Calvary International Incorporated

As you all are aware, we sponsored 10 houses in a housing scheme of 33 homes together with a childrens’ playground and community center. Located in Dankotuwa, this scheme was intended to house a community of gypsy families who lost their homes as a result of the tsunami. Although these houses have been ready for several months now, there has been much opposition from the surrounding residents, who are against the gypsy families taking residence in that area. They have staged protests and caused various problems, resulting in it being impossible to move the gypsy families into the housing scheme. Many attempts to work through this problem with Government officials have all failed. If this problem cannot be sorted out within the next few weeks, the decision has been taken to move a different group of persons displaced by the Tsunami into that area, without causing ethnic tension., and the gypsy families will be provided housing elsewhere.

ORPHAN SPONSORSHIP

Except for the 8 children being sponsored by us at an orphanage close to Colombo, all other attempts to sponsor children through the NCPA have failed. However, we were able to work through the Sri Lanka Red Cross, and obtain the information of 36 children, who have lost at least one parent, who are being housed at 3 different temporary-shelter camps, north of Colombo. The goal of our program is to give each child a monthly allowance for education and nutrition, and make a monthly deposit into a savings account for each child until they reach the age of 18 years. In addition to providing financial support, the Red Cross will provide psycho-social support (including financial management training) to these children and their families, and will monitor the progress and well being of these children until they reach 18 years.

The Sri Lankan Red Cross City Branch is currently running three temporary-shelter camps for persons displaced by the tsunami in Mattakkuliya. Within these camps we have identified a total of 36 children affected by the tsunami who have lost parents. The goal for our program is to give each child a monthly stipend for education and nutrition and to make a monthly deposit into a savings account for each child until they reach the age of 18. In addition to providing financial support, the Red Cross will provide psycho-social support (including financial management training) to these children and their families and will monitor the progress and well-being of these children until they reach the age of 18.

We will financially be supporting this program, and the Red Cross will administer the program, providing financial oversight controls, as well as giving us semi-annual progress reports on the children in the program. We hope to begin funding from July 2006, and will have more information on the children, shortly.

On August 16^th, the foundation stone was laid for the Housing Project for 33 gypsy families who lost everything in the Tsunami. Out of the 33 houses being built, we are sponsoring 10. In addition, a Community Center and some other facilities will also be built on the same premises. The project is due for completion by mid-December. We will be giving more updates and photographs as the project progresses.

Child Sponsorship Project

At long last, we have located 7 children who we will be sponsoring for the next 10 years. Their surviving parent/relatives approached an organization called CAVALS, who run childrens’ homes, wanting the children to be cared for, from this time on.

Pahitharan and Danushan Kanitharaj are two brothers, 13 yrs and 11 yrs, respectively. Their mother is ill, and father handicapped as a result of the Tsunami and they lost their home as well.

Jebashantha Kaneshamurthy, 10 yrs, and his sister, Jeyaruby, lost their father, and escaped themselves, by hanging onto trees. Their mother is a low income earner and has no means of providing for or educating her children.

Tharushanthi Kalingaraj, 9 yrs, was not at home when the Tsunami struck, but lost her mother, sister and home, to the waves. Her father, a fisherman, is out of a job and still living in a camp.

Jintha Parameswaran, 11 yrs, and Gloria, 8 yrs, lost their mother. Their father is unable to provide for them and care for them both.

All these children are now in the care of CAVALS, have been entered into state schools and are progressing well.

We are still doing our best to get the Orphan project off the ground. The red tape is unbelievable! But please be assured we are doing our best.

Meanwhile, more income generating equipment is being steadily provided, and photographs of our latest donations will be available soon. We are also processing some individual requests for boats and other income generating equipment.

We are donating a substantial sum to an organization which has begun many permanent housing projects for Tsunami victims. This organization has been involved in relief and development in Sri Lanka for over 20 years.

The project we have donated towards, involves providing housing for 33 Gypsy families from Dehiwela who lost their homes completely. Although apartments are being built in that same locality by this organization, they were not willing to move into them, and prefer to live by themselves in a separate community. A portion of land, for this purpose, has been purchased in Dankotuwa, and leveling has already taken place. 33 individual homes will be built for them on this property, and we are sponsoring 10 homes in this project. As soon as construction begins, we will provide photographs of the site.

