Though it took a few days for much of the world to grasp the scope of the death and devastation resulting from the tsunami that his southeast Asia over Christmas weekend, the global response is creating its own tidal wave of aid and awareness.

Much of the early focus was on the early pledges of financial aid, but the larger concerns at this point involve logistics and getting help to survivors, many of whom have been injured and most of whom also face risks of starvation and disease.

As the greatest natural disaster in modern time unfolds, the global response is heartening - and appropriate. The international media has done a good job of showing the world just how devastating the earthquake-triggered tsunami was in an already underdeveloped and impoverished part of the world.

The developed world is responding with medical, financial and other forms of aid. The global cooperation and absence of political sniping is refreshing following more than two years of bitterness over the Iraq war and the highly charged 2004 presidential campaign.

By selecting former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton to head up the private sector giving in the United States, President George W. Bush helped give the relief effort a bipartisan feel that should help keep politics out of the picture. The former presidents can each mobilize their own party faithful to encourage financial contributions, both large and small.

Beyond the high-profile ex-presidents, the ubiquitous Internet will also play a dramatic role in fund raising. Small and large donations are easily made through numerous web sites and money from individuals has been pouring in by the millions of dollars a day.

The incalculable depth of this human tragedy has been well documented by the steady stream of horrific images from the tourists' blurry snapshots of the killer waves to satellite photos of the devastated islands and, most poignantly, the pictures of people - dead bodies, whole families wrapped in sheets, dazed and grieving survivors and the sad and desperate faces of orphans.

Governments around the world have pledged more than $1 billion in aid and churches, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other groups will probably double or triple that amount.

Americans are once again proving their compassion and generosity, from the $5 sent in by a young girl donating her Christmas money to the $1 million pledge by actress Sandra Bullock. These stories and more should encourage others to step forward with their own contributions, large or small.

Corporate America is also responding and a partial list includes: drug maker Pfizer donating $10 million in cash and $25 million worth of drugs; Coca-Cola donating $10 million; Exxon Mobil pledging $5 million; Citigroup giving $3 million; Wal-Mart pledging $2 million. Nike, American Express and General Electric have each pledged $1 million, and more corporate gifts will surely emerge in the coming days.

The list of givers grows by the hour and millions of more dollars are pledged every day. For that reason, money, in the near term, is no longer the problem. Organization, logistics and dealing with the damaged or substandard transportation infrastructure in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and parts of India pose the greatest challenges now in terms of getting aid to desperate people. And because some of the hardest hit areas are so remote and undeveloped, the death toll could continue to rise as more victims are discovered and help arrives too late to help some surivors.

The world is reacting appropriately to this massive natural disaster. It is refreshing to see multi-national cooperation on a large scale and the absence of bipartisan bickering in America.

Presidents Bush and Clinton are the high profile faces in this global relief effort. But it is the faces of the desperate people in Indonesia and Sri Lanka that will remain in the hearts of people all over the world for months or years to come.