Malaysian heartbroken in Columbia

Alim, Kathleen, Stan -- file photo

Alim in front of Petronis Towers in
his hometown. This morning, Today's Matt
 Lauer appeared in the bridge seen over
 Alim's head in this photo.

NBC's Today Show "Where in the World is Matt Lauer" came from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this morning, showcasing this Asian Fusion Nation. It's a lovely, interesting country and worthy of the spotlight. Made us think immediately of Paduka Alim, our Malaysian house guest.

Then, totally by coincidence, an email arrived in our inbox from Alim himself, who stayed with us for three days this July during his around the world adventure that will end in his Malay hometown next year.
Alim had told us all about "stinky fruit," the same Malaysian staple that today Lauer termed a cross between "wild seal and sweat." The Today Show New York panel said they kind of liked the samples they were tasting. OK. Then the camera flipped back to Malaya, where Zen Master Ho jammed his nubby forefinger through a coconut shell to the amazement of the Today show audience. OK, just another breakthrough in International understanding.
Alim's note today wasn't about Malaysia. He's in Columbia now and sent us an email with the poignant subject line: "I leave Columbia with heart-breaking story that would lesson us all."
Alim's English isn't perfect, but during our brief time with him we discovered a gentle, sweet man whose compassion for others translated very well. And he loved Birdie right away.

We taught Alim
to swing a club.

Yesterday this gentle soul visited Villa Lorena, a shelter in Cali, Columbia, where abused animals from circuses and drug lords are cared for and rehabilitated. We've heard of abused circus animals many times before, but drug lords? Never really thought of it, but sure enough, cartels with more money than God acquire exotic animals from all over the world for their depraved amusement and the animals don't always do well.

Alim was crushed by what he saw at the shelter and expressed it in his best English:

There are eight ocelots rescued from cocaine lord ... Villa Lorena became 'Paradise' to hundreds of animals rescued from drug traffickers, paramilitary warlords, circus owner and animal smugglers. All the animals here have permanent disability due to cruelty and torture committed during a never-ending drug war in this country.

Dany, a Bengal tiger, worked under the direction of a paramilitary commander. Dany advocated and taught to devour the victim or the bodies of dead soldiers in combat. Dany was eventually rescued and trained to eat the flesh of animals successfully.

Other animals like lion males fed a mixed diet drug nakotik illegal by the owner and ocelots that blinded the eyes, cut off the feet as well as hundreds of abused animals here so flawed. Seeing the cruelty made me ashamed to become a human. How cruel race are we ...

Alim's email goes on about his sad day at the shelter. He was clearly heartbroken by the experience. Read this New York Times article to better understand what he's talking about.

Alim is continuing on his 18-month world journey before he reaches his Malay home. Next stop, fulfilling a job contract in Peru. He's seeing a lot of the world, the good, the bad and the ugly. 

Our best wishes to this gentle man and our gratitude to him for expanding our own world view. It's not all stinky fruit and coconut tricks.