Understanding numbers

It takes about 1.5 seconds to say "Two point one million". To say "Ashok and Jemin, Caleb, Mohammed and Saraj, Hussein and Ghazala, Usama, Yalda, Malik and Imran, and ... and ... and ..." - all 2,100,000 of them, I just calculated would take about 16 and a half days, much longer than it took those 2.1million people to flee their homes in Pakistan this last week. No I'm not bored out of mind this evening looking for some crazy mental game to keep me occupied - no, I was trying to make sense of that number which trips too easily off the tongue - 2.1 million!

I was talking this morning to two colleagues in Islamabad who had just returned from northern Pakistan (thank God for Skype!) and they reminded me that this is the largest movement of displaced people in the region since the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. Reports I received yesterday say that many left in such hurry and confusion that they did not bring any food or change of clothes and some even lost their children in the crazed and panicing crowds. The UN has been totally surprised by the speed and size of this 'stampede to safety'. Asked why he left with only half his family one Swat valley resident is reported as saying, "We know the brutality of the Taliban, now they are under attack everyone is their enemy, every child, woman and man."

Please don't pray for 2.1 million people - trying praying for Ashok and Jemin, Caleb proudly carrying his small bundle and little Mohammed in Jemin's arms, and ... and ... and ....