Miracles happen and that's what people on Jindo need
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By Charles L. Olmsted
It is still Easter Sunday as I write this in the United States while halfway around the world, the sun will soon rise for Monday morning on Jindo Island. This most holy of religious holidays is in stark contrast to the reality in Korea.
The pastor talked this morning of hope, rebirth and resurrection but all I could picture was a sunken ferry with families and friends crying in agony of uncertainty, loss and deceit. What started out a week ago as a fun and joyous time is far from it now. There are deaths of people in the water and on land ― by accident, negligence and their own hands. There are deaths of trust and honesty, civility and compassion, common sense and the law, and spirits and the future.
A crisis can bring out the best in people but it can also bring out the worst.
For the captain and crew who wondered whether to abandon the sinking ship, what were you thinking in not equipping people with life vests and ordering evacuations? When a ship lists that much that quickly, time is most important. Sure, normal communication is lost when water kills electrical power which is why you go door to door to ensure everyone is ready to abandon ship.
But the captain and most of the crew were worried about themselves which showed their true colors. Could they have saved those who died? We will never know.
But, we do know many other things. We know these students who died will never receive a high school diploma or go on to university. They won’t bring their true love home to introduce to the family or get married or provide their parents with a grandchild. We don’t know if there was a Kim Yu-na or Steven Jobs or Ban Ki-moon or Albert Einstein in the group. We will never know.
And just like the tragedy still surrounding the Malaysian jet and scores of presumed dead Chinese, families from both countries usually have just one child. The future of many family names is on that airliner or ferry.
How do you measure a selfish act? And how do you measure a lack of common sense?
In what scenario does a ship that is listing so badly and sinking suddenly right itself and become stable? How do you NOT recognize a disaster happening before your own eyes?
Fortunately, there was at least one crewmember and one teacher who recognized a tragedy brewing and were heroic enough to act until it was too late. Park Ji-young lived the meaning of sacrifice by quitting university to support her mother and younger sister by working on the ferry. She died in sacrifice to students not much younger than her by making sure they were equipped with life preservers and got them off the doomed ship.
Miss Park is much more of a leader than the captain who was entrusted with the lives of all those on board that fateful day. So many students owe this 22-year old woman their life. She had the common sense and duty to understand the situation and help as many as possible.
One of the teachers, Nam Yoon-chul also recognized the situation and saved lives, sacrificing his own.
You would think that even if the passengers do not receive training for an emergency drill that the crew does, but apparently not. That needs to change.
The crew questioned if passengers would be rescued if ordered to evacuate. Even though the water may have been cold and choppy, at least they would have a chance. Being trapped underwater leaves no chance.
Reports of people receiving text messages from people on board and interviewing trapped survivors are just plain cruel. It falsely lifts people’s hopes and quickly demoralizes them when proven to be fake. It also takes away officials’ time for more serious work. Knowingly spreading falsehoods in such a sensitive case should be punished.
The parents are going through hell right now, especially those whose children are still missing. It seems to be a million times worse than losing a loved one. False media reports of sightings just add to the aggravation.
It will be tough for the students who survived. Survivors’ guilt can be a big psychological baggage for years. Don’t allow it. Yes, fate may have changed your position or you may have just been the strongest of the group. It is not your fault others around you did not make it.
You are here, you are alive. You have nothing to apologize for and certainly, nothing to be ashamed of.
Mourn your classmates’ and friends’ losses but don’t dwell on them. Celebrate their lives and celebrate the heroes like Miss Park and Mr. Nam who gave you a second chance.
Hope is all the families have now as they wait. Is it possible? Yes, I remember reading about the miracle people who were rescued days later from collapsed buildings.
It is Easter, the time for hope. Miracles do happen and that is what the people on Jindo need now.
Charles Olmsted, a former newspaper writer from Louisiana and Texas, received a master’s degree in Asian Studies from Sejong University in 2013. He can be reached at clolmsted@hotmail.com.