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Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Trauma Team Visits Pahamune House
At
the request of the Fortunate Blessings Foundation in the US, an
Israeli- American & Australian team of 6 trauma experts led by Dr.
Rony Berger met on the 2nd of June, 2005 with the staff of Pahamune
House to plan an intervention with the children. The team and staff
then worked in three groups with young girls, pubescent girls and with
the boys and adolescents focusing on enhancing coping skills and
learning resiliency-building strategies. Each intervention took
approximately 2 hours and included body-oriented work, role-playing and
games and expressive therapy strategies. Each group was attended by 2
staff members of the Pahamune House who observed and took notes. The
response of the kids was fantastic as was the reactions of the staff.
Thereafter, the team and the staff met for an hour of debriefing where
staff could ask questions and make comments about the intervention.
Responses of the staff were very enthusiastic. Staff members learned a
great deal in this rather short period of time. The team was invited to
return, train the staff and further contribute to the well-being of the
children.
# posted by William Spear : 2:21 PM
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Journal of volunteer Eileen Bridle
WEEK ONE  11th April Makaela
from London and I from Wales arrive at Colombo Airport in Sri Lanka and
are driven to the very lovely house in central Colombo. It belongs to a
man who works with the Montessori project called Links of Love which
FBF has been supporting. He is called Group Captain, Nalin de Silva and
his wife Ayoina, and they are two kind, welcoming people who instantly
make us feel comfortable. Nalin is retired from the Sri Lankan Air
Force and is a very capable advisor the Montessori group. He is still
very fit and shows us photos of himself playing in a recent charity
rugby match: the Sri Lankans against the ex-pats to raise funds for
tsunami relief efforts. There are photographs everywhere of their
beautiful daughter for whom they sold their ancestral home to pay for
her education at the London School of Economics. She now has a Masters
Degree and lives in London with her Nigerian husband. The Sri
Lankan New Year holiday starts tomorrow so we decide it is best to
leave Colombo and go straight to Moratuwa, 90 miles south of Colombo;
otherwise we will be stuck in Colombo with nothing to do since all
offices and shops close for the week. Pamela Porodo, our contact at
Impakt Aid, is going to Thailand to pick up materials for the Work for
Widows project. She puts us in contact with Sue to coordinate our stay
in Moratuwa. 12th April We meet Sue and Kelum at the
Randiya Hotel in Moratuwa. We worry about the cost of an
air-conditioned room until we discover it is only 5 pounds sterling per
night for tsunami relief volunteers! Meals cost 2 pounds fifty. The
Randiya Hotel is 3 stories high on a riverbank. The ground floor garden
restaurant is being rebuilt as this and the garden were washed away by
the tsunami. Since there are no tourists and not so many locals using
the hotel, the waiters are rebuilding the garden. We sit in solitary
splendour in the dining room as we are the only guests in the hotel.  For
the economy, Sri Lanka desperately needs tourists to return. To achieve
this, there is a government program to help get the top hotels and
resorts back in business quickly. In fact, only the Sri Lankan
coastline was severely affected, whereas the rest of the country is
really beautiful and still very much intact. Sue and Kelum have
been with Impakt Aid for the past four months paying their own costs.
Now they need a break and are going to Thailand before going home to
the UK. Sue was a researcher on the Richard and Judy Show (a British TV
talk show) and Kelum was a guide on the Elephant Safari in Habarana in
Sri Lanka. Although his home was well away from the coast, there is no
work for him since that there are virtually no tourists. Now he
volunteers for Impakt Aid and serves as an interpreter. We all
pile into a tuk-tuk (little motorcycle taxi) and are taken to Alley
Camp. We have decided we may as well go in at the deep-end to see if we
can cope with the culture shock and refugee camp conditions. Alley Camp
is considered the roughest camp in this area. It consists of a narrow
alley between a block of classrooms at a local school. There are 70
people living and sleeping in each of six classrooms. There is nowhere
for the children to play except in the alley which is piled high with
desks and chairs from the school. There are Army soldiers in all the
camps to keep order. Here, they are especially needed as so many people
are crammed together, leading to frayed tempers and arguments,
especially after 4 months of these living conditions.   Sue
has come to say goodbye to the camp residents as they have been told
the camp is being moved to temporary housing (wooden huts) tomorrow.
Sue has been in charge of the Back to Work project at this camp: not an
easy job as she had to find out what each person did before with the
help of government records, and then she was only able to buy the bare,
basic tools to enable them to return to work. Some people try to get
more and some do not get anything as Impact has insufficient funds for
larger items such as fishing boats and nets. This leads to more fights
and poor Kelum is pestered from all sides, as every one tries to get
attention and talk at once. Despite all this, many of the camp people
are sad to say goodbye and they worry who will take care of them when
Sue leaves. We have our first Sri Lankan meal tonight - a rice
and curry dish. It is quite spicy so we navigate around the chillies!
We eat with our fingers according to local tradition. This dinner is
delicious and of really good value too: only 2 pounds fifty for two
with much more food than we can eat.
13th April We visit three different camps today.  Big School Camp This
camp was based in the three-story-high secondary school building. It
was a big fire hazard for the 70 families living and cooking on each of
the three floors with only one staircase in the centre that would act
as a wind tunnel if a fire broke out. The families have just been moved
into temporary wooden huts. Two families share a space in each hut that
measures 10 feet x 20 feet, with just cloth saris as screens between
for some privacy. The cement floors are not yet laid and, with the
monsoon season due in a few weeks, this is a big problem because of the
potential for disease in some camps where bodies are still buried under
the rubble. When the ground becomes muddy, anything can float to the
surface. At least there is a bit more space and room to cook until the
rains come. One pregnant lady is very worried as her baby is overdue
and her hut is not yet finished. Another lady is very worried about her
disabled son who uses a wheelchair. How can you manoeuvre a wheelchair
in a mud bath, I wonder. I feel so helpless. One family has a
newborn baby. The husband was a magician by trade. In front of us, he
tears up some blue and white paper strips into little pieces, throws
them into the air, makes them disappear and then he magically brings
them back, turned into a paper hat! Very clever as he has only short
sleeves, and we witnesses are standing all around him. He then pours
water into a paper cup made from an old newspaper. When he opens up the
sheets, the water has disappeared. He calls a little boy over and
places the paper in front of the boy. He presses his belly button and
it looks like the boy is peeing out of the paper! We all laugh. In
these camps, emotions go up and down like a seesaw.  The
flies are really bad due to the heap of rubbish outside the camp. The
local rubbish collection services have broken down and workers have to
be bribed to take the rubbish away, but these camp residents have no
work and thus no money. Usually people here burn their rubbish at night
but in the camp there is no room and the risk of the huts catching fire
is too great. We also visited Toilet Camp today. It is so called
since it is the only camp in this area with a newly built toilet block.
At the other camps, there are 4 school toilets shared by 400 people!
Discover how easy it is to start a riot! We are playing round and round the
garden like a teddy bear with the children when Sue notices one little
boy has just cut himself: his arm is bleeding. She asks me if I have a
plaster (band-aid). I do, so we clean the cut and stick the plaster on.
Within 30 seconds we €™re surrounded by hundreds of children with cuts
and scrapes, all wanting plasters. We say goodbye before the parents
join in, just as the Red Cross and the Red Crescent arrives to
distribute the rice ration. I think they saved us! It was a really good
lesson about camp life: you MUST have enough of whatever you bring for
everyone to receive equally or do not give anything at all. The
Alley Camp people return today really disappointed that their new huts
are not finished in time for the New Year that for them would have been
a really auspicious time to move. They seem to be in a tug of war
between two politicians in a sort of houses-for-votes situation. 
We spend that evening with the Alley Camp children; only 45 kids today as
many families have gone to spend the holiday with relatives. They are
very well behaved as the priest from the nearby temple has allowed us
to use the temple schoolroom to do artwork. We distribute pencils and
crayons and, at the end, every pencil comes back. The drawings show
that many of the children are still deeply affected by the disaster.
Many of them draw giant waves blocking out the sun. Some of the work is
really good, especially from the older girls. The children all receive
a gift for the New Year as it is their equivalent of Christmas. They
thank us over and over. 14th April We visit two camps today
to play with the children. The Okie Kokie and the animal dances have
the kids and parents in hysterics. As a red-faced, mosquito-bitten,
crazy, white female pretending to be a kangaroo, the camp finds me
quite funny! The children make plastercine animals and are very well
behaved here in Forgotten Camp. Its name comes from the fact that,
until two weeks ago, no aid workers had yet visited. We distribute New
Year toys. The woman in charge of Forgotten Camp is amazing: a few
words from her and the children line up in two rows, boys and girls,
smallest to tallest in a few minutes. In Alley Camp it took the Army
half an hour to achieve the same thing. The children share their New
Year sweet cakes with us.  15th April We
travel into Colombo today to use the Impakt Aid office computer.
Makaela wants to raise funds to buy mattresses for one of the camps so
she sends an appeal to everyone she knows and hopes for the best. While
Mak does her thing, I sort necklaces made by the Work for Widows
project. Some are very good; others have to be broken up and the beads
used again. I want to buy more drawing paper for the kids but most of
the shops are still shut due to the holiday. Sue and Kelum want to get
a special kind of insulin for a young diabetic but most pharmacies do
not stock it so they try the hospital. They also attempt to get
hearing-aid batteries for a deaf girl but her special school is closed,
so no luck. It was a very frustrating day for all of us. We travel back
through an area flattened by the tsunami. The many felled trees make
the area look so bare compared to the usual lush greenness of the
island. 16th April Moratuwa is a big woodworking centre.
