Mystic Mantra: The undying hope and survival

A major distraction from the world’s most popular sport on show in Russia sprung up on the world with the news of the “Wild Boars”, the 12 young football players with their coach, trapped in Chiang Rai Thai cave. While World Cup matches were matter of, “win and lose”, the case of these brave hearts was literally a matter of, “life and death”, oscillating between hope and despair.

World cups come and go every four years, but an incident that keeps the whole world on pins, comes but seldom. What was meant to be an hour-long adventure by “Wild Boars”, turned out to be a nightmare lasting 17 days! Many thought that the story would end in tragedy. It instead became a saga of hope and survival, of parents, relatives and friends eventually reuniting. Although a lot will be written on this event in the coming days with two Hollywood film makers already contemplating a film on it, what caught my attention was the Facebook post by Thai Navy SEALS: “We are not sure if this is a miracle, science, or what.”

People, especially school children of all religions in Thailand and I am sure in other parts of the world joined in pleading God to work a miracle in or outside the cave. Had Jesus not said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them”? The coach Ake’s godmother went up the mountain everyday, carrying fruits, incense and candles: “It was to show respect to the spirit that protects the cave. I asked her to protect the 13 kids,” she said.

The miracle was not just that masses gathered expecting a divine intervention but that the incident galvanised volunteers, villagers and even countries around the world in rescue efforts. Forgetting religious differences, national borders, skin colour, cultures, languages, food habits and all that divide our world artificially, humanity rose to the occasion to save those trapped. The touch and go situation reached a jubilant crescendo the moment two British divers posted online the video showing all 13 alive. Finally the Wild Boars’ parents were ecstatic to see their children miraculously rescued.

As for the boys and coach Ake (a former monk), plans are afoot for them to shave their heads and spend a few days in a monastery. Their families believe this Thai Buddhist tradition will bless their lives and cleanse them of the unfortunate experience.

In the euphoria of the successful operation, a deeper question lurks before us all. Could we not all join hands in rescuing millions of other children who die around the world for lack of proper food and drinking water causing avoidable sicknesses and deaths? Would that “miracle” be not more pleasing to God than our territorial wars and misguided nationalism?