The Footbath Squad

I am deeply moved by the compassionate action of a Japanese group of young people calling themselves the Footbath Squad. Inspired by the actions of another group of people providing comfort to survivors of a previous disaster, this group goes to the emergency shelter of earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster refugees and gives them 15 minutes of massage and footbaths - acts made to comfort people who have lost all security. Young people comforting the old, children, the bereaved, the suffering, the bored, the displaced. A volunteer says, "We want to share their pain."

This story has completely made my day; this story is the answer to my daughter's question, "Mom, why are you crying?". I am reminded of our ability to act like humans in the midst of so many other people's inhuman acts and oppressive decisions. Somehow their actions have comforted me, too, thousands of miles away.