Close your eyes and travel back in time to 2004. What were you doing? Where were you living? What was happening in the world? Do you remember hearing about the devastating Tsunami in Indonesia? You may remember the story of a model clinging onto a palm tree for eight hours while heavily injured with a broken pelvis in four places, barely surviving and sadly losing her partner. That was me, Petra Nemcova.
What you may not know is, on that day full of suffering when 250,000 people lost their lives and millions were impacted, there was an incredible amount of unconditional love. Strangers were risking their own lives for people they had never met. Individuals, families and countries were asking, “how can I help?” That unreserved kindness was there the day of the tsunami and the days to follow. Unfortunately, the sense of urgency to give back statistically only lasts for about two weeks after disasters. I experienced this first hand during the 2004 tsunami and after other disasters. But seeing that we are capable of that unconditional love made me question, how can we prolong it? Wouldn’t our world be better if we could? How can we turn this feeling into concrete results for those who have lost everything?
Through the work of All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response, I have learned that we can prolong this outpouring of generosity after natural disasters through action. To date, All Hands and Hearts has built 214 schools in 11 countries and helped nearly 1.2 million people in 18 countries after natural disasters. We currently have 12 active projects around the world, where volunteers can help rebuild communities that have been affected by hurricanes in the US, Dominica, and Puerto Rico, or earthquakes in Nepal, Mexico and Indonesia.
All Hands and Hearts believes in arriving early and staying late, and nearly 51,000 volunteers from 102 countries have donated their time to help rebuild communities after natural disasters. This is how we can turn the “average two weeks” of pitching into months and years of support for these communities. We have incredible volunteers from the U.S., UK, France, Italy, Venezuela, Malawi, Australia, Brazil, China, Canada, Colombia, The Netherlands, India, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, and more.
These volunteers all come together as a world should come together, not just in the times of a disaster, but daily to celebrate the gift of life because every moment is so precious. The present moment is the present of every day. When we can come together not just in times of devastation, but also after and especially without the need of a disaster, our lives will be more enriched, fulfilled and with purpose.
I have been so humbled, not just by the power of Mother Nature, but by the power of human spirit and the kindness which we are capable of when we tap into that beautiful place within our hearts. My call to you is to find that giving spirit within you every day. Connect with communities around you who may need help whether it be in the form of volunteering or simply just by caring, listening or smiling. Don’t wait for a strong reminder by natural disasters or other disasters to show you how to live a life of purpose. You can live a purposeful life every day by sharing your unconditional love with the world.