There are many carpenters here who need tools to enable them to go back
to work. I feel a great affinity with all the workers as I know how
important my tools are to me. I hope I can help a few. Sue and I sit
down and work out how many are on the Back to Work list, and how much
it will cost. A very basic kit is about 10 pounds sterling and the more
specialized tools about 30 pounds to put a man back to work. I decide
this is a good way to use some of the funds my family and friends
donated for tsunami relief efforts before I left Wales. We take
a tuk-tuk to Panadura. On the way we pickup a carpenter from Big School
Camp who needs new glasses as his keeps falling while working. His
lenses, being of glass, are too heavy and his two-year-old prescription
is out of date. We take him to an optician and pay for lighter, plastic
glasses. This man has always worked hard for his family and community,
so we feel we can do this small thing that will make a big difference
in his life. We shop for tools and some cheap cloth for the old woman
who has no change of clothes.   Today
was the first time I stood on the beach. Although I have seen miles and
miles of devastated coastline while travelling to and from Colombo, to
actually stand on the beach next to the flattened houses is a big
emotional upheaval. The personal possessions are still half buried in
the sand and rubble: a small flip-flop, a piece of kitchen equipment
and bits of clothing.   A
local fisherman showed me where the river mouth and fishing harbour
were washed away. He had been out diving when the wave struck. He lost
his boat and fishing equipment. Now he and four employees have no boat,
no tourists to take out and no work. The harbour has been rebuilt with
foreign aid, and the hotel rebuilt but the fishing boats have not been
replaced. 
The area around the new hotel also has some very good houses, rebuilt
by a Buddhist charity on temple land. These houses show what can be
done when land is available. The 100-metre exclusion zone along the
seafront is causing a lot of problems. There is now a shortage of
suitable land for rebuilding. The fishermen especially need to be near
the sea so they do not want to move inland. On the other hand, there
are other people so traumatised by the disaster that they desperately
want to move away. Where to? We go back to Alley Camp in the
afternoon to play with the children. I have been adopted by one little
girl who calls me Eileen Aunty. Her father asks if I want to take her
home with me. I do not think he is joking which is really worrying. How
do you help without causing more problems?  We
meet two ladies from Guernsey who have been here three weeks trying to
get their container of aid released from customs. A group called Aid
Reaching Children is trying to build an orphanage but are having no
luck so far. There is no land and the Government is very wary of
outside charities working with children. The Government is trying to
keep children with extended family by giving grants to support the
orphans. But, what will happen in a few months when the money runs out
and these families will have no money to support themselves and nothing
to keep the orphaned children. In the dining room tonight two
musicians play for all four of us! They are very good but it is very
sad being the only ones in a huge dining room. 17th April Today
Mak and I go shopping on our own to buy tools and baby equipment. We
have graduated! It feels good to be able to help someone get back to
work, and spend money in local shops. Every little bit helps the
economy. At Big School Camp we take baby nappies, talc, soap and
baby mosquito netting to the lady whose baby is overdue. She is
sleeping on the floor and the temporary hut has only one chair. She
goes to borrow chairs from the neighbours for us to sit. She was crying
and I was crying because I know just how she feels: I lost my home when
I was pregnant too. BIG EMOTIONS, BIG BREATHS.  Mak
asks Julius Pereira, the carpenter for whom we got eyeglasses, to make
Mak a wooden carving to celebrate her upcoming wedding. It is a snake
and dragon entwined - their Chinese birth year signs. Great fun trying
to describe a dragon! Some ladies in the Guesthouse Camp will make the
wedding favours: their first work for the sewing machines Impakt Aid
gave them. At this camp we also see a small fruit and vegetable shop.
The weighing equipment that is used in the used (and the first stock)
were purchased by Impakt Aid. The shop owner gives us some delicious
mango dipped in spices and salt. At first he refuses payment but we say
we want to pay as he is in business now and we do not want him to lose
his first profit. Guesthouse Camp is very different from Alley
Camp. It is more spacious and is well organised. There is a room for
the kids to play and the teenagers have set up their own volleyball
pitch. While we are here, a Sri Lankan Build Aid worker arrives
to assess the possibility of changing the tents for temporary huts but
this is unlikely to happen before the monsoon arrives. He is very
relieved to learn that Impakt Aid had already been working at the camp.
He says it is so much easier to work in the camps where volunteers have
already done the groundwork. Sue hands over a copy of all her notes so
that he can continue after her departure. Impakt prefers a hand-over
period between volunteers for continuity with the projects and for the
camp people to become accustomed to new workers before the old hands
leave. But many volunteers are now burnt out after 4 months and they
are reading to go home and pick up their lives. 18th April We
got up at 4am to take the fish sellers to the fish market in Colombo,
as there is no local market now, too many fishing boats destroyed. The
fish weighing scales cost more than the family receives per week from
the disaster fund no matter how many in a family 1 or 10. Impakt has
bought them weighing scales, now they need their first stock of fish.It
was very busy, hundreds of buses ready to take people out to the
villages to sell produce. The smell was so bad and there were maggots
crawling everywhere. Kelum refused to take us in any further. The van
driver and one of the Alley camp ladies who had come with us said it
was not safe for us to go into the market, as our bags could be stolen,
or if everyone realised we were giving money to the fish sellers to buy
fish we might start a riot. Ten people killed in this place in the last
year so not safe place to be.So decide discretion better than valour
and leave. The fish sellers will spend the day selling the fish and
hopefully earn enough to get them back to work. We gave an old
lady a lift to the hospital although it was 5am she and her daughter
and baby grand child will wait until 9.30 when the hospital opens to
save the bus fare one way, Impakt gave them the bus money to get back
to camp again, but it will be on the cheapest most crowed buses that
look like they are about to fall apart. Back to Moratuwa for
breakfast, travelling along the Galle road is like being in a stock car
race! We see one of the camp people waiting for a bus and stop to give
him a lift, suddenly there are another ten people. And we all play
sardines!In the afternoon Mak and I went into the Impakt office in
Colombo.Weather is so hot it is like being in a permanent sauna. I was
so dirty and sweaty by the time we arrived. Bought Jigsaws and routers
for carpenters. On the way back to Moratuwa it came to rain, and
oh boy did it rain! It will be a nightmare in the camps when the
monsoon comes, it will last until July and rain like this for days and
weeks. One family in Alley camp has very bad skin disease so Mak
and I are going to town tomorrow to buy prescription for antibiotics
and cream we will also buy antibacterial soap and paper towels for the
family to try to prevent it spreading, very difficult when you have 70
people sharing one room. Sue has already treated the camp for head
lice. Hard work convincing the men to be treated. 19th April Today
is going to be very busy. Sue and Kelum will be leaving tomorrow so
everything must be finished before they go. I will miss Alley camp,
they are dirty, noisy and likely to fight and cause a riot at any
minute, but also some very lovely people. Because they have always been
at the lowest end of society, no one wants to go into their camp.
Unlike the other four camps we have visited, where the people at least
have a tent or a temporary hut per family, here they are, 70 people per
room, living and sleeping squashed together in 6 schoolrooms, no wonder
they get angry after four months of this.  Into
Panadura town today to see carpenter living outside camp. He had his
own business, workshop and very nice house, all washed away. The family
are now living with grandparents in small wooden house. Lovely people
who gave us tea and cake. He was working in Colombo as a labourer
trying to earn the money to replace his tools and woodworking machine.
Wish I could give him mine! But the transport costs, customs charges
and paperwork make this impossible. He would probably have to pay more
than the cost of the machine to get it out of customs. His wife is
amazed to find a woman carpenter. She asked Kelum to repeat the
translation she thinks he is joking! They are so grateful for the help,
it is so emotional, and it is so hard to give to these proud
hardworking folk without crying! Back to guesthouse camp to hand
out more tools to the carpenters and their wives. A lady who had
received a sewing machine from Impakt has made a beautiful set of
pillowcases for Sue. They are embroidered with roses and Impakt Aid. It
was great to see this lady wanting to give something back for the help
she had received.  Mak
has placed an order for 102 coconut fibre mattresses for the forgotten
camp. We hope they will be ready before we go home. We have not told
them in case we cannot deliver. Played with children in forgotten camp
they love the okie kokie, especially the OH! It is SO LOUD!  The
ladies in Toilet camp who are in the Work for Widows project showed us
their beadwork. They are getting really creative now and coming up with
some beautiful designs. One lady said she felt very guilty, as she was
now earning more than her husband did when he was alive.  Then
to the Temple, talked nicely to the priest for permission to use the
school room again for an art class for Alley camp, he will be glad to
see the back of them. All the children turned up this time! And some
from out side the camp too. One hundred exited kids makes one hell of a
noise. They draw great pictures; the boys draw the sun going down
behind big waves, which cover everything, houses, trees and people.
Some do not seem to have any drawing skills and ask us to draw
elephants for them. The girls are very creative and they produce some
very pretty pictures, and some huge wave pictures too. These kids are
noisy, grabby and want constant attention, until we want to scream.
