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Day 3: July 12, 2007

YL’s comment replies #1

Hey all, we decided to post our comment repies both as blog entries and as comments, so it’s easier for people to find. Here are mine for day 2 to MaryAnn, Sylvia, Mimi Stauring, Mimi Schiff, Lisa, and JL.

Dear MaryAnn:

Thanks for your kind words. We will certainly try our best to be safe :)

Dear Sylvia:

Indeed. I think it is not hard to feel that way when faced with a situation like this, but luckily, it is also not hard to overcome that feeling. I think the first step is a very important one: it serves as “proof” to oneself that one is truly empowered, and it also gives positive feedback to the conscience; that hey, I felt that something was very wrong, did something about it, and that felt very right so I’ll do it again next time. About i-ACT, we have only scratched the surface of using technology to connect people around the world with people from Darfur. We hope to deliver much more going forward :)

Dear Mimi Stauring (sorry I’ve to use your full name as there are two Mimi S :):

Thanks for your kind wishes. It’s going good! It’s nice how one gets a lot of drive in work like this because it feels meaningful and important; so much so that even lack of sleep is bearable :) Btw, I read one of your other comments as well, and I think you write very well!

Dear Mimi Schiff:

Thank you. I’m honored that you choose to end your day following our journey, and glad it offers perspective. It has for me as well. I feel that sometimes, we live in an imbalanced or unnatural way with respect to the complete reality of the world, but that gaining more understanding and more connection with it helps us “calibrate” ourselves.

Dear Lisa:

Thank you for your kind words and support! It is very rewarding to know that you feel better connected through what we’re doing :) It has been said that understanding in the basis of love, and I think in any conflict, love as it can manifest in all forms — personal, diplomatic — is the surest path to resolution. You can be sure we’ll continue finding ways to apply technology directly towards connecting across existing barriers; we have only realised a small part of the potential. You are right on that witnessing these scenes for oneself fuels compassion. I mentioned today to Gabriel: wouldn’t it be cool if there was a full-fledged media organization whose work was to send i-ACT like missions to all the places in the world where there was a lack of global witnessing?

Dear JL:

Your words made me feel very warm, and hearing from you by itself makes this all worthwhile :) Support from someone so close is the most potent of all. I agree that there is moral obligation: some say dismissively that there are so many other instances of intense suffering in the world, but I think it is right to respond to one’s capacity whenever there is a plea for help, which in many cases comes implicitly by learning about a particular case. Thanks for helping spread the word. Back home in Malaysia there is very little awareness about Darfur, and Malaysia is more well-linked to Sudan than many other countries. So, that is very valuable. We will take good care. Hope to hear from you again :)

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