We live in a remarkable time!

I was attending an out of state conference and before a meeting got started I began speaking with the lady next to me.  Eventually, we talked about where we were from.  When I mentioned where I lived this lady began to ask a question then looked away as she convinced herself that the question was silly.  When I pressed for the question she said, “Well, would you happen to know so-and-so?”  I quickly responded that I knew them well and that they lived a couple of blocks away.  “Wow”, I exclaimed, “what a small world”, to which she taught, “No, just a big family”.

When the 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti yesterday almost instantly the world family knew about it and, more importantly, began responding to the anticipated need.  Quake victims were able to call extended family members to assure them that they were okay.  In one case, a woman, buried under rubble, was able to talk her own husband right to her potential tomb and he rescued her – thanks to their cell phones.

Now, through a newer vehicle we can effortlessly send money just by texting.  You can text: “Haiti” to 90999 and $10 will be sent to the Red Cross for the Haitian Relief.  Our phone company will add the $10 to our next bill.  Over $200,000 per hour is currently rushing in from all over the world through these text messages!

The true nature of mankind is good and once again we are seeing the outpouring of goodwill from every corner of this small world.  I, for one, am a proud member of this big family.