Tsunami

I received an email from a close friend today. This is what he had to say.

Friends,

I plan on getting in touch with the lady, Janine Cooke (an ex Sri Lankan Model now living here and doing good work in Sri Lanka long before the disaster) and making a small donation so she can continue the good work, as it is apparent the small places have, and will be forgotten in the grand scale of the relief efforts.

Any help from yourself/your friends/ will be of genuine appreciation.

The email below was attached. It was sent to him from Sri Lanka on Jan 26., 2005 – one month to the day after the wave hit. It comes from his first cousin .

[…]On Monday, being Poys day, Reza and I together with Ali and Nimmi, went as far as Galle to see how things were. More towards Colombo, it was Moratuwa/Panadura that was affected very badly. In certain areas the water had come across the road to the land side as well, destroying many homes/shops. Then again from Piyagala, it was one real mess, apparently right down to Yala – we went only a wee bit beyond Galle. The smells are still terrible. The US Marines, together with the Indian Navy and others from Japan and Korea are doing a good job cleaning up the roadsr and installing clean drinking water taps along the way, as well as repairing roads/rail tracks, etc. People are living in tents all along the way, until new homes are constructed fo them. You cannot imagine that water could do so much damage to life and property. It looks more like an after war scene.

We visited a Home, called the “Sambodhi Home”, as Lizzie contributes towards it monthly, and her friend Jannine Cooke comes to SL often as she is involved in running it. That place was a pathetic sight. All the inmates are either disabled (by way of deformity) or mentally retarded. There are adults as well as children there. They had 110 inmates with only 4 people to look after them. 48 inmates died due to the Tsunami, as the water came up to about 6 feet in that area. So they were unable to save everyone, as some were even bedridden. They have lost everything. The place was smelling like hell and infected with flies. I am glad I went there somehow, cause we asked them what they required and went to the Supermarket in Town and got them everythig they need, as well as disinfectants and sprays for the flies, etc. This Home is next to a canal, which is filthy and smelly, there are dead bodies in there still. I feel so sorry for these people who have to live in those conditions, as they need beds/linen/clothes and most of all medication, as some of them suffer with bed soars. Luckily I took a load of boiled drinking water in bottles, which I was able to give them. A few cannot even walk and go around on their bums. I still cannot get that place out of my mind, but I want to continue helping that Home, and must get together with Sheryll, and do something for them soon.

Jannine was trying to talk Lizzie into coming to SL with her in May to visit this Home and help her, but I dont think Lizzie could handle it, as it is not like the Nursing Home she works at there. I told her so, so it is up to her.

Thats all for now, so love and God Bless you all.

Bye for now,

Trudy.

If you want to contribute in a way that will go directly to those obviously in need you can contact him, his name is Fairley, at falw@netspace.net.au.