Two weeks ago I was heading of to Brasil for a few days to just “be” in one of my favorite countries.  With the possible exception of England, I have revisited Brasil more than I have any other country. This was my 8th, and God willing, not my last trip to this country that I enjoy on so many levels.  And while I certainly do not pretend to know everything there is to know about this vast and diverse country, I do have a special attachment to it.

That’s why hearing about the terrible night club incident in Santa Maria, Brasil that happened less than a week after I returned home, really impacted me.  While a situation like this one, where 235 people lost their lives in a nightclub fire, would have been tragic anywhere in the world, when it happens in a place that you can directly identify with, it seems even a bit more real…a bit more more devastating. Though I’ve never been to the city of Santa Maria, I have been in plenty of packed Brazilian night clubs and I can imagine the swell of people all trying to find their way out of an over capacity venue.  The voices in Portuguese shouting in panic.

What Remains… (Photo Source: CNN.com)

One of the undeniable benefits of traveling to a foreign country is the ability to get to connect with a new place and its people and its culture.  While this is normally a positive thing, it can also make tragic situations feel a little bit closer to home. My prayers go out to all of those who have been impacted by the tragic situation at Kiss Nightclub and I can only hope that changes will come to prevent losses like this from happening again anywhere on this planet.