WYE VALLEY TSUNAMI FUND

2 January 2006

Having been banned from bringing my laptop just a quick hello to let you know we are fine.

We arrived safely but not without incident and we will only bore those of you who ask with the full details. Yet more excitement.

We are having a good break, we needed one and have still managed to complete a few missions. It is impossible to come here and not help, that involves time and at the moment it is in short supply. Two weeks is not enough to help and have a holiday. In fact we had to escape 20 miles south for three days to try and get some peace. So many people know us and want us to either help or go and visit their families.

Saratha and his family are still living in their old house. The new one still needed the floor to be finished and they did not have enough money. We managed to find a good floor screeder and tile layer who completed the job in less than three days. Got two tonnes of sand, cement and the tiles. He said it would take four but by the time I had agreed the price he had to do it in three to make it pay!

We have bought 7 gallons of gloss paint for the disabled school so that they can paint their desks and chairs. The down syndrome boys have made some very nice foot rests which also need painting and then they will sell them to raise funds.

We bought 7 kilos of fish for a group of families still living in a refugee camp. Also some material for ladies to make clothes.

Boxing Day was quite a day as you can imagine. 9:30 passed quietly and without incident. Lots of tearful people (us two included) standing looking at the clam clear and beautiful blue ocean, oh so different to 12 months earlier when nature decide to remind the world of her power.

A 48-hour remembrance service took place with continual chanting, singing or speaking tanoyed through the village day and night. Friends of Unawatuna had arranged for 50 000 (not 150 000 as I originally thought but still a heck of lot) of oil lamps to be distributed in the village together with the oil (1200 litres 260 gallons!) all to be lit in the evening. I don’t think anybody had really appreciated how long the distribution would take but lots of helpers tuned up. I wound the handle on a pump for about 4 hours and Sally and other ladies handed out the lamps and exchanged tales of fear, heroics and a thousand and one other emotions of Boxing Day 2004. What a sight when they were all lit as they had been placed along the beach down the sides of the road window ledges every where in fact. Allowing for he odd breakage etc each one representing a lost Sri Lankian life. Phew

We only have a few more days before we head and back to Colombo and then home so will and make the most of it.

Happy New Year to you all and see you soon

Kelvin and Sally

P S Have found a painter to paint the school and he started today!!