Statistics indicate that 1541 families lost their homes in the Dehiwela/Ratmalana area, due to the Tsunami. We would like to sponsor some of the apartment blocks being built for them in this area, depending on the availability of funds.

850 School socks and shoes, 260 school bags and stationery items were donated to Sumangala Girls School in Weligama

Even though a few other projects have been continuing, we have been encountering some snags in the orphan sponsorship project. We had intended to make our donations, under the assumption that the government body set up to monitor the project would make contact with the childrens’ families and administrate the whole procedure. However, it has just come to light that because of the foreign aid being held up, this government body has yet to set up monitoring stations in the affected areas and will not be able to administrate the project for an unspecified period of time. This means that we will have to travel to the areas, make contact with the families and administer the whole project ourselves. And that’s going to be quite an undertaking.

These areas are quite far from Colombo, and as we do not have any fulltime staff specifically to oversee Tsunami projects, please do bear with us while we do our best to get in touch with the families and get everything up and running within a few weeks

Photographs of the Bridge of Hope Child Welfare Center Building (Which we financed) at Mattakkuliya, servicing Tsunami children.

Its been a busy couple of weeks for the Tsunami Relief Team, as they have been researching some projects and evaluating how best we can utilize the funds we have received up to now. Below is an update on some of the projects currently being carried out:

Sponsorship of Tsunami Orphans

We have decided to sponsor 20 orphans for the moment, 10 from the Southern Area, and 10 from the North/East Area. In addition to losing everything, these children have lost at least one parent, and now require financial assistance to take care of their daily needs. Our plan has been to utilize the monthly support, partly to take care of their day to day needs, as well as to set a fixed amount aside in a savings deposit, which the child can withdraw after 10 years. As mentioned, our sponsorship commitment is for a period of 10 years.

The Body overseeing this project has informed us that there are over 1000 orphans in need of sponsorship. The cost per child for 10 years amounts to approximately US$ 2400. We would like to sponsor as many orphans as possible, depending on the availability of funds.

Today we have confirmed sponsorship to 15 fishermen in the Kirinda area (in the Southern coast of Sri Lanka) in the form of boats and motors which will help restore them to their fishing profession, and enable them to earn once again. 10 fishermen will be given 16 foot fiber glass boats, and 5 fishermen will be given 19 foot fiberglass flat bottomed boats with outboard engines. It will take several weeks to construct these boats.

These fishermen did not have sufficient funds to purchase new fishing boats and gear, for themselves. In addition, because they have been unable to reestablish themselves in their trade, it has also affected other villagers, such as those involved in the transport and sale of fish. These persons did not qualify for assistance as they have not been directly affected by the loss of material possessions. Hopefully, granting assistance to these fishermen will bring about a positive effect on the livelihood of others as well.

We have also committed to sponsor some other income generating equipment to 63 families who are being granted assistance in the Southern Area. They have asked for bicycles, luggage boxes, sewing machines, gas cookers and cylinders, as well as a computer. This will be taken care of within the next few days.

We are supplying a variety of school supplies and equipment to 2 badly affected schools in Mirissa and Weligama. The school at Mirissa has 450 students, and the Girls’ School at Weligama has 855 students. The principals of both these schools have made requests for steel cabinets, desks and chairs, telephone instruments, clocks, stationery supplies, as well as hundreds of pairs of school shoes and socks for the students. At Weligama, the request is also for laboratory equipment for the Science Section.

The purchase and distribution of these items is scheduled for Monday, 2^nd May 2005.

One unit was dispatched to a refugee camp housed at a church in Vaalechennai which is in the East. Due to the current security crisis, the initial plan to go out there to install the unit was called off. Instead, a couple of people from the church came down to Colombo, who were trained on the installation process of the unit. The unit was dispatched through them to the camp. We should hear from them soon, once they have successfully installed the unit.