Then at the end of the session they come and say thank you over and
over again and kiss our feet. We all lose it and start to cry-Bloody
Alley camp, we will miss you! As we did not have time to do another
art class with the forgotten camp we gave all the paper, pencils etc to
the head lady there, and asked her to share it out fairly. There is no
army in this camp but she really rules that camp with a big stick! No
worries leaving it with her.  20th April Today
we leave Moratuwa after dropping off a mattress for a 10 year old girl
who has a severe heart defect. She needs a heart transplant, but there
is not much hope of that happening. All the camps are worried
now that Sue and Kelum are leaving they are afraid there will be no new
volunteers to help, before we left with Lal the Impact driver we tried
to get asthma medicine for a baby but no luck. The father was very
worried. Lal will try in Galle as it is a bigger city and he will bring
it back with him. The journey to Galle takes four hair-raising hours
from Colombo along the coast road. We see mile after mile of
devastation. So many people in tents of all sorts, many will not stand
up to the monsoon. In Galle there is a huge coordinated project with
approx 160 volunteers. Many have been here from the beginning; quite a
few have been back several times. They are working on many projects
like building toilets, camp drainage, changing out the worse tents,
assisting people not in the camps and building temporary houses. We
went to see a house for the FBF volunteers VERY NICE but we feel it is
too expensive. It will use up too much of our funds. We decide to stay
in a much cheaper guesthouse. Sanda our tuk tuk driver found it for us,
when in doubt ask a driver they know every thing! He is great, he
drives for the project and showed us the warehouse where the stores are
kept for the family packs. These consist of the bare essentials, a
cooking pot, knife, plastic sleeping mat, bucket, etc. The packs are
given out per family but they have to be assessed first and have a
Government card to prove they are tsunami victims. We asked if we could
have some packs for forgotten camp but they are beyond this project
area.   There
is a carpentry workshop at the warehouse, home sweet home for me! But
only one bench saw and very basic tools. Volunteers work here making
prefabricated wooden temporary houses with tin roofs (like a big garden
shed). I volunteer for the workshop! After the FB house hunting.  FB
work may be made more difficult by the Government clampdown on foreign
missionaries who have been saying they are trauma counsellors, but
using the disaster to make converts, giving people Bibles, and telling
them if they pray and read the bible every day they will be granted
something they have asked for, e.g. a piece of work equipment or toys
for the children. This is a disgusting way to play on the emotions of
traumatised people. FB respects all religious beliefs and do not want
to offend anyone or convert them to anything else. The pictures of the
children show how deeply this disaster has affected them, and many
people live in fear of it happening again. They need help to deal with
this. Many people still go to the beach to pray for the family and
friends they have lost. Sanjit one of the Sri Lankan volunteers
told us that the government had promised 5000 rupees per month for six
months to disaster hit people but this had only been paid out for two
months. He said if the western volunteers and money had not come many
thousands more people would have died. The shape of the
coastline has changed and today we saw a house a 100 metres out into
the sea, undamaged but sitting out in the sea! Some of the overseas aid
has gone to rebuild the coastal defences, huge boulders of rock have
been placed at the most vulnerable areas. It is so strange to see miles
of ruined houses then suddenly one house or temple left standing
untouched in the middle Many people are refusing to leave the
ruins of their homes. Living in poor quality tents, which will fall
down in the first wind or rain. Mak has continued the house
hunting, as Bill would prefer something outside the fort. I would
rather build houses. I could go out on site to help erect the houses
but it is far too hot for me I would soon be a sunstroke victim. Dan
the workshop foreman has planned and designed massive jigs so that all
the bits fit together like a giant jigsaw (eat your heart out MFI!) So
a complete hut can be put up on site in less than hours. 22nd April Only
five more days before we go home it feels like I have been here for
lifetime already. The days fly by and the only way to keep track of
time is to write this dairy. Many volunteers came for a couple
of weeks and have stayed for four months, and lost their jobs etc. The
project takes over their lives and they miss flights home, or put it
off for just another week, which turns into a month or two. Many
volunteers are due to go home this month on lots of the projects, so
things are slowing down but there is still so much to do. Many
Sri Lankans have told us that if it was not for the foreign Aid workers
many more people would have died in the past 4 months. The disaster has
crippled many business especially connected with tourism and fishing
but building is booming. A lot of middle class Sri Lankan have moved
out of their houses and are living with relatives or in their garages
so that they can rent their homes to aid workers, as they need the
income, to replace their lost business. Sri Lankan people are
so welcoming, big smiles and willing to share what ever they have
no matter how small an amount. The
project closes one day a week to reduce volunteer burn out, so today we
are going to Yala National Park, to meet Lal he is one of the parks
safari drivers. One of the first volunteers, he took 38 bodies from the
coast to the hospital. Now he works for Impakt Aid on their Work for
Widows project. In Yala the Widows make candles, and in
another two projects, Widows make the woven baskets which hold the
candles and recycle newspapers to make the product cards attached to
the candles, stating where they are made and why. This gives the Widows
a fair income enabling them to look after children and work from home. This
morning we went to the other end of the beach, where the actual hotel
was, there is nothing left except the tiled floor, which was in perfect
condition and two wash hand basins. The scenery was still so beautiful,
but the ruins were like a monument to those who died here. There are
many Sri Lankan visitors here today; we all share the feeling of awe at
the complete devastation of such a beautiful place.  There
are over 200 safari drivers and guides living locally and very little
work now the tourists are not here. The Sri Lankans come to the Park
but they do not have the spending power of most foreign tourists so the
economy is really suffering. Even people who have not lost their homes
are Tsunami victims; they are desperately in need of work. Lal
runs the work for widows project here. He inspects the candles, does a
quality control, pays the ladies for their work, and gives out more wax
etc. We wait at a beautiful lakeside rest house for him to finish work,
before the terrifying ride back to Galle; Lal drives on the road like
he does on safari! 25th April We made it back to Galle
alive and in one piece. Lal drives like a stock car driver. We
looked death in the face every five minutes of the four-hour drive,
well it should have been four hours but Lal did it in three. He said
his record is two and a half hours! Hairaising is an understatement.
All the drivers here stop at the temple as they pass, give money, and
say a prayer, it is more effective than car insurance, and in fact it
is essential! I am amazed to find there is a Sri Lankan driving test.
It must be that if you servive the Galle road for one hour you have
passed. We worked in the warehouse making up family packs.
Filling bags is very hot sweaty work. First you have to unpack every
thing. The packing is wet, dirty, rat infested with the odd scorpion
thrown in. The coconut grinders are sharp and lethal. The work is
like a mindless conveyer belt. Set up fifty buckets at a time, these
are then filled with a rice pot, three mugs, washing soap, tooth brush
and tooth paste, rice serving spoons, coconut grinder, kitchen knife,
plastic plates, a bottle of Detol, towel, kettle, 3 plastic mats to sit
and sleep on and a mozy net. This makes up the possessions considered
essential for the average Sri Lankan family. These packs are given out
to those people assessed as most in need. These will probably be
the last packs given out in this area. Project Galle has offered 800
packs to camps in the eastern part of Sri Lanka, if they can get them
there.The political situation is a problem, as the Buddhists and
Muslims are not getting on to well in this part of the country, and so
little Aid is being sent there. The lorries will have to pass through
army checkpoints, all along the eastern road. At the end of the
day there is a very satisfying mountain of packs ready to go out. We
are all filthy dirty, soaked with sweat, exhausted and squashed like
sardines into the van, but a fantastic sense of achievement and team
work. I donate my set of carpentry tools to the warehouse and
say goodbye to the carpenter volunteers, it is hard to leave. The
repairs to the hotel are going well. I hardly recognise the garden it
is now lush and green, so different from the rubble strewn building
site it was when we arrived. The builders sleep on the floor of the
function room at night.  Tomorrow
could be really hairy, as the mattresses Makaela has bought will be
delivered. The hotel has said we can store them here in the dining
room. They are so good here; imagine a hotel at home allowing this.
Makaela also managed to smile and wheedle 102 mozy nets from Andrew the
warehouse manager at project Galle. I think he gave them to her to stop
her nagging him. (In the nicest possible way! Of course) Alley
Camp seemed very quiet as we passed. Wonder if they have been moved to
their temperory huts. All the children returned to school today after
the New Year break, so perhaps Alley camp has been turned out for the
school to reopen. If they are gone it will make it a lot easier to
give Forgotten camp the mattresses without causing Alley camp to run
riot. We will need an interpreter and maybe army protection to hand
these mattresses and mozy nets out, some kind of ticket system to make
sure only the people from this camp get one per family. It is almost
impossible trying to be fair and give the same to all. This should be
fun! Every camp visit is a risk but after riding the Galle road with
Lal this (I hope) will be a doddle. 26th April The mattresses
have arrived- a bloody big truck full of them. They are unloaded into
the dining room. The manager looks worried a few mattresses did not
translate the same as 102. He asks how long they are going to be there,
we say Oh! They will be gone by the end of the day! (We hope). Makaela
did a quick recky by tuk tuk and our luck is in. Alley camp has moved,
so we willl not have to worry about them causing a riot. Mak asks the
leading lady of the Forgotten camp, the one with the big stick, to get
all the families on her list together for this afternoon, but does not
tell them what we are giving out, otherwise we will have the whole
village here.  Gerry and Lal from Impakt are going to be our escorts. We have decided the army will not be necessary now. Lal
organises two trucks to take the mattresses down to the camp, where
they are unloaded yet again. (Oh well, when in the east you have to
create as many jobs as possible, and we fall in with local custom) We
are very nervous, as this is the point of no return. Everyone is so
pleased to see us and our leading lady takes charge yet again. She has
the list of names and calls them out. The huge pile of
mattresses and mozy nets goes down with amazing speed. There are four
left and we worry there may be a problem of who gets them, but leading
lady sorts it out, she is great. It was so emotional watching every one
receiving their mattress, one lady stood next to me very quietly and
held my hand and we both had a little cry together. At the end the
camp gave us fresh coconut milk to drink, everyone shook our hands and
said thank you over and over again, then we got the Sri Lankan version
of three cheers. O God it is so difficult to stand and accept this,
start to cry again! (Happy tears).  We do the Okie Koky with the kids again and say goodbye. I
feel it is such a small drop in the ocean what we have done, but at
least they know someone does care about them and I hope it will help
them carry on, especially with this small but gutsy lady in charge of
the camp. We get a lift into Colombo with Gerry and Lal. Impakt
get us accommodation. Tomorrow is our last day so we will go to Pams
spa, spending a few pounds here to say thank you for all Impakt help.
