|
Dear Friends,
The following is a letter HH Indradyumna Swami wrote for a news paper in South Africa which I though to share with you.
"Silver Lining in a Dark Cloud"
I have been quite moved by what I have seen and experianced during my two
weeks of disaster relief work here in Sri Lanka. I have travelled the world
as a monk ( sannyasi ) for 35 years and have seen many disturbing
situations; war in Grozny, the aftermath of war in Sarajevo, hunger in
Sudan. But to echo the recent words of Colin Powell, I have never seen
anything as devastating as the tsunami disaster here in Sri Lanka.
I traveled along the coast from Colombo to Galle yesterday and saw devastation
worse than war. Whole villages had disappeared. Hardly a home was left
standing. Bridges were destroyed, train tracks uprooted. Everything was
rubble - for hundred of kilometers. I was stunned by the force of the
Tsunami wave.
Myself and party were going to do food relief in the refugee camps. When
we arrived the army assisited us. However, I soon saw that the refugees,
for the most part, were not hungry. Soon after the disaster the
government, aided by generous donations from around the world, had began
providing food for the victims of the tragedy. I inquired further and
learned that there is no scarcity of food in any of the refugee camps
throughout the country.
Neither have there been any epidemics. There are medical personel available
in all refugee camps.
I must say that it is a credit to the people of the world, who reacted so
swiftly and with such generosity, that hunger and disease have been avoided
here in Sri Lanka. I have heard that the situation is the same in the other
10 countries affected by the Tsunami. It is wonderful that so many barriors
have been broken down ( at least temporarily ) as a result of the disaster.
I believe it is unprecidented. If only such sentiments of cooperation could
continue in the world. History has shown they often don't.
I believe the real issue now at hand - as regards relief work - is the many
orphaned children in this country. Personally, I am redirecting ISKCON's
efforts here from food relief, to taking care of orphaned children. It
simply breaks my heart to see them crying in the refugee camps.
Here in Colombo, our local Hare Krsna temple runs a successful orphanage
with 100 children. My efforts will now be to raise funds to expand that
orphange so that it can accept another 100 children whose parents died in
the disaster. I will even request the orphanage to take several children I
have personally met in my travels; kids whose big eyes, sad faces and
desire for love have captured my heart.
I am not sure what the media is reporting these days, as I have no access
to television. But I have been to the ravaged coast and cried my tears of
sypmpathy for the dead, the dying and the injured. I have walked through the
refugee camps, spoken to the people, heard their stories and given them my
shoulder to lean on. And significantly, I seen first hand the result of
unpredicented world sympathy for the victims. People are being taken care
of - as best one can under such circumstances. Food is here, medicine is
here and homes are slowly being built for the people to return to.
Of course, no one can replace their loved ones. And only time may help them to
recover from the trauma they experianced.
I am leaving here soon. I will take with me an enduring impression of the
cruel face that material nature sometimes shows, but the assurance that
sometimes, if ever so rarely, the human race can work together in a spirit
of love to help each other. This can only be God's grace.
Your's,
Indradyumna Swami
PS If you would like to assist in some way you are welcome to donate directly to our ISKCON Colombo Temple. For more information write to iskconsrilanka@pamho.net
|