We also checked out another site in the South, near Koggala, but unfortunately the water out there was not suitable since it was directly from a river that runs by. We are now hoping to install a tube-well at this camp, which should pump out water that would be suitable for purification. If this idea works out successfully, we will be able to install the remaining water purification units at other sites along the coast which currently does not have a suitable source of water for purification.

We have also got a request for 10 units from the East. We are in the process of evaluating this request, since this again, is in an area where there's a security threat.

As mentioned in the previous update, on the same day of the Tsunami scare immediately following Easter, we had a small team down South, evaluating progress and assessing needs. One of our Bible School students accompanied a couple of visitors from overseas to the Galle area. They were able to distribute some gas cylinders, gas cookers, rechargeable lighting kits and lanterns, as well as some baby items to some needy families in the area. People had evacuated the coastal areas the previous Friday, so there was no actual danger on that Monday morning. However, they did say that people are extremely fearful of another Tsunami.

We have just sent 15 new sewing machines to this same area, as income generating equipment to families that lost their livelihood. We are also providing families in this area with fishing equipment.

We also sponsored 600 school packs to students, which included a school backpack along with books/stationery items. This was distributed through the Evangelical Association of Sri Lanka. Just last week, we donated funds towards the building construction of a Child Welfare Center in Mattakkuliya, which services children who are Tsunami victims. This building is due to be completed during April, and we will have photographs of it as soon as possible.

Regarding the orphan project, we have been given the details of tsunami orphans for selection on our sponsorship program. We have agreed to sponsor these orphans, who are all below 7 years of age, for a period of 10 years, and will have details on them, as soon as the selection process has been completed.

On Monday and Tuesday last week, a team went down to Galle to evaluate progress and assess continuing needs in the Galle area. It was on this very day that the earthquake in Sumatra took place. According to our team, people in Galle had evacuated the coastal areas since the previous Friday, afraid of another Tsunami. Many people are completely traumatized and do not ever want to live near the sea again. The team was able to distribute clothing and toys, as well as purchase some domestic equipment such as Gas Cookers and Gas Cyliners, Rechargeable lights and lanterns, and some baby items. These were distributed to families in the Megalle area.

A few weeks ago there was a distribution of 800 school uniforms and 200 stationery packs to 3 schools in the Ambalangoda area in the Southern coastal region. The distribution was done through one of our Pastors working in our branch-church in Galle. Some highlights of the distribution are shown below :

More highlights on the installations of water purification units while the U.S team was in Sri lanka.

· We are also supplying some needs presented by Pastor Vincent from the Galle area of the following items:

All glory to God, we were able to finally clear duty-free the remaining Water Purification Units including over 20 boxes of medical supplies, last Saturday, 12^th February, and the goods are now in our possession, and moving out to sites, as requests are coming in from various parts of the country, for units to be installed.

Most of the medical supplies have been handed over to Dr. Preman Jeyaratnam, a consultant anaesthetist from the UK, who is working on improving and modernizing the Green Memorial Hospital, Jaffna, where he worked 30 years ago. He hopes to transform it from an outpatients’ center, into a hospital which can treat tsunami victims who have been forced to move to refugee camps. According to him, ‘Green Memorial Hospital hasn’t had any modernization work carried on it in more than 30 years, and this hospital could prove to be a lifeline to those affected by the tsunami.’

The medical supplies and water purification units were sent to Sri Lanka by the Circle of Love Foundation, Illinois.

At last, our team was able to overcome all kinds of barriers, and finally install many units this week! It took two days, and 3 visits to the site to get a Unit up and running at Panadura. Meanwhile, another team travelled to the Trincomalee area on Wednesday, and returned early Saturday morning, having successfully installed 4 units in that area. Responsible persons were chosen to be in charge of operating the equipment, and instruction leaflets given to them.

Another team travelled to Pottuvil on Friday morning, and returned early Monday morning, having installed another 3 units in those areas.

We have now installed 9 of the 12 Water Purification Units in our possession, and hope to install the remaining 3, together with another 1 unit which we received as a donation, in the Southern area of the country, this week. The team leaves for Hikkaduwa for this purpose, on Thursday, 10^th February.

