Tsunami 2004 Disaster

The disaster struck on Boxing Day 2004

Still Waters raised significant funds to help families rebuild their homes and restore their livelihood. We provided fishing boats, nets and outboard motors to help fishermen get back to work. We built new homes. We donated computers, books and equipment to help schools with their training programmes. Still Waters became engaged in providing aid from the first day after the disaster on Boxing Day, Sunday, 26th December 2004. We used all the reserve funds we had to help with the immediate needs of the survivors. From the first days, it was evident that rebuilding and reconstruction work would be a long-term project and Still Waters was, and is, committed to support survivors in this task.

Homes and property completely destroyed

It is difficult to describe the extent of the damage to home and

property. The pictures show a little of the devastation caused

by the Tsunami.

During my time in Sri Lanka I visited Batticaloa on the Eastern

coast which took the worst of the hit from the Tsunami. The

sight that awaited us as we entered the coastal areas is hard

to describe.

Street after street all along the coast was a scene of complete

devastation. It was hard to find a house that was still

standing. The waves had gone deep inland and turned

thousands of homes to rubble. Every plot where once there

was a proud home of a family had been raised to the ground

and remains still just as the Tsunami had left it after doing its

destructive work. Amid the shattered ruins were personal

clothing, the odd cooking utensil, letters and papers, a photo

album and what remains of many peoples’ homes.

And there were white flags everywhere, row after row of them,

a piece of white cloth fastened to a piece of stick to indicate

the death of a person. Some plots had several flags telling the

sad and painful truth of entire families who had perished.

On many a plot I met a lone individual or a couple standing or

sitting in silence and staring at the sea. Their eyes glazed with

a deep sorrow giving glimpses of a sad and broken heart. It

was not a time for talk. I stood in silence with them as a sign

of solidarity and whispered a prayer for healing of pain, easing

of sorrow and the dawn of hope for these unfortunate fellow

human beings.

One story from the many ….

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One of the people I was able to talk to was Lakshman (Lucky),

who told me his story struggling to hold back the tears.

He and his family were all ready to go to church on Sunday

26th December. They were a few minutes late because his 21

month old daughter was not ready, and the Tsunami hit their

home.

The first wave entered the house with up to six feet of water,

and he gathered his wife, child and the rest of the family and

tried to escape when the second wave over thirty feet high

engulfed his home and swept everyone and everything away.

When the waters subsided, Lucky was found alive over 1,000

meters away, but in a serious condition having swallowed too

much sea water. He was rushed to hospital where he remained

for over ten days. His wife (27), his daughter (21 months),

his mother (53) and his sisters (13 and 18) were all dead.

All but the body of his only baby daughter were recovered.

Lucky also lost his home, his two fishing boats, his minibus

and his engineering workshop. Lucky was clutching the dried

out copy of his New Testament as he recalled that fateful

Sunday, and wished he had left for church five minutes earlier.

We gathered around Lucky embraced him and prayed for him

standing amid the ruins of what had been a home he had

worked so hard to build.

Lucky needed to get back to purposeful employment and

needed carpentry and engineering tools, and we were able to

get him a starter pack of tools the next day.

I hope Lucky will get the emotional and spiritual support he

needs to overcome the trauma of

the Tsunami and begin to rebuild his life.

V Frederick George MBE Director

Tsunami 2004 Disaster

The disaster struck on Boxing Day 2004

Still Waters raised significant funds to help families rebuild their homes and restore their livelihood. We provided fishing boats, nets and outboard motors to help fishermen get back to work. We built new homes. We donated computers, books and equipment to help schools with their training programmes. Still Waters became engaged in providing aid from the first day after the disaster on Boxing Day, Sunday, 26th December 2004. We used all the reserve funds we had to help with the immediate needs of the survivors. From the first days, it was evident that rebuilding and reconstruction work would be a long-term project and Still Waters was, and is, committed to support survivors in this task.

Homes and property completely destroyed

It is difficult to describe the extent of the damage to home and

property. The pictures show a little of the devastation caused by

the Tsunami.

During my time in Sri Lanka I visited Batticaloa on the Eastern

coast which took the worst of the hit from the Tsunami. The sight

that awaited us as we entered the coastal areas is hard to

describe.

Street after street all along the coast was a scene of complete

devastation. It was hard to find a house that was still standing.

The waves had gone deep inland and turned thousands of homes

to rubble. Every plot where once there was a proud home of a

family had been raised to the ground and remains still just as the

Tsunami had left it after doing its destructive work. Amid the

shattered ruins were personal clothing, the odd cooking utensil,

letters and papers, a photo album and what remains of many

peoples’ homes.

And there were white flags everywhere, row after row of them, a

piece of white cloth fastened to a piece of stick to indicate the

death of a person. Some plots had several flags telling the sad

and painful truth of entire families who had perished.

On many a plot I met a lone individual or a couple standing or

sitting in silence and staring at the sea. Their eyes glazed with a

deep sorrow giving glimpses of a sad and broken heart. It was not

a time for talk. I stood in silence with them as a sign of solidarity

and whispered a prayer for healing of pain, easing of sorrow and

the dawn of hope for these unfortunate fellow human beings.

One story from the many ….

One of the people I was able to talk to was Lakshman (Lucky), who told me his story

struggling to hold back the tears.

He and his family were all ready to go to church on Sunday 26th December. They were a few

minutes late because his 21 month old daughter was not ready, and the Tsunami hit their

home.

The first wave entered the house with up to six feet of water, and he gathered his wife, child

and the rest of the family and tried to escape when the second wave over thirty feet high

engulfed his home and swept everyone and everything away.

When the waters subsided, Lucky was found alive over 1,000 meters away, but in a serious

condition having swallowed too much sea water. He was rushed to hospital where he remained

for over ten days. His wife (27), his daughter (21 months), his mother (53) and his sisters

(13 and 18) were all dead. All but the body of his only baby daughter were recovered.

Lucky also lost his home, his two fishing boats, his minibus and his engineering workshop.

Lucky was clutching the dried out copy of his New Testament as he recalled that fateful

Sunday, and wished he had left for church five minutes earlier.

We gathered around Lucky embraced him and prayed for him standing amid the ruins of what

had been a home he had worked so hard to build.

Lucky needed to get back to purposeful employment and needed carpentry and engineering

tools, and we were able to get him a starter pack of tools the next day.

I hope Lucky will get the emotional and spiritual support he needs to overcome the trauma of

the Tsunami and begin to rebuild his life.

V Frederick George MBE Director