Such dreadful news from Taiwan after typhoon Morakot struck killing many, causing mudslides and the collapse of many homes. How fragile life can be. How serendipitous our fates. The Philippines and China too have been struck. Although one is most aware of human tragedy—the loss of life, the loss of homes, belongings, communities—there is also the loss of culture: social structures as people are displaced, community values and cohesion as people are dispersed or vanish in that terrible condition of “missing presumed dead”. Loss also of cultural artefacts, historical and religious buildings, works of art, craft and design and, surely, the less tangible cultural treasures of nature, trees and agriculture, including tea plants with history and special genetics, and, again, the human, intangible treasures of skill and experience in all the areas. My thoughts are with the bereaved in whatever way, with those who are suffering without comfort or nourishment. Let us all pray for them in whatever manner we can.
I believe that a disaster response organisation called
Shelterbox is providing relief throughout the affected areas and promises that 92 per cent of donations goes directly to those in need. Let us all give what support we can through this or other agencies.
Yet not all tragedies are caused by nature. We humans, so evolved, so powerful, can and do create disasters of pain and suffering with all the random efficiency of nature. What is it in us that creates or condones actions which so often affect the innocent, the defenceless and those whose lives are already much harder than anyone else?
One of the most dreadful ironies is that, in natural disasters, those forces trained to create war are those most useful, alongside medical teams, in bringing help in the form of rescue and aid.
Alex runs
east teas in Borough Market, London, Friday 12-6 p.m. and Saturday 9-4 p.m. Email
epoch@eastteas.com.
