lessons learned

I am six or so weeks into another semester of college life and I cannot believe all of the things that are happening to me and all of the lessons I am learning. I want to share one small lesson now.
I am taking Physical Geography to fulfill a requirement of the university, so that I can graduate, so needless to say, I am not thrilled to walk into the classroom at 8:00 AM. Yet, somehow it is surely becoming one of my most interesting classes. How complicated and yet how simple is this world around us? And, how fascinating is Google Earth? Really though!

We learned two weeks ago about Tsunami's and we began to talk about the one that hit Indonesia in the Christmas of 2004. Our professor began to talk about how we have all of these cool technologies, Google Earth can show the exact location of where the Tsunami hit shore that day, but we did not have the technology to warn the other nations (especially countries on the east coast of Africa) that there lives were soon going to be shattered by an uncontrollable act of nature. We could watch the waves hit the shores of Africa but we did nothing. We had no way of doing anything. So then, what good are the technologies? We can learn a lot now in class by looking at the pictures and studying the phenomenon, but we cannot be of help in the moment, where is the good?

The same tragedy of technology happened in our own nation with hurricane Katrina. We did nothing... but there really are some cool shots on Google Earth...

hm. I left class that day angry and upset that this is a truth we face with new and existing technologies. We learn new lessons, but at what consequence for the children of God on this Earth who can't and will not ever gain the opportunity to learn them? It gave me a bit of a new appreciation for the education I am receiving, and yet a longing to better the education of the world... somehow.