my partner, michael, and i have just returned from sri lanka where we had the most beautiful holiday.now we are raising 10,000 euro by the end of may to build a house for a destitute family michael met after taking a 'wrong' turn one day while out exploring the villages on his scooter.
of course, there ARE no accidental wrong turns in life
at the end of a laneway, michael found the most beautiful family living in a ruined house, barely coping with the direst of conditions and facing into the torrential monsoon season with no roof over their heads.
they spoke no english.
the next day we both went back along the lane to find them again.
we spoke to their neighbours who told us the whole story...
it is an extended family of 10 people who are trying to stay together as a family unit despite the tragic death some years ago of the 'man of the house'.
when he was nolonger around to support them, the family quickly became destitute.
their family, friends and neighbours were also poor and couldnt help them in any way.
then the tsunami hit this beautiful coastal village in december 2005 and devastated the whole area destroying homes and sweeping thousands out to sea where they drowned.
as you drive along this coastal paradise today in the sun on your rented scooter, the wind gently blowing on your face and arms, you see many empty plots of land by the beach where houses once stood - look a little closer and you can glimpse small grave stones marking the land of people who once lived there.
HOWEVER, this was not the fate of our family in need...
they already lived in a ruin, remember, so they had nothing for the wave to destroy!
they survived the whole ordeal, thankfully.
the tsunami came and went
the aid agencies came and went
new houses were built all around them for families who could prove they were affected by the wave
but our family remained unaided - afterall, they are just poor!
good, simple, Buddhist people... the poorest of the poor
we have contacted GOAL, the well-known irish charity which does a lot of work in the area and have enlisted their help [free of charge] to organise the building of a new house for this beautiful family
the neighbours have been sworn to secrecy and the family know nothing about it as yet... it is literally beyong their wildest dreams!
for 10,000 euro we can build a large but modest two-storey house on their own plot of land once the ruin has been cleared away
but the most important thing is they will have a roof over their heads to call their own, they can stay together as a unit, the children can return to school, and
GRANNY, MOTHER and ELDEST DAUGHTER can be given sewing machines, a bread oven, and the like to ensure SELF-SUFFICIENCY and even SELF-EMPLOYMENT!
with this kind of foresight and vision, the assistance we can all offer right now will continue to benefit them long after the money we raise has been spent and the house is built!
they will be SECURE
for our part, this will be a wonderful thing to have done - it opens my heart even thinking about the positive things we can do with this life of ours and how simple it can be to do them...
we will raise the funds by the end of May
the family will be accommodated while the build goes on for 3 months
then they will move into their own home asap and 'normal' life can begin
we will keep you updated with information and photos via a special site we have set up for this project www.srilanka.freewebspace.com
you can already see some gorgeous pitures of some of the family on that site - the children seem happy and quite well, but Granny's face tells the chaotic helpless story [imagine the fear that rapid downward spiral must induce]
the mother was not there the days we visited - she was out trying to scrape some kind of a wage together for food
the simplicity of this appeal is key
it is just a case of one human being reaching out to another
we are mainly approaching our own friends and their friends for this appeal
for example, 200 people offering 50 euro would raise the full amount
speed is of the essence
so, if you and your good friends can find it in your hearts to help and you can spare 50 euro...
please GO TO OUR WEBSITE www.srilanka.freewebspace.com
you will find information there about how to contact us and contribute as soon as possible
thank you SO much for taking the time to read this heartfelt appeal on their behalf
love and best wishes
bruno
