Greetings from Sri Lanka!

This is new for me, so I hope it works. This 'blog' is a weekly update from Sri Lanka as I work in Columbo and around the Island with AHIMSA. AHIMSA is a small NGO (Non Government Organization) working with psycho/social programs for children and adults in peacebuilding areas.
I initially contracted to work here with a program in peer mediation with youth, and the tsunami has changed things quite a bit. Another aspect of psycho/social work which will be most applicable in the immediate future is my work and research with trauma and resilience. Trauma and resilience were the