The shipment of 28 Water Purification Units, together with over 20 boxes of medical supplies is still held up at the Cargo Section of the Airport, and we are unable to clear it due to various regulations and procedures. Despite our efforts to somehow get hold of these goods and do more installations this week, we have been unable to have a breakthrough in this area.

On Monday night, 7^th February, we handed over school uniforms for 800 children, and packs of school stationery items for another 200 children, to Pastor Vincent Marshall, who will distribute them to school students in the Galle Area. He accompanied a van with these items back to Galle on Monday night, and these will be distributed this week.

We have decided to set aside part of our funds, for the purpose of sponsoring 10 tsunami affected children/orphans for the next 10 years, amounting to Rs. 2,400,000.00. If funds permit, we would like to extend our sponsorship to as many children as possible.

Meanwhile, requests keep pouring in to receive the booklet titled ‘Helping the Mental Recovery of Trauma Victims’ which we are offering free of charge to those involved in counseling tsunami victims. Tomorrow morning, we are handing over 450 Tamil books to the Open University of Colombo who are conducting counseling programs in Jaffna and Batticaloa. We also donated some books to relief efforts carried out by the University of Moratuwa, in the south, at their request. We also received a request to address tsunami affected school children in the Negombo area, which will be carried out in a few weeks.

Our continuing appreciation goes out to all of you who have generously contributed to our relief efforts, which we assure you are being carried out in the quickest and most prudent manner possible. Unfortunately due to much red tape, things are not moving along as fast as we would like, but we are confident that our efforts are going to have long-term effects on the lives of people. Thank you for your support!

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact me at ayeshaw@yahoo.com

Here are some highlights of the visit to Pottuvil which is on the east coast of Sri Lanka. The U.S team visited this area last weekend to setup 3 water purification units.


Stan at one of the 3 sites.	Stan hooking up the water pump

Skip tasting the purified water. Standing next to him is the person from the camp who was trained to handle the purification unit.	Stan at work at one of the other sites. A villager giving him a hand.

Another team visited the Trincomalee region which is in the north-east coast of Sri Lanka and installed 4 water purification units. More units were installed in the southern part of Sri Lanka. Highlights of visits to other regions for the installation of water purification units will be posted soon.

The last week has been a busy one for our Relief Management Team, as they have been getting many things done in preparation for the team from the US who are going to set up Water Purification Units.

The US team arrived on Thursday, 27^th January morning, and met with the Relief Management Team from Calvary that evening. They have brought 12 Water Purification Units with them, and these are going to be installed in needy areas. We have already identified several locations for installation; Pottuvil, Kinneya, Trincomalee and Hikkaduwa. We had first anticipated sending the team out for the first few installations on Saturday, 29^th, but due to the fact that many other items need to be purchased and transported to the required areas, this will not be possible. On Friday, 28^th, they did a ‘trial run’ of the unit at the Colombo Rowing Club, to familiarize the entire team with the installation process, so that the installations can take place smoothly.

On Friday night, the team meets once again, to go over a few logistics and purchasing is going to take place on Saturday. Also on Saturday, a few members of the team will be going to Hikkaduwa to check out the location and make some preliminary arrangements to aid the set up process.

Hopefully, all the items can be purchased over the weekend, and the team will set out for installation on Monday, 30^th. The installation process of these first 5-6 units will probably take 4-5 days, as there are arrangements to be made at that end also.

Meanwhile, we have many requests coming in for the Counseling Booklet, which we have offered free to people interested in counseling Tsunami Victims. This has been made available in all three languages, and the feedback on its effectiveness has been very positive.

On Friday night, more potential counselors will be coming to Calvary Church for a Brief Training Program, as we intend to send counselors with every team that goes out for various projects. As people have been receiving food, clothing etc.. the emerging need is trauma counseling, and we intend to train as many people as possible to meet this need.

The nurse who was stationed in the Midigama area for the last 10 days, returned to Colombo today, and informed us that the medical needs are drying up in that area, but the need for counseling exists greatly.

