The latest favour of the month is the Turkey and Syria earthquake. Everyday the news bombarded everybody about the death tolls and the plight of the people there. Many people in Singapore, suddenly, want to donate money to help them. Criticism of those who are not helping abound.

Well, what about the earthquake in Pakistan recently. It is now out of favour. A new kid is now around the block. Then what about the earthquake in the Philippines today. Oh! You did not know about it? There were 427 earthquakes in the Philippines over the last year, anyone cared? Anyone cried out to donate money? NO! Because the news did not carry it. Maybe you do not know or do not want to know that news media will only carry ‘sensational’ news.

Some people asked me about sending medical teams to Turkey-Syria to help. When I say no, they were indignant about it. Well, I am not about to send a bunch of untrained people into frigid conditions to do work at places that they were not trained to work at. I cannot be responsible for their demise. Those are for the civil defence trained professionals, and many are being sent by their governments there. The only thing we can do is to pray that they come back alive.

What about donations? Many governments have pledges millions for these. The West and US had given billions to a proxy war but relatively peanuts to such humanitarian aids. Go and think about it.

There are many poor and needy that the Diocese of Singapore is working hard to help. The social arm of DOS needs a lot of funds, but is finding difficulties to raise. Are the immediate needs of the poor here in Singapore not important or is it less sensational?

Brothers and sisters, be wise to the sensationalism of the press. There are work to be done daily. Things that we can and should do. Giving to such sensationalism and publish in the papers are but a PR exercise. The daily and quiet helping of the needy around our locality is really what we are called for. Go figure.

God bless,
In Christ’s service,

Barry Leong

本月最备受关注的是土耳其及叙利亚的地震。每一天有关死亡人数及当地人民困境的新闻都在轰炸着每一个人。很多在新加坡的人，突然间要捐款给他们。对于那些没有捐款的人，评论更是到处可闻。

但是，对最近在巴基斯坦发生的地震又怎么样呢？现在一个新的关注点出现了，旧的就被遗忘了。那么今天在菲律宾所发生的地震呢？哦，你还不知道吗？去年，菲律宾在一年内就发生了427次地震，有谁在乎？有人大声呼喊着要捐款吗？没有！因为新闻没有传播。也许你不知道或不想知道，新闻媒体只会刊登“煽动人心”的新闻。

有人问我有关差遣医疗队到土耳其和叙利亚作援助的事宜。当我说不，他们就因此感到愤怒。是的，我不会派遣一支未曾受过训练的队伍，在寒冷的条件下到他们不曾接受过培训的地区工作。我不能为他们的死亡负责。那些都是专业的民防人员，很多也是受他们的政府差遣才到那里。我们唯一能作的事就是祷告他们可以平安归来。

那么，捐款呢？多国政府已经承诺为此捐款数百万元。西方国家和美国也给予代理战争数亿元，但是相对之下，对基于人道主义所作的救灾却是微不足道的。去想想吧。

新加坡教区一直都在很努力的帮助许多贫困和有需要的人。新加坡教区的社区援助也需要很多的资金，但是在筹款上却经历艰难。难道本地贫困者眼前的需要就不重要或是不够轰动了吗？

弟兄姐妹，我们在面对媒体的煽动时要有智慧。每一天都有工作要完成，是我们可以作也应当作的。捐助这样的煽情主义并将之公诸于世只是一个公关的行径。每一天安静的帮助我们周遭有需要的人，才真是我们蒙召去作的。去琢磨吧。

上帝赐福。
在基督里同工的，

Barry Leong