Pam has not worked at her own business for the last four months, after
spending 40,000 of their own money, she too must go back to work, Gerry
her husband will continue to run Impakt as a charity focusing on long
term projects such as Work for widows, permanent housing, education,
health and back to work so that Aid will no longer be needed. 27th April Mak
and I treat our selves to a good dinner at the Peninsula restaurant. We
pick the worst tuk tuk in Colombo to get there, it labours up hills, we
want to get out and push but the petrol fumes would definitely kill us
before we could do any pushing! Being gluttons for punishment we
agree that the driver can wait for us to take us back. He probably
earned a weeks wages for that trip and offered to take us to the
airport at 3am the next morning. We regretfully declined; we are not
that crazy (yet!). The food at the restaurant was superb North Sri
Lankan cuisine and much cheaper than the so-called good restaurant in
Galle. We had a drink, meal and desert for very little money in
beautiful surroundings. The lady who owns the restaurant has been to
Swansea on Holiday. She visited Mumbles and the Dan y Ogof caves. She
recognised my Welsh accent!   We
are very sad to leave these beautiful proud friendly people, I really
want to come back and see the best of the Island, and there is so much
to see not just the beaches. I cannot think of anywhere I have been
where the people are more hospitable and friendly. 28th April It is really strange being back home, where people do not look you in the eye and smile from ear to ear. 
# posted by William Spear : 6:33 AM
Monday, April 18, 2005
Journal of volunteer Makaela Gilchrist
Monsoon Rains Means Urgent Needs Increase Here. The
monsoon rains have started and the camps without drainage are in
desperate need of beds and platforms. There are too many other specific
needs to mention, but here is an update from the field to give you some
idea of what we are still facing. The emergency needs are still very
real there. We hope you will be able to support our efforts there. From Makaela Gilchrist, Fortunate Blessings Foundation volunteer we sent earlier this month: I
was sent down to Moratuwa, 90 minutes south of Colombo to assist
another volunteer who has been coordinating the various programs for 5
refugee camps. Sue Allison has been here for two months supported by
her friends and donations in a drive to get people on their feet and
back to work. Most of the refugees were at the lowest level of income
before the Tsunami, so family support is not something they can rely
on. They have been camping in schools and tents for 3 months now.
Slowly, they are being moved into temporary accommodation. The 10' x
12' wooden hut space given to each family is as basic as it gets. Most
are unfinished, their base boards missing, with just a dirt and gravel
floor. There were only 4 huts that I saw, that had electricity, with
the kind of wiring that would make Health and Safety department in the
UK implode on the spot! Eventually, each hut will get a concrete floor.
There are 100 families per 1 water pipe, with 8 toilets. I laughed when
I caught myself wondering where the shower units where? Ha, I don't
think so! However, everyone we met was delighted to be out of the tents
or off the school floors and into a space they could call their own. It
was Sri Lankan New Years yesterday and many refugees we spoke to,
seemed hopeful for their future. No-one has a bed. They have
been sleeping on very thin woven plastic mats in appallingly cramped
conditions. A good sleep is a luxury beyond their means. The monsoon
season starts here within two weeks. Some are already making efforts to
build make shift bunks to raise themselves off the ground as the water
will come into the side of these huts and turn the gravel into mud. The
group with whom Fortunate Blessings volunteers have partnered has a
Back to Work program and a Work for Widows program. One by one, people
are getting the basic equipment for them to make their own living and
not solely depend on aid. But a mattress is still out of their
financial league. We have found sources that can provide single
mattresses for under $10. We want to supply a camp called Alley Camp
with the mattresses they will need when they are moved to their huts in
the next couple of weeks. Their conditions are the worst I've seen of
the 5 camps. Awful overcrowding, lead to a head lice epidemic which Sue
personally dealt with 3 weeks ago with great success. I am amazed there
haven't been worse problems. There is little to no room for the
children to play in. It's called Alley Camp as it's a small school with
one alley running along side it, which is their only outdoor space.
Inside everyone sleeps on the floors and there is little to no room to
even turn over as they are packed in like sardines. A room the size of
an average living room will house 70 people. PLEASE WILL YOU
HELP ME GET THESE PEOPLE MATTRESSES? There are 72 families living in
Alley Camp. I want to get each family 2 single mattresses for when they
arrive in their huts. I believe most of you that I send this email to
could afford to donate enough for 2 mattresses at least. The money can
be sent via Fortunate Blessings to Imapkt Aid. They will make sure your
donation gets spent on the mattresses and will work on a getting a deal
for the cost of the delivery of them. I am in Moratuwa until the April
19th. On the 20th I head down to Galle to work of the Work for Widows,
Woman's Needs and New Horizon's projects down there for Fortunate
Blessings. I'd like to get these beds bought before I go. The
response to this appeal was immediate. We have now received money
enough to pay for all the beds, but this was only for ONE camp. Now we
are on to other projects further South. Can you help us?? Please
don't forget that the need in Sri Lanka will be present for many
months, and the suffering there continues. Our efforts need financial
support from all our friends. Please make a donation today! With many thanks, William Spear
# posted by William Spear : 12:02 PM
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Projects Planned in Sri Lanka
FBF initially created six separate projects through which to offer our support with various partners, including you! We are currently focusing our efforts on only two:
New Horizons for Children and
The Womens Needs Project.
To inquire on progress with the other projects, please link to the websites listed.
1) New Horizons for Children
will help prevent and reduce the incidences of chronic post-traumatic
stress disorder in thousands of children affected by the tsunami. Teams
of trained counselors, under the supervision and guidance of highly
experienced mental health professionals, will visit relief camps and
schools throughout the affected areas of Sri Lanka. Play groups, art
therapies, dance and movement activities, music and laughter will
combine to externalize deeply held emotions in children who experienced
trauma, allowing their natural coping abilities to do the healing. 2) The Womens Needs Project
will focus on acquiring and delivering clothing, body-care products and
other items to more than 50,000 women and girls now living in relief
camps throughout the country. These include girls and womens cotton
underwear, personal undergarments, feminine supplies, facial lotions,
hair products, body-care items and other supplies unique to women. In
addition, we are dedicated to helping widowed women attain
self-sufficiency through self-employment initiatives and provide the
women with a constant means of subsistence and bring much-needed cash
into the local economy. The project will also provide a support network
for bereaved women, which will reduce typical poverty-induced behavior
such as child abandonment, prostitution and suicide. 3) Lets Get Moving
will bring trained orthopedic specialists in rehabilitation and
prosthetics to a Sri Lankan clinic already well established in the area
of physical therapy, as well as delivering badly needed items such as
braces, crutches, wheelchairs and other mobility devices to the
hundreds of physically challenged Sri Lankans. www.eureka.lk/navajeevana
4) The La Petite Fleur Childrens House Program
will help build and open a Montessori school and orphanage in Galle and
improve the existing Childrens House in Ratmalana, Sri Lanka. Our
efforts will help build a new facility, provide ongoing support for
staff and sponsor students. www.bridge2peace.org/projects.htm5) The Pahamune House Support Program
we have created directly benefits an orphanage in the quiet hill
country town of Narammala in the Kurunegala District that can
accommodate up to 300 newly orphaned children. This beautiful facility,
originally erected as a college, provides an ideal setting for a pilot
project of this type where the founders complete dedication to and care
of orphaned children promises to greatly improve the lives of the most
needy. www.ammstrustfoundation.org/pahamuna.htm
6) The new Navajeevana Therapy and Social Inclusion Center
is a badly needed addition to the wonderful space in the Navajeevana
Community Center in Tangalle. Serving 37,500 clients of all ages,
ethnicity and gender, Navajeevanas work has impacted disabled Sri
Lankans who desperately need specialized care. Their new building will
provide additional space for physical therapy, instruction and
construction of prosthesis and orthotic devices as well as training of
individuals in their physiotherapy center. An additional Eye Care
Center is also being developed and planned. Our program of support will
further guide existing architectural plans and design as well as result
in real bricks and mortar for construction over the next year. www.eureka.lk/navajeevanaFor
specific details or further information on how you can help and get
involved, please E-Mail us at: info@fortunateblessings.org or telephone
our office at (860) 567-8801 / Thank You!!
# posted by William Spear : 1:25 PM
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Media Coverage for the FBF Team
Media Coverage for the Fortunate Blessings Team in Sri Lanka
On ITV1, London and the U.K., 20.00 G.M.T. (January 31st): REBUILDING PARADISE (Documentary) A
month after the Boxing Day disaster, Mark Austin visits an orphanage in
Sri Lanka where traumatised children are still in shock from the
horrors of the tsunami. Having seen their families, friends and homes
swept away by the giant tidal wave, little hope seems to remain for the
youngest victims Sections include footage of William and Jonah Spear and the team from Fortunate Blessings Foundation working miracles with children in Sri Lanka.
The show was hailed as a "balanced, inspiring documentary that offered hope for many of the forgotten children of Sri Lanka" and received a massive response following its airing in the United Kingdom. **************************************************** NOTE: An excerpt of the 30 minute broadcast will be available on this website soon. ****************************************************
# posted by William Spear : 11:13 AM
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Pictures from orphanage visit
 This
is the dedication plaque at just one of the new orphanges we visited
near Kurunegala, Sri Lanka where our team worked with staff and children  Main Building  The two young matrons who will oversee the children.  Presenting to the group.  Fatima, one of the daughters of the Founder  Two brothers who still have each other.....  The boys' dormitory.  The girls with their "stewards"...  Some of the boys after the circle games.......with Jonah (he's the pale one....)  After the games, when Jonah took over to lead the discussion.  One of these fellows wasn't too happy....??  Oh great "teller of "blonde" jokes", before we left......a dear gentle man, our new friend.  Jonah's hystericaly funny "self portrait" dance.....  Jonah's self portraits.......  more of Jonah's self portraits.......  still more of Jonah's self portraits.......(O.K., O.K., it's almost done....)  Jonah's self portraits......./ the Grande Finale!  Jonah successfully cons one of the staff to be silly.....  and requires her to wear the red nose for the mandatory 5-minute initiation phase. She is appropriately humbled (and will forever be silly as a result of the exercise.)
