UPDATE ON TSUNAMI RELIEF PROJECTS AS AT 2ND FEBRUARY 2005
Our grateful thanks to all those who have helped the Sri Lankan people through The Christian Centre Ratmalana Disaster Relief after the devastating tsunami brought death to over 40,000 people and wrecked homes & infrastructure leaving over 1 million homeless from a total population of approximately 18.5 million. All the funds we have received so far will go towards the projects mentioned below, with feedback on what the money was spent on.
1. Introduction
* Immediately after the Tsunami hit the coastal belt of Sri Lanka, The Christian Center Ratmalana (TCCR) along with many other places was named as a distribution center. For the first week dry rations and clothes were sent to TCCR and then distributed to the refugees in the local area.
* With offers of financial help and manpower being offered from abroad, a disaster relief committee consisting of 5 people was formed to determine the scope of work to be done by TCCR with regard to the disaster relief.
* Our initial parameters were to support the following:
o The displaced families at TCCR and branch churches
o Three of the local refugee camps
o Pastor Raja’s work in Galle (Southern Coast of Sri Lanka)
o Pastors Roshan and Tiviya Kumar in Batticaloa (Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka)
o Setting up of an orphanage
* Some of our committee members went with teams from Hong Kong, Taiwan and USA to get first hand information of the situation in Batticaloa and Galle. As a result we were able to identify their needs as will be given later.
* Subsequent to that we received a considerable amount of money from a number of generous donors. As a result we have been forced to reassess our scope of work and we are now also considering building homes for the displaced families in Batticaloa, TCCR and the other branch churches.
2. Displaced TCCR and Branch Church Families
* Currently we have spent Rs. 46,000 on food and other essential items for the 8 displaced families at TCCR.
* Of the 8 families, 7 families have returned to their homes. To help them rebuild their lives, we provided the families with kitchen utensils such as a kerosene cooker, kerosene oil, saucepans, buckets and basins in order for them to meet their basic needs
* We are also looking at financing the rebuilding of their homes. To ensure complete transparency, we have a form which each claimant needs to fill in giving an assessment of the damage done and the cost of repairing the damage. We will then verify their claim and provide the necessary funds.
3. Orphanage
* The government is currently not releasing the 350 displaced orphans in the South of Sri Lanka into orphanages but are taking responsibility for them.
* If we have plans to build orphanages for Tsunami victims only, we will not get government approval.
* We will be meeting a pastor who already has an orphanage to see what steps need to be taken. Our initial aim was to have a branch orphanage of his church, but under the current circumstances this is not possible.
* We will persevere with the orphanage; however it may take longer than currently envisaged.
* Currently I do not know the cost of setting up and running an orphanage. Those details will be conveyed in a future newsletter.
4. Galle – Pastor Raja (Located on the Southern Coast)
* Currently we have provided 41,000 Rupees worth of milk packets and dry rations to Pastor Raja who runs a rehabilitation center.
* Pastor Raja’s team is going to 9 places in Galle and feeding 900 children daily, both Tsunami and non Tsunami children. Estimated weekly cost for milk packets alone is Rs. 80,000.
* As we will be helping pastor Raja in the long term, we are currently assessing whether our commitment is to provide only milk packets and dry rations or to widen our scope of help.
5. Batticaloa – Pastor Roshan (Located on the Eastern Coast)
* We have provided pastor Roshan with 200 oil lamps costing 17,400 rupees.
* Pastor Roshan needs a fishing boat at a cost of 150,000 rupees (US$ 1,500)
* There is also a need to build 20 homes at a cost of 300,000 rupees per house giving a total cost 6 million rupees ( US$ 60,000)
6. Kaladdi – Pastor Tiviya Kumar (Located on the Eastern Coast)
* We have provided Pastor Tiviya Kumar with dry rations and milk powder costing 5,700 rupees.
* Of the 16 families in his church, 8 families have lost their houses and 2 families have lost their loved ones.
* He has not provided us with the financial costs of rebuilding the houses, however using the same basis as for pastor Roshan, the cost of building 8 houses will be 2.4 million rupees (US$ 24,000)
7. Tangalle – Pastor Suranga (Located on the Southern Coast)
* We have provided Pastor Suranga with books, stationery and milk powder costing 18,000 rupees.
8. Photos
A number of photos were taken by the visiting teams and our committee members of the devastated areas in Batticaloa and Galle. I have included 8 for your information with a brief explanation of them:
1. Batticaloa1 – Photo of children some of whom have lost families and homes
2. Batticaloa2 – Photo of visitors and believers from Pastor Roshan’s church
3. Galle1 – Photo of distributing goods in Galle
4. Galle2 – Photo of goods being distributed to Pastor Raja, he is the one who is in a completely white outfit.
5. Hikkaduwa – Photo of the train which was completely knocked down by the Tsunami and is now back on the tracks
6. Tangalle – Photo of items given to Pastor Suranga.9. Conclusion
Many of you have given in faith and in trust to help people you do not know and have never seen. We pray that even as you have given, that our Lord Jesus Christ would bless you, your families and your homes according to the Word in Luke 6:38:
