Today, I want to share a story that is hard to be exceeded in terms of wonders. It involves the same character as my July blog post "Happiness Overdose". To that day, she is still one of the most caring and helpful persons I know. I don't believe in God himself, but whichever higher being there might be - she should be blessed by it.
A couple of weeks ago, an Austrian student who goes by the name of Elmar disappeared to South America, more precisely La Paz. His parents were unable to contact him by any given communication channel, and he wasn't on board of his return flight either. Naturally, they started worrying and reported him as missing. A website was set up, which featured the appeal of finding him in German, English, Spanish and Portuguese. Since I have just been in South America this summer and basically travelled the same places as Elmar, I immediately spread the word to all the people I knew who live in the area of question. Again, this woman who was so incredibly nice to us in Brazil helped where she could: she forwarded the message to journalists and TV stations as well as to her friends. Gradually, the case caught public attention, both in Austria and in Bolivia, and a plea for help was even aired on Bolivian television.
Several days ago, more and more hints surfaced which determined Elmar's location to be in Brazil's Rio Branco, the city we used as a gateway for entering Bolivia. Soon after, I got a message of said woman who reported that one of her friends has apparently spotted Elmar in this area. Then, a day later, the relief: Elmar has been found! He was travelling in the rain forest without any communication and got stuck in a demonstration for 10 days, unable to inform anyone of his whereabouts. Now he is back in Austria, safe and sound.
I don't know about you, but for me, this is one of the greatest encounters of human goodwill and partnership I've stumbled upon in a long time. Different people, regardless of race and religion, join forces to help a fellow human in need. In my opinion, it is a remarkable example of the wonderful spirit that connects us all. Greatly facilitated by the Internet, the word spread from two worried parents via several people who don't even know Elmar (including me) all the way to Bolivian media. Since everyone is scientifically connected to everyone else by a maximum of 6 connections, people who made use of those connections greatly aided in locating Elmar. I am infinitely grateful for this human courtesy and the power it creates. Thanks to everyone involved, in particular to this woman I previously mentioned. If you read this, you can be proud of your contribution to community!
Should Elmar happen to stumble upon these lines, here is my message to you: welcome home! It's good to have you back. Hope you enjoyed your stay in South America after all.
Peace, Love & Music,
Martin
-Taipei
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