# posted by William Spear : 9:18 PM
The Orphanage in the Hill Country
On
Monday morning, January 24th, after a solid breakfast, and without Rony
(he left to return to Israel at 5AM), Jonah, Jane and I left the hotel
at 11:30 for the one hour fifteen minute drive to the new orphanage
established in the hill country northeast of Colombo. We were first to
drive by a suburb home to meet the women who would accompany us. As we
arrived at "Manor House," we could tell it was one of the more
substantial homes in all of Sri Lanka, or at least one of the better
city homes. It belonged to a man we later found out was a civil
servant, who had invested in jewelry stores and some construction
projects, and had made a great deal of money over the past 30 years.
Not unlike many successful Sri Lankans, he was now doing much to help
others. He and his family of grown sons and daughters had built a
medical school in 1999, a university complex that had just been
completed and was ready to house a brand new student body and faculty
as 2005 approached. After the tsunami hit, the family elected to
postpone the medical school project and turn the facility into an
orphanage to accommodate 300 kids. That is more than 25% of the entire
newly orphaned population, so it was a considerable undertaking. I
met the son-in-law of the patriarch of this project. He came to Sun
House when I was in Galle to seek some funding for the orphanage and
learned about our work in Sri Lanka. He was immediately taken with our
capabilities and asked us to visit the orphanage and teach the staff
about working with trauma. 60 new orphans, aged 6-12, had been driven 9
hours from the Eastern coast to this new site on January 17th (just a
few days before our meeting), and they were in pretty rough shape. The
commitment of the family promised space for many more, but no one was
really equipped to handle the psycho-social aspect, and they knew it.
They had a structure, money and love, and wanted some support. We were
happy to oblige. After meeting the patriarch himself in this
beautiful home, I climbed into the van for the drive. About six women
in two cars had assembled in a caravan to escort us up into the hills.
Most were family members, including the wife and daughters, and a few
friends. We went through town after town as the mountains and coconut
groves started to appear with spectacular rice paddies on both sides.
The scenery surely helped us to pass the time. The hour fifteen minutes
was really nearly a 3-hour drive. When we pulled into the land and the
site, we saw immediately that it was protected and serene, and was an
ideal place for an orphanage. There was a lot of open land for field
play and gardens, space to build new additions, and a nicely
constructed main building. After brief and simple meal, we sat down to
discuss what occurs in trauma. All together, about 10 people sat
in on the discussion. Two were very young girls who would be
responsible for the care of the orphans, and one was a "matron" who was
considering the challenge of running the place, and apparently had not
yet agreed to take the position. She was a lovely, big hearted woman
who fully understood what we were presenting. Thanks to Jane's input,
we began our presentation with questions to them, a cultural caution to
explore how they viewed the issues. The questions were taken from Arthur M. Kleinman, MD who is Professor of Medical Anthropology and Psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School.
His eight questions ("What do you call this problem? What is the cause?
Is this a short term or long term problem? Why did it happen?, etc.")
beautifully set up an intimate discussion about how the culture and, in
particular, the Koran viewed what was taking place. This was a Muslim
family, but they were quite insistent that their efforts would be
multi-ethnic, multi-religious and open to all children. Everyone agreed
that the core teachings from each perspective and religion recognized a
common unity. I later repeated that we were dedicated to discovering
how we are alike and not dwell on our differences. The
presentation and discussion lasted about an hour and a half, with
everyone participating equally. A bit of it was translated as the two
younger girls did not speak English very well. The elders in the group
have a son who is a cardiologist in Hartford, Connecticut practicing at
the St. Francis Hospital and living in Wethersfield, Connecticut which
is under an hour from the Fortunate Blessings' office. We will contact
him soon. Originally, we had planned to return the next day to play
with the kids and demonstrate what it is we believe can be really
effective in helping children release their distorted emotions. Since
the drive was so long, and we had some more time in our day before the
sun went down, we decided to make it one long day so as not to have to
return on Tuesday. We then took a short break and went out to the field
where the boys were already playing cricket. We waited for an opening
and went out to make a circle and start the games. This group
was considerably more rowdy than any of the others we had encountered,
with some older boys repressing some intense anger. When the cameras
appeared, for example, there was a lot of pushing and shoving --
something we hadn't seen much of in other camps. The girls were
separated, too, and found it a bit of a challenge to play equally in
the circle with the boys. We heard later that the boys liked to tease
the girls a lot (there's one of those universal similarities,
unfortunately) , telling them in the middle of our play that we had
told everyone there was another tsunami. This caused panic for the
girls, who ran off in tears to their dorm. Some boys obviously enjoyed
this cruelty, so there was clearly a lot of work to be done, both
emotionally and culturally to better facilitate the issues that were
already very real in this orphanage. Their dorm spaces were
clean and orderly with girls on the ground floor and the boys on the
third floor. All the kids had been bathed and clothed in brightly
colored tee shirts and pants -- not uniforms, but fairly balanced and
equal in the distribution of what was obviously newly acquired clothing
for children. A few boys were pretty shattered and terrified, and even
more girls looked liked they would need deeper work. In the circle, we
had an opportunity to work a few distortions while the observing adults
could clearly see what we were doing. After about 45 minutes of games,
we returned to meet with the adults. Jonah led the group in a
discussion about play, and Jane and I supported him as they all
understood the simplicity of our work. We left after taking pictures
again, including a hysterical funny round of Jonah running through the
group snapping pics of himself. It was a total riot, and the kids were
in stitches watching him. Even one of the adults put the red nose on,
and when we finally were ready to leave, the older man who had sat
through it all insisted upon telling us what he called "blonde" jokes
before our ride home. The drive home gave us an opportunity to
really acknowledge each other and the power of our work. We have been
extremely sensitive to the cultural differences, and our own ignorance,
as well as the natural abilities we have to facilitate children's
distorted emotions. This visit validated our successes, and our genuine
skills at teaching the caregivers. It also became clear there was much
more work to be done. We hope to return there with others, on a longer
term basis, as volunteers in a place like this for a few weeks can be
of great value. It will surely be one of our projects.
# posted by William Spear : 2:46 PM
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Last Day with the Israelis in Balapitia
On
Sunday afternoon, January 23rd, we head out to return to Colombo and,
on the way, we stop again at Balapitia. This is the place where the
Israeli Civil Defense Unit set up camp during our first days in Sri
Lanka, where Roni made some headway, and new friends, and where we
played with about 200 children. We meet a new team who has arrived to
replace the previous crew of doctors. Their medical unit has been
disassembled and replaced by social workers and psychologists to work
with the kids in a different way. The lead "player" is young, but
willing. We agree to teach the group what we can about being silly, and
show them the now infamous Ristasha song, and a few more tricks. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD VIDEO
Then
we go over to the school where they are waiting, and all four of us
jump into it -- Jonah, Roni, Jane and me. We have a total blast, and
the Israeli's are happy as can be. Afterwards, Jane works privately
with Raju, one of the Aman staff I met yesterday, who wanted breath
work. In half an hour, he is settled and tells me he "has never felt so
relaxed." We share some time with the Israelis, assuring them they can
certainly do what they want to do without official sanction, and we
finally go back to Colombo (the drive is much longer than any of us
remember) and our final night with Roni before he leaves at 5AM the
next morning. Roni has been a wonderful part of our team. He is
a great spirit, and we talk warmly about ways we can envision working
together in the future. Jane and Jonah acknowledge his work as well,
and we return to the hotel tired and content with the work our team has
done together in the past 2 weeks. Tomorrow there is still work for the
three of us who remain, going to an orphanage in the hill country. *******************************************************
# posted by William Spear : 6:15 PM
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Pictures from Sunday Meet The Press
Playing.  A young boy after our games.  Jonah's self portrait.  Roni and friends.  Jonah and friends  Two brothers  All smiles.  Outside the edge of the camp.  One of the Italian tents set up right on the remaining foundation of a house. 
# posted by William Spear : 3:31 PM
We're
at breakfast by 8:00. The British ITN film crew has been up for a
while, their coffee cups refilled twice before we appear. Mark Austin,
the anchor man of this news program, comes over to our table to explore
the possibilities. I make it clear to him that our interest is the
children, and not press coverage. Anything they do must be practically
invisible, non-invasive. If we start to work (play) with a group of
children, what occurs will be entirely spontaneous, unplanned, so as he
tries to guess how he might shoot the event, he begins to realize there
is no script. He agrees to follow us and promises not to intrude or
exploit. We leave the hotel by 9:00 to go over to Project Galle.
There, one of the volunteers will be checking lists for the provisions
needed at a certain camp, stop by the warehouse and then head out. She
tells us the camp she is going to today is in the Galle neighborhood.
That works well for everyone since our days are hard enough without the
long drives in traffic between camps. Jane elects to go out to a
different camp where she hears there are medical needs. We learn later
that she works with our British Doctor friend. Everything here is in
the "small world" category. Geoffrey Dobbs, the owner of Sun House and
himself a newly anointed relief worker, has agreed to join us to run
interference with ITN and to narrate and comment on what is happening.
The film crew has wired a remote receiver to Geoffrey's belt while his
microphone is clipped to his shirt, out of view. At the warehouse, the
crew films the van being loaded with supplies while Geoffrey tells them
more about the Project. Bags of rice, boxes of onions, potatoes, straw
baskets of carrots, greens and some condiments, oil, tea, sugar pile
high in the back. A few pots and pans, utensils and a surprising cache
of newly acquired toys (cricket bats -- is that what they are called?),
tennis balls, what looks like a cheap badmitton set and some inflatable
beach-ball thingy has been stuffed into the van as the door is closed.
We
head out down the hill and follow the Project Galle van out of the
Forte. Camera crew, producer and Mark are in a separate van behind us.
Soon we are winding through the familiar scenes of rubble. People are
still huddled on their foundations -- all that remains of their homes.
