Work worth doing
Before we left, I was anxious to say the least. Some might even say restless, twitchy, or spastic. Part was due to boredom and the desire to help, knowing my help was needed. That anxious boredom has been resolved.
I had been in the orphange no more tham 15 seconds when I had a toddler in each arm and onther one clinging to each leg. The kids had been starved for attention, neglected and kept indoors all day, not held, touched or played with. No medical attention until they werea bout to die and shipped to the hospital. Then came help. now 3 weeks later, it is still rough, but the improvemnt is amazing; I don't know, is a thousand times better to generous? I am not exagerating.
It is hard sometimes to go around town and see the destruction. The walld of the old dutch fort saved part of the town, but elsewhere the wave swept inland some ways, destroying homes and buisnesses. People and livelyhoods. And it is the scale that is mind boggling. All over the island. And from the few repots that trickel in fromo the east coast, nothing is reaching that part of the country. It is Tamil country. Tiger country. The civil war "ended" in 2001, but shots are still fired on occasion and the government is slow to help the vicitms of that area. And by slow I mean they are lettinig them sit in the rubble of their houses and villages and starve. And by association, the NGOs must do the same. Some are trying to make inroads, to help, but it is difficult when the police may arrest you for helping and the rebels may shoot you.
Not that there is any shortage of work to be done here. An army of volunteers could be busy in this area for a year and not be done. And that is only about 40 kilometers of coast I am talking about. There are hundreds of miles of affected area.
Small steps. I did not come here to save the world at one go round. It may take more time. It will take more time.
I had been in the orphange no more tham 15 seconds when I had a toddler in each arm and onther one clinging to each leg. The kids had been starved for attention, neglected and kept indoors all day, not held, touched or played with. No medical attention until they werea bout to die and shipped to the hospital. Then came help. now 3 weeks later, it is still rough, but the improvemnt is amazing; I don't know, is a thousand times better to generous? I am not exagerating.
It is hard sometimes to go around town and see the destruction. The walld of the old dutch fort saved part of the town, but elsewhere the wave swept inland some ways, destroying homes and buisnesses. People and livelyhoods. And it is the scale that is mind boggling. All over the island. And from the few repots that trickel in fromo the east coast, nothing is reaching that part of the country. It is Tamil country. Tiger country. The civil war "ended" in 2001, but shots are still fired on occasion and the government is slow to help the vicitms of that area. And by slow I mean they are lettinig them sit in the rubble of their houses and villages and starve. And by association, the NGOs must do the same. Some are trying to make inroads, to help, but it is difficult when the police may arrest you for helping and the rebels may shoot you.
Not that there is any shortage of work to be done here. An army of volunteers could be busy in this area for a year and not be done. And that is only about 40 kilometers of coast I am talking about. There are hundreds of miles of affected area.
Small steps. I did not come here to save the world at one go round. It may take more time. It will take more time.
posted by Jared | 9:36 PM
3 Comments:
Proud of you, Sibbitt.
Hey Jerrod, you are OUR hero! We send our love & prayers from the Sandhills...george & andy
I remember playing in the back yard before you left Fairbanks about twenty years ago, and now you are so far away and helping so many people, proud of you too.
your long time buddy - Sabrina :)
Post a Comment
<< Home