I spoke to a Pastor this morning, whose church in Mullaitivu has been severely damaged. He is currently assessing what is needed to restore it to usable condition, and we will be meeting that need.

I also spoke to one of our Pastors in the Galle Area, and he said that food and clothing has been supplied, but the major need now, is to build homes for those who have lost everything. They are currently staying in refugee camps, homes of relatives and a few have taken houses on rent temporarily. They are not allowed to rebuild their homes on the land which was affected, and so land needs to be identified, purchased and rebuilding needs to begin as soon as possible. He estimates that land and building costs for a small house for an average family would cost around USD 5,000. He will be meeting us next week with details of needy families, so that we can begin helping them.

He also informed us that there is a great need for school uniforms, school books and supplies for school children. We will be sending large quantities of these items to him early next week, and he will distribute it at the schools in that area.

· For wisdom and guidance for the Water Purification Team as they travel to many locations to install these systems.

Last week, a team of medical doctors accompanied by some trauma counsellors went back to a village in the South, Midigama. They treated patients, and were able to spend a lot of time talking to, and counselling victims at four refugee camps. At present, we have a nurse and counsellor stationed down south for the next three weeks.

According to one of our Seminary students who was part of the team last week, the experiences they encountered were varied. They met very poor people, as well as previously wealthy people who had lost everything due to the disaster. As our counsellors spent time talking to these refugees, they found the victims very eager to talk to them and tell them their stories. They had a need to share their experiences with our team from Colombo, because they wanted to relate their story to someone who hadn’t experienced the event. One by one, they described the trauma they had been through, how they had watched their children and other relatives being swept away by the water, while they were helpless to save them. They shared the pain they felt when the bodies of their loved ones were discovered.

As our team took time to play with the children, the parents expressed deep appreciation that their children were engaging in some normal activities, as the parents themselves lacked the interest and motivation to play with their children.

Some wealthy people in the camps shared how this disaster had changed their views on life. They said that all their lives, they had worked hard and saved in order to provide well for their children's’ future. But from now on, they had just decided to live for the day, and not make any plans for the future. They were crushed that they had lost everything they had worked so hard for.

Whilst many efforts are being made to provide the refugees with food, clothing and shelter, as well as rebuilding boats so that they can begin to work again, we had been told by a businessman in that area, that trauma counselling was the need of the hour. Despite their physical needs being met, the fishermen, especially, were too traumatized to go back to the sea that stole their families, homes and livelihood. It was in response to this need that we immediately sent counsellors down South, together with the medical teams.

Almost immediately after the disaster, Dr. Tissa Weerasingha published a booklet titled ‘Helping the Mental Recovery of Trauma Victims’ in Sinhala, Tamil and English. This booklet is now being widely used by many different groups, to effectively counsel these victims and bring them some relief. We have decided to offer this booklet free to all those who are interested in helping the tsunami victims to recover from this terrible disaster. We see the need for psychological counselling as a specific area in which we are equipped and able to minister to those who are suffering, and we intend to carry out this counselling, as well as free provision of the booklet, on a long term basis.

As most of our relief work has been concentrated on the South so far, our Board of Management for Tsunami Relief is busy identifying some of the needs in the Eastern Area of the country so that we can provide relief to those people as well. We have a team coming down from the USA at the end of the month, who are bringing 14 high capacity water purification units to be set up in the villages where they are most needed. Many of these will probably go to the East.

We have also found out that a Tsunami Child Trust has been set up, under which children who were victims of the Tsunami disaster are going to be provided with homes, schooling, medical care etc.. in an organized manner. There are various levels of sponsorship available, and we are looking into how we can contribute towards this relief effort in a concrete way.

It is our desire to adopt a few villages and undertake to provide all types of relief and rebuilding in these few villages. However, this involves very large sums of money, and we will have to go through the Government, and sign a Memorandum of Understanding. This would be a major undertaking, and we are relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead us in the right direction.

Identifying the areas of need is just the first step. Getting the necessary permissions is proving to be very time consuming and tedious. We are doing our best to speed up these processes to that we can get aid to those who need it, now. Meanwhile, we are continuing to provide daily food packets to some families in the South, and will be continuing to send teams of medical personnel and trauma counsellors on a regular basis, as long as the need exists.