They take turns squatting 24/7 to be certain no one invades their
space. Over the railway tracks we go, and it looks like we are heading
for a camp we visited on the very first day here. Blue tents donated by
the Italian government have been arranged near a small temple which now
serves as the kitchen. The refugees have been given a more protected
site than most we have seen. Shaded by palm trees amidst a relatively
nice neighborhood a mile from the ocean, they are not too far from
"home" and mix easily with the lucky ones who still have their own bed
and belongings. The vans pull off to the side and begin
unloading. Having been in this area before, we know that there is a
school a few hundred meters away, around a few more corners. We set out
to walk as children begin to emerge from tents and houses. Some are
washing themselves in the gutters, while others are already running to
our sides before we've walked 20 steps. "Hello!!" "Hello!!" Everything
we say is echoed. "OK??" "OK.!!" A few press close to grab our hands or
arms. They want pictures, rupees, "bon bons", food. They want contact,
touch, smiles, caring. They are ready for whatever we offer them. By
the time we arrive at the schoolyard three minutes later, there are
perhaps 25 children around us. Others are close behind. It
rained in the past few hours so the school yard is muddy and there are
many puddles. We look for the best place to make a circle and realize
it's going to be a dirty playday. We fan out and start a rhythmic clap
as our boots sink into the mud. Most children are in bare feet, while a
few have flipflops -- standard refugee issue supplied by Project Galle.
The people here lost everything but the clothes on their backs, so
everyone needs new shoes. As we play, we see more children arriving,
mothers with babies, small groups of shy girls, a bearded priest, a
toothless grandmother. Most are smiling at what they see, but a few
have looks of suspicion or doubt. In under two minutes, the group
doubles in size. From a spot in the corner of the schoolyard, the
cameras are rolling. We start our echo game, clapping and
dancing. Every child is a copycat to what we do. They love it. Our
hands are up, then down. We are jumping, then kneeling low. Jonah, Roni
and I weave in and out of the circle effortlessly. We work well
together with no script. Roni starts a different clapping game while
Jonah and I join the circle. Next thing we know, Jonah is in the middle
sounding, yelling, laughing. Jonah wiggles his butt. The circle goes
"Chubby Checker." We are doing the peppermint twist, hands raised in
the air singing. The film crew inches closer. The time is right for me
to begin the windup with my clown nose in hand, a game Jonah and I have
developed. Like a cricket pitcher, my arm moves like a windmill, the
clown nose clearly between my fingers. Jonah stands like the catcher. I
pitch the nose and Jonah catches it in his hands as he slips it on his
own nose. The kids laugh at what has appeared. Their laughter becomes
mine, and mine Jonah's and Jonah's Roni's and back to the kids who
convulse. I let out a hysterical laugh, Jonah follows and before long
every single child is in stitches, and most of the onlookers have
joined in. I notice the ITN cameraman struggling to steady his camera.
Our anchorman grins wildly. This uncontrolled laughter, the contagious
glee engulfs everyone in sight. Without warning, Jonah proceeds to the
edge of hysteria, and his laughter shifts to wailing, tears, torrents
of crying. I follow, as does Roni, and soon all of us are crying like
babies. Exaggerated tears, contorted bodies doubled up, we are a mass
of sorrow 30 seconds after we were one happy family. The wailing
intensifies until each exhale carries a louder and louder cry. The cry
becomes a scream as every child continues his or her copycat routine.
Our screams now become even more intense and soon everyone has hands
raised and is screaming like there is no tomorrow. While we are
screaming, we begin to move, jump, run -- near chaos, in fun, breaks
through the circle -- and everyone begins their pretend hysterics,
screaming for help. Laughter, tears, terror blend into the only reason
we really came: to release. The circle is now nearly 200 kids large,
the entire schoolyard is filled with rings of adults who clearly
approve of this explosion. Now I begin to work as Roni scans the
group as well. We are looking for the difficult ones, the ones who are
disconnected, withdrawn, still stuck. As I spot one, I move out of the
circle and casually stand behind him. As planned, Jonah notices where I
stop and sees the little one in front of me, arms crossed. Jonah turns
around and faces other children and slowly changes his mannerisms to
havehis arms crossed in disgruntlement. Hrrrmph! The echo, and hands
gestures follow. Now every child's arms are crossed. Jonah stops
around, hrrrmpphing. Kids follow. He feigns deep disappointment,
frustration. Every child copies. The he turns part way around and
slightly modifies his stance, suddenly flinging one arm wildly up while
the other remains crossed in front of his chest. The wild arm returns,
and both arms are again crossed in front. Kids copy, the camera rolls.
This time, the other arm goes wild, soaring up to the sky, and right
after that both arms release their grip and the body has opened.
Copycats do the same thing. Jonah turns to see our subject, now smiling
and loose. He interacts with Jonah, alternately flinging and
re-crossing his arms and back again. Grumps, hrrmmphs, and "bogga bogga
boggas" explode from Jonah, Roni and I as each child returns the call.
After 2 or 3 cycles, our little one is totally engaged and plays along.
Jonah takes him on a ride of expression, release and wild fun. He is
unaware of the bioenergetic work he is doing to release his rage, his
fear -- even a piece of his grief. A minute later, I am in the
circle trying to get Jonah's arms down, and like a good clown, a leg
pops up as each arm goes down. I try to straighten him up, and he
corkscrews into the ground. Just in time, I flick the imaginary switch
on his back, and his spiral reverses. The kids love it -- a clown has
come to entertain. They watch as I try unsuccessfully to get Jonah to
be balanced and steady, but every time I push one shoulder down, the
other pops up. Each leg and arm has a mind of its own. We work the gag
to the max, and as we sense the time is right, I put my hands on
Jonah's shoulders, standing behind him. He reaches up to grab the train
whistle and tugs, exclaiming "Tooooot! ToooooT!." Roni turns to his
side, his hands on the shoulders of the child in front of him as
everyone gets what's up. The circle becomes a train, each child now
turned sideways in a line, hands on shoulders, and the whistle blows.
"Chooooo!! Chooooo! as the train starts up. We are a circle in motion
now, as even more children break in to get on board. This train is
heading for freedom! Roni breaks the chain and runs the train around
the schoolyard, snaking around a tree. Jonah breaks into a conga dance,
and the train becomes a line of dancing girls, the Rockettes in Sri
Lanka. Three steps, kick to the right; three steps, kick to the left. I
spot a second child "missing in action" and get Jonah's attention. His
response is imperceptible as he plays with her stagnant emotion and
gets her moving with the group. She needs trust, support,
encouragement, but not to be forced. Jonah accomplishes the task
effortlessly. It's all play. Roni circles up again and the clapping
returns. He yells, "OK?" and gets the desired response loud and clear.
"OKAY!!!!" Roni has us turn to a partner and couple up, two by two
joining hands. We are making a bridge, a tunnel, Up and down with
sounds, hands and arms rise and fall. Then left and right. The side-to-
side running, until without realizing what is happening, we are the
waves of the sea, going out and coming in. He exaggerates the motions,
running back and forth. Every pair follows. Soon, the running carries a
scream, a fearful response to the speed of the wave. Laughter mixes
again with screaming, emotions explode. Children, willing to play, express
what they could not when the wave hit: fear, no longer trapped in their
bodies. We have been playing for 20 minutes and every child is
screaming, running, playing, releasing. ITN is rolling. Mark is amazed. These
games continue for another 5 or 10 minutes, songs, clapping, and
breathing games, until it is time to leave. A good 45 minutes since we
walked into the camp as unknowns, and kids encircle us to get their
pictures taken, touch, shake hands, hug, ask our names. Mark makes his
way over to me to tell me something, his face wide-eyed, smiling. "When
we arrived behind you", he says "one of the men who spoke some English
thought our crew was with you as therapists. He pointed out three kids
who he said were in particular trouble. They had had terrifying
experiences and were having a really difficult time adjusting." I knew
what he was about to say. "Do you know which kids they were," he
continued, "or did you just pick them out?" I smiled. "How the hell did
you know? he asked. "Mark, it isn't really that hard. They were still
frightened, and we didn't need to have anyone tell us that. We can see
it in their faces, in their bodies. We can help them release, very
naturally and easily." He was stunned, "That's absolutely incredible,
absolutely amazing that you could just go right to those kids." We
didn't feel it was so strange. We also didn't think there were only
three who needed some release. Mark walked over to the producer and
shared my response as children continued to pose for pictures, eager to
see their faces on the digital camera seconds after the shot. Mark
returned. "I must tell you what that man over there said to our
producer. He is one of the teachers who lives in this village. As you
were doing "the wave" game, he said to her "this is exactly what these
kids need. They are children, and they have not had any chance to
express themselves and have fun. Children have to release all this pent
up energy after the tsunami, and they needed these games and a chance
to be children again so very badly. I am so happy now. The children got
what they needed, a chance to be children again." Roni went
off to work individually with a little girl who lost her whole family,
as I began the walk back to the cars. Jonah was surrounded with kids
who wanted him to go with them. He tells where they went in his blog --
go there and read it. www.jonahspear.com
// it is the entry that begins with "I wept."
# posted by William Spear : 1:15 PM
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Others not so small...
This
morning I went to the Amangalla offices where 120 employees were
gathered to hear me speak. Olivia Richli, the manager of Amangalla, has
been an extraordinary support for our team, and we agreed that at some
time during my stay in Galle I would work with her staff. Amanresorts
is a unique high-end luxury collection of hotel properties whose owners
have always been sensitive to both the local communities and the
ecology of each site. Two days earlier, Jonah and I met John and Tanya
Vasatka, who head Aman's presence in Sri Lanka and who are preparing to
open the newest member of the Aman group, Amantangalla on a
breathtaking beachfront site in the southern town of Tangalle in Sri
Lanka. Jonah and I met their son Logan, and dog, Hopper, (like so many
bowsers here, a limping canine). Jonah quickly pulled out a blue
balloon from his pocket and made Logan a dog to keep Hopper company,
complete with one short leg. We learned later he was given the name
"Blue Hopper". Five years earlier, while returning from Nepal, I
was a guest at the Aman properties in Java and Bali. Never before or
since have I experienced a higher level of service and comfort. Here
now, as I was introduced to the group by the head of the human
resources department, I watched as all of them stood in unison and
bowed to me, each maintaining constant eye contact. Their hands in
prayer position in front of their hearts, each man and woman conveyed a
strong mix of gratitude for my being their and terror for what they had
experienced. Miraculously, not one single member of the Aman staff (in
either of their two properties along the Sri Lankan coast) lost their
lives. On Christmas day, in the building across the street, just 12
hours before the tsunami hit, the new Amangalle opened in what was the
oldest hotel in Sri Lanka. Built in 1643 as the barracks for the Dutch
army, the building was originally a fortress occupying the highest
patch of ground in Galle. Soon, the massive 50 foot high walls of the
Forte were built around the area, creating Galle Forte. Now it is an
old town within the bigger town sitting right at the edge of the ocean.
