of problems around the world. Hunger; clean water shortages; the availablility of good medical care; and violence exists to some degree, almost everywhere it seems.
We have all the above and more in America. Employment is better, the stock market is up and the military is stronger than it has been in a long time, yet with all we have going for us, how many people feel like they are in a watery cave and time is running out for them?
Throughout our country people still struggle with medical care. Insurance companies continue to call the shots on procedures and treatments. Doctors order tests and treatments they feel the insurance company will agree to, or pay for. Is that always in the best interest of the patient or is it always in the best interest of the insurance company? How many Americans are on the verge of drowning from inadequate medical care and are also up to their necks in debt from medical costs? Surely, this is a call for national concern and prayer, but more than anything, it’s a tremendous alarm for us to continue to work together to improve the situation.
The recent shooting in Annapolis, Maryland reminded us again that we have a violence issue, mental health issues and gun availability issues in this nation. Everybody should not have a gun in America. Do we not feel like we all die again and again every time there is a school shooting or some other random shooting?
We have to quit arguing about “your gun” and “my gun” and work together to fix all of this— and it’s a lot to fix!
Of course, poverty is still rampant in America. We have too many citizens that are afraid to drink the water in their communities. Kids are still being bullied at school. Nursing homes are often financial and emotional nightmares; and there is always another hurricane, tornado, flood or fire just around the corner.
There is so much about our everyday world that strains us and keeps us fighting for survival. Maybe, we can all learn something from the divers and the many people from all over the world who came together to rescue those young boys from a watery grave. If we don’t fight each other but work together to find solutions, we just might solve more of the problems that threaten to end our very existence.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is the author of 12 books. His syndicated column appears in all 50 states. To contact him, email: GMollette@aol.com or visit his website: www.glennmollette.com.