· For the mental recovery and emotional healing of all who have suffered because of this disaster. Also pray that God would give wisdom and insight to the trauma counsellors as they speak to victims.

· For urgent identification of areas needing water purification systems, and that there would not be any unnecessary delays and problems in installing them and getting them running.

· For all children who have been orphaned as a result of this disaster. We need to pray that they will not be exploited, but that God’s hand of protection and provision would be upon them.

Thank you for your prayers. We will continue to keep you updated on our relief efforts. Our hearts are so thankful to all who have so generously sent contributions towards these relief efforts. May God bless you and reward you.

UPDATE ON RELIEF EFFORTS TOWARDS TSUNAMI VICTIMS CARRIED OUT THROUGH CALVARY INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

Our sincere appreciation goes out to all of you who have expressed concern and care over the unfortunate events happening in our region. We thank all those who have send contributions in cash and kind, to assist in our relief efforts.

· We have committed to supplying daily food rations for a small community of people in the Southern Area of Sri Lanka, in the Galle District, which was one of the areas very badly affected. Right now, there are people who are getting food on a daily basis, supplied by us.

· Some of the people in this community have not lost their homes, but some of their possessions have been destroyed. So we are in the midst of supplying them with cooking utensils and some dry rations, as they prefer to cook their own food.

· Others have lost their homes and livelihoods completely. It is our intention to help them rebuild their homes and businesses, but this is still in the assessment stage and we haven’t begun any actual construction yet. This would also depend on the financial aid available to us, as this would be a large project.

· We also have been regularly sending teams of doctors and medical personnel to some of the affected areas. Along with them, we have been sending some of the members of our church congregation, to spend time talking to, and counseling the victims. This, we intend to do on a long basis. One of these groups returns back to Colombo on Thursday, after which I will have more information.

We have formed a group, consisting of the some of our leaders, to now carry out the relief programs. They are meeting on Wednesday, 19^th January, to assess the needs, and decide on what specific projects we are going to be involved in. Some of the people in this group have contacts in the affected areas, through which we intend to work, so that we can be personally involved in every single relief effort.

After this group meets on Wednesday, we will have a clear idea of where we are going with our relief efforts. There is much to do, but since we are unable to do everything, we need to narrow down what it is, we do intend to get involved with. I know many of you are anxious for information, which I will pass on to you, on a regular basis.

What I can assure you of, for the moment, is that this aid effort will not be concentrated on Christians only. It is our intention to provide aid to those who need it most, IRRESPECTIVE of race or religion. We consider this a national disaster, and it is our intention to help all Sri Lankans who have been affected by it. At the moment, the aid received is going completely to the relief efforts, and there have been very minimal administrative costs.

For those of you who wish to make a donation, please email me ayeshaw@yahoo.com requesting the account information.

For British Donors, Calvary Church is registered with the UK Charities Aid Foundation (charity number 268369). You can, if you wish, donate through CAF or to the church direct, for Tsunami disaster relief.

For American Donors, Calvary International Ministries is an approved charity, and you will receive a tax-deductible receipt.

For those of you who have already contributed, your receipt will be on its way to you, as soon as the funds have realized in our account.


Jon, Ranesh, Skip & Stan on a preliminary visit to Kahawa, Hikkaduwa. A unit was installed here on a later trip by Skip & Stan.	With the buddhist monks from the temple at the Kahawa campsite.


Druvi & Stan with some guys from the campsite at the temple in Panadura	Pastor Dil at the site in Panadura


Pastor Dil, Jack, Ramesh and Jon loaded and ready to set off to Trincomalee	The team at one of the sites in Trinco.


A person being trained at one of the sites.	Ramesh, Jon & Pastor Dil after the installation at one of the sites..


The guys hooking up the solar panel at another site.	Pastor Dil at the site.

UPDATE ON OUR RELIEF EFFORTS 28/08/2006

HOUSING PROJECT

ORPHAN SPONSORSHIP

Child Sponsorship Project

Sponsorship of Tsunami Orphans