In the 1800's, the building became the New Oriental Hotel and remained
the hub of the social scene for 150 years. Ambassadors, foreign
dignitaries and the well-clothed used the New Oriental Hotel to conduct
business and meet, relax and enjoy the marvelous climate and people of
Ceylon. For three generations, the New Oriental Hotel was owned by the
same family, the last surviving member of which celebrated her 95th
birthday party there only 5 years ago. The party was given by Aman's
owner who had been retained to manage the property. He had been a dear
friend for many years before. Five months later, the old woman passed
away and shortly thereafter Aman purchased the property from her
estate. The opening night party on December 25, 2004 reintroduced the
grand old ambience converging with the impeccable service and style
that is Aman. The first wave hit the walls of the Forte before
the champagne glasses were dried and returned to their shelves. As
water rushed through the openings in the walls of the Forte, the Aman
management opened the hotel without hesitation to the community.
Everyone had come to this highest point to escape. Olivia quickly
ordered that everyone who needed a safe refuge would be permitted to
come in. The tsunami's three waves only partially damaged the low lying
areas of the walled Forte coming nowhere near the doors of the former
New Oriental Hotel, now called the Amangalla . That day and night,
Amangalla served 300 free lunches and 500 free dinners as nearly
everyone escaped the first few hours of the horror of the tsunami. The
first wave struck a few minutes before 8 AM, and by the time the 2nd
and 3rd waves came, the Forte's walls were lined with people throwing
ropes over the edge to try and rescue those in the water 20 feet below.
Nearly all of the staff standing in front of me were there that day and
on the days that followed. Most had slept with nearly 500 others on the
floor of the hotel on the first night. A great many of them lost their
homes, and many lost a parent, sibling or child. Here they were now,
more than three weeks after the unthinkable, still shaking from the
aftershocks of witnessing their world collapse and their lives forever
changed. I addressed them first about how honored I was to have
the opportunity to turn the tables on them, to serve those who had
served me so gracefully in the past. How much I felt a part of their
family, since it was through the quiet support of the management, of
Olivia and John and Trina in Singapore that our team was accommodated
in Sri Lanka. Now it was my turn to serve them, to return the many
favors in some small way. As before in groups like this, I explained to
them how our sensing and feeling body experiences trauma, and how our
minds then comment later on what happened. I told them how energy gets
trapped inside when we freeze in terror, how we swallow a scream or
tears, and how these unexpressed emotions need to be released so that
we can recover our original ability. Heads nodded in understanding.
Most were single, only a few had children, so when I spoke about
helping the young ones, too, the easier reference was their younger
siblings. Then I talked about how to move the energy, and what work we
were doing with the children in the camps. Their faces lit up in
wonder. I asked them if they wanted me to demonstrate, and one of the
department heads asked if we could all do it together. Next
thing I knew, we walked out a set of French doors to the big lawn
behind the building. Making a circle of 120, we began to breathe
together, shake, dance and move. Before long, the group was screaming,
laughing, jumping, releasing -- moving through the same process I might
lead in a workshop in London. For perhaps 10 minutes, 120 young staff
members of Amangalla lost their minds again and let go of the stagnant
energy they had repressed for weeks. Every single one of them opened
his or her heart. Everyone took the risk -- every waiter, desk clerk,
masseuse, cleaner and cook became one energy, one breath, one heart.
After less than 20 minutes, I reminded them that they had their breath,
their life, and their hearts, their love. Standing in the center of the
circle, I moved them to envision a future that brought hope and
meaning. I assured them that they were safe, and secure, that they were
courageous and good. With eyes closed, their hands joined in a way that
they had surely never expected, and the Aman family in Galle received a
tiny bit of closure, a speck of unity and at least a experiential hint
of the truth that there is only one of us here. Olivia announced to the
group that I was available to talk privately with any member of the
staff who wished to do so. In the two hours that followed, I met with
three who had been in the larger group; the next day, I worked with one
more who had remained in a deep panic. He told me after our session
together that he was much more relaxed, and felt positive now about
being able to face the future. As caregivers, this group is nowon the
way back to their intended purpose, to serve visitors to this gentle
place called Sri Lanka. In the months ahead, their burdens will slowly
become lighter. I think they will need more support, and I am hopeful
to be able to return. These young people, mostly in their 20's, are
lucky to have each other, a secure job, and the unconditional caring
and concern of the remarkable Aman management. I am grateful, too, for
Aman's support of our team, of their staff and their continuing care
for the people of Galle and Sri Lanka. I am thankful for all that they
are doing to help those who suffer.
# posted by William Spear : 4:34 AM
The
rest of the team went to Tangalle today to meet with the director of
Navajeevana, the community center we have teamed up with to serve
groups in the South. Their director is an amazing spirit who's
mischievous eyes sparkle when she tells us about her efforts. She has
created workshops for the disabled, recently bringing a Cambodian
doctor who studied briefly in the Children's Hospital at Northwestern
in Chicago. With the sad reality of experience helping victims of land
mines, this happy man carves new legs and feet for amputees while the
adjoining clinics at Navajeevana (Nava) offer a full range of physical
therapy. They need more supplies, and instruction, so our intention is
to help them more when we return to Sri Lanka. I meet that
afternoon with a British doctor who turned his vacation into service.
His integrative, complementary practice in the U.K. offers a slightly
different contribution to the need here. Plenty of straight-ahead
doctors and shiploads of drugs did not prevent him and the nurse who
has accompanied him from being of service. They came to visit me at Sun
House to talk about what remains to be done for the Sri Lankan
children. I'm sure we will see each other again and work together in
some way. He has gentle eyes, great humor and genuine compassion. In
the evening I have a chance to visit with Olivia Richli, Amangalla's
manager, who has been active nonstop since December 26th. She is tired
and needs a break, but the hotel will open in 20 days as Aman elects to
keep moving ahead. We spend an hour in conversation, and I remind her
to walk every day, to sing, to get a deep massage to keep herself from
holding these emotions deep in her body. She has seen it all -- the
dead bodies, the babies ripped from mothers' arms, the last gasping
faces before drowning, the desperate hands reaching for the ropes. She
has helped airlift hotel guests with lacerations that lay as open
wounds for days after the wave. She sent her own children away only a
few days after the tsumani. They were there with her for Christmas.
They will never forget. At 9 pm I meet the rest of the team for
dinner at Ramparts Hotel. We are all exhausted but have a decent meal
of fish, rice and vegetables. The British doctor appears and joins us
for a beer. By this time, most of us are babbling incoherent jibberish.
We laugh at our fatigue and return to Sun House on a "tuk tuk," the
three-wheelers that cost $1 to go just about anywhere. It's midnight,
and as I walk into the hotel, I am met by the manager of the hotel. He
tells me that there is a TV crew from the British ITN who want to meet
me, and possibly interview our team. They are shooting a series called
"Rebuilding Paradise". The anchor and host is a well-known British
talent, Mark Austin, who convinces me that he wouldn't exploit us. His
producer asks me if I'd be willing to carry a hidden camera when I go
into the orphanage the next day. Shocked at the contradiction, I excuse
myself wondering if I'll allow them to even know where we are going the
next day. Our intention is to go work in a new camp we have heard was
just located. There are 200 children there. Do I want press coverage??
# posted by William Spear : 2:29 AM
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Friday in Galle, Sri Lanka
The
weather continues to be a scorching ninety degrees Fahrenheit at the
high side, with intense humidity. Our morning of careful planning of
the day's workshop assures a more long term success with the faculty of
medicine at Ruhuna University in Karapitya. In a pleasant college
building, we climb four flights to find 45 new doctors awaiting their
first lecture on children and trauma. These young men and women, most
of whom speak reasonably good English, assemble quietly as I introduce
myself. It is the first of five "formal" workshops we will present to
different groups. Medicine here follows a loose, primitive
British-set standard. These new doctors listen carefully as I describe
how our cognitive minds can only reflect on what happened and begin to
understand the new concepts of the sensing and feeling bodies that have
absorbed the traumatic events of the past three weeks. Psychological
trauma is not something most are aware of here, so I go slowly,
carefully and clearly through the basics. After this orientation, I
introduce Roni Berger. We decided before the workshop to
alternate between didactic and experiential work. We are each
comfortable with both approaches. Roni has them stand on their feet and
he starts them moving, breathing, shaking, feeling as he discusses
trauma in energetic terms. They are shy but willing participants. It is
difficult at first for him to gauge whether they are just "playing"
along, but he goes through a lot of material in a short time. Weaving
in some brain stem physiology and neural pathway references, Roni is
clearly in his element. I am delighted he is on our team. Jonah takes
notes. As planned, blank paper and crayons are passed out as Roni leads
the group through a resourcing exercise that demonstrates how people
cope. We break into four smaller groups to discuss what resources
people used in the incident they recalled in the exercise. Jonah and
Jane lead the other two groups, listing each coping skill and
facilitating the discussion. After a break, Roni talks about art
and the significance of using art as an expressive therapy. Heads begin
to shake in agreement as it is clear by their own experience here that
this approach can be effective in the communities they serve. Soon the
discussion moves to movement and, as planned, Jane leads the group in a
short breathing exercise. They remain present, focused and interested
as our three hours nears its end. As he discusses more specific
examples, Roni gives practical pointers for parents and families. To
conclude, I review the workshop in bullet points, ending with a short
"physician heal thyself" reminder. We are pleased with what has been
the first workshop on "Diagnosing and Treating Trauma in Children" in
Sri Lanka. In the evening, I meet with Project Galle's twenty or
so volunteers to discuss ways they can take care of themselves. These
dedicated souls have been on the front lines since day one, and the
burnout factor is quickly becoming a real issue. As expected, a few
object to the suggestion that there is any need for such a meeting, but
most welcome the chance to stop and self reflect on their own needs.
