“Prayers to all in Turkey!” This or similar you have seen on social media after the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. On it, believers and non-believers alike commented that they would be better off helping instead of praying. Do something that makes a difference. And as correct as this objection is, it is also naïve. Yes, it is true, but people forget what happens to the person who prays. One brings it to consciousness. One consciously enters into compassion and suffers with it. One lets emotions arise and becomes sad or angry about a situation.
To believe that this action is not fundamental for the necessary help shows a lack of knowledge of how human beings function.

If, instead of “Prayers” one were to say, “Go into your chamber and put yourself in the place of these persons and be affected by their fate.” No one would think of criticizing this and say: “Do something that makes a difference.” As far as I am concerned, prayer does not help directly, but it changes the person praying. A praying person is more likely to act. So let us pray for the victims and perpetrators in the next disaster. For our sake as well as for the victims.