Tired faces and short tempers are more common in this group than anyone
wants to admit. I am pleased to connect with some good souls from the
U.K. who have given it their all. Their vital work will continue for
many more months. They are now feeding upwards of 130,000 people in 48
camps. Here is where those 46,000 pairs of women's underwear would be
distributed. We learn that Microsoft has dispatched six geeks to nail
the "project management" piece. They arrive tomorrow evening. Late
in the evening, we adjust plans for Saturday's second visit to the
medical school. I will work with the Aman staff, Jonah will go to one
of the camps, and Jane and Roni will work with the doctors on their
own. We are becoming more efficient now, each of us using our resources
more wisely. As we ready for bed after a long day, Jonah mentions that
he's beginning to feel more useful. He shows me the photos of the camp
he visited in the morning, before our medical school visit. It's clear
that the 200 smiling children he totally captivated that day thought he
went way past "useful". His contribution here is enormous, unique,
blessed. We are both happy, exhausted. Tomorrow will be another long
day.  Home Burners for the "get out of a relief camp, back to a private residence in a tent" phase.  Project Galle Director (L) with Amangalla Manager, Olivia Richli (R) discussing needs in the relief camps.   .  Doctors work on drawings  Roni moving with doctors, stretching.
# posted by William Spear : 3:42 AM
Saturday, January 22, 2005
A Guide for Care Givers
William Spear's guide " Helping Children Work Through Trauma In Sri Lanka"
is available for download.
"Compassionate
response from the global community has brought much attention to the
needs of children affected by the tsunami and its aftermath. This basic
manual is intended to provide support to caregivers who wish to address
the specific needs of children during the six-month period following
the event."
Download the guide by clicking here.
# posted by William Spear : 3:52 PM
 Jonah playing-- 
Loading Food--  Big smile from a happy baby-- 
Dr. Roni Berger leads discussion of art therapy to help resolve trauma-- 
Doctors draw their experiences--
# posted by William Spear : 3:19 AM
Friday, January 21, 2005
To Our Friends and Supporters,
Thank you for making it possible for the Fortunate Blessings Foundation team to be here. I
arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on the southwest coast, less than 3
weeks after the tsunami devastated this country and its 20,000,000
inhabitants. More than 40,000 have perished in this country as the
death total throughout Southeast Asia nears 200,000. To keep a
perspective, this many people die in sub-Saharan Africa in basically
the same period of time - nearly 6,000 a day from the complications of
HIV alone - the number Sri Lanka has lost in people, AIDS takes away
every week in Africa. But here, unlike in Africa, what we see is
incomprehensible. A natural disaster that has flattened hundreds of
miles of villages along coastlines, and in some cases washing them so
clean that there is no trace of life left. Three waves hit, like a
dishwasher cycle -- wash, rinse and spin -- and in many areas the
coastline has changed dramatically. It its wake, the wave decimated
villages where shops and homes had been standing for hundreds of years
occupied by local tradesmen, fishermen and simple folks living a meager
but happy existence. Many areas affected were already deeply
impoverished -- some even were refugee camps -- but the scale of
destitution that remains is so far beyond anything anyone has ever seen
that there is a total "before" and "after" reality, not unlike our own
sense of the World Trade Center bombings and our sense of pre-9/11
versus life after that attack. In traveling from place to place,
we see families walking through the remains of their homes. Clean
laundry dries the only clothes they own. A few are lucky and have
more....  Then,
in a nearby village, our driver tells us of the heavy downpour that
occurred in his area just a few days ago. "Rain came from sky for three
hours so heavy, so much couldn't see. Sky black, flood now, like
monsoon, but not monsoon time. Not now, but more heavier. Why come?
Wrong time, cannot say when come. We all think think, maybe tsunami
come again, no warning. We scared now because not know. Not understand
what happening. Sky, nature, earth make no sense now, time not right,
change fast." We talked about the local weather patterns, a
familiar topic anywhere in these days of global warming. With humor, we
acknowledge that we never really knew what was coming next -- we just
thought we did. We were pretending to understand the future, dependent
upon at least some pattern, carrying some expectation that the cycle of
life would go on somewhat like we knew it. The wave changed all that,
forever. He smiles, a bit uncertain, but he understands. "Now, not know
anything but now, not know future", he offered. Only now..... Further
down the coast, in the town of Galle, 80% of the cities' population has
been effected. Property losses touch every life. There is an old fort
at the water's edge, up high on a hill, and it is the only thing that
was spared near the water. Scenes of destruction and carnage are too
unbelievable. CNN doesn't come close to conveying what has really
happened. Our driver takes us to his home, or rather what is left of it. 
He tells us how he swam across the living room to rescue his mother.  We
calculate that the water level was easily 20 feet high. The stench
remains as rubble has not yet been removed due to a lack of heavy
equipment throughout the country. It is clear from the smell that there
are decomposing bodies 20 yards from where we stand.  Along
the road near his house, we see the remains of three structures
standing on three parallel streets. The view is possible because the
wave flattened new pathways, bisecting the area. 
Formerly,
this street had no view of the sea; now, with three blocks of houses
gone, the proximity to the ocean is better comprehended. 
The
wave moved almost half a mile inland from the shore before receding,
and this not just once, but three times. Many who lost their lives here
didn't count on the second or third wave, so they ran down to the shore
to try to save their boats, or simply stood in awe as the barren rocks
were revealed half a mile out to sea. The wave pulled back so far that
many waded out to collect fish for dinners they never ate. When the
wave returned the second time, it was 30 feet high, a dark brown wall
full of sewage and mud, crashing down on unsuspecting children playing
at the new shoreline. Most tried in vain to run. In the eastern parts
of Sri Lanka, it is believed that the wave hit at a speed of 300 mph.
Nothing I saw on television before leaving the US gave me even a hint
of the reality of what is here. One Washington Post journalist we met,
who has covered every disaster in the past 15 years, agrees. The
Iranian earthquake, hurricanes, war-torn African nations, genocide and
even Iraq diminish in his memory. This, he says, is his new worst case
scenario, the deepest loss and suffering, hell on earth. The end of the
world. There is no doubt that too much money has already been
thrown at the mega NGO's (Non Governmental Organizations) like the the
Red Cross and Save the Children. Yesterday, the expatriot resident who
coordinates the meal projects for 22 of the camps near here was outside
of a hotel after a day-long meeting where she saw a major, well-known,
international NGO contingent arguing with a local cab driver about
fares. The group was in Columbo, the capital, staying at the only
5-Star hotel, having flown over in business class, on their way to
"Glow", the local disco, in their uniforms. Glow is where the Cathay
Pacific cabin attendants all hang out on lay overs. Meanwhile, this
expatriot who coordinates the meal projects is 24/7 since day one,
living in the camps, holding infants with scabies, helping woman with
sanitary napkins, non-stop dedication and she cannot believe her eyes.
Scenes like this -- between the established NGO contingents and the
local action groups, are everywhere. Very, very few camps here are
being handled by the NGOs -- and all one of them has managed to do on
this side of the island is drop a huge water bottle on a corner every
1/2 mile, which they haven't refilled in 5 days. They did get food to
the East which was heavily hit, but there is so much need everywhere,
and it would seem with all their resources they wouldn't be out at a
disco. There is so much need here that hasn't been addressed.
For starters, 200 pairs of crutches are needed immediately for the
disabled in the camps (we are onto a source), and even more pressing --
46,000 pairs of women's underwear. Truly, there's a challenge here --
and there's a list of very real, very concrete items that need to go
straight the destitute and not into some store for resale (which is
where all the medicines are ending up as pharmacies are corrupt here,
state-owned by the politicians' families) and, even better, NOT into
some bank account to pay for another piousinfomercial to be aired in
St. Louis in 6 weeks. The gaps in the delivery of services here are
real, and there is so much chaos with very little hope that it ever be
rectified. Fortunately, through hard work and grace, we have
excellent partners with some top rate organizations who are not
hampered by red tape. One example of how unbelievable the bureaucracy
is occurred on the 2nd day after the wave hit. A team of 47 French
doctors arrived with two totally equipped portable hospitals, all set
to go anywhere they were told. They sat in the capital city, Colombo,
for 7 days in a hotel waiting to get through the tape before they gave
up and left. Meanwhile, hundreds died without proper care as survivors
with open lacerations were swimming in the water, mixed with sewage,
were taken to the hospital, their wounds cleaned and stitched. Sounds
good, except that they all died from sepsis a few days later as no one
knew to give them antibiotics as well as clean the wounds. Since
the Sri Lankan government has received unprecedented support, the task
of rebuilding will be less difficult than in other nations. There is a
natural, healthy protectionism here now, and Sri Lankans are
legitimately afraid that their culture will be washed away as well with
so much outside money. Truly, there is more cash now than could ever be
spent here. Oprah Winfrey donated a million dollars to Arugan Bay, in
the east. Here, 100,000,000 rupees would last 50 years. How much
westerners will impose their values on this country is the main topic
of conversation. Our team has partnered with a British private
action group completely took on the challenge of making an immediate
difference with services, and to relieve suffering. This group began
mobilizing foreigners who live in Galle on the night of the Tsunami.
They are now serving 125,000 people 3 meals a day in 47 relief camps.
There are unimaginable consequences and challenges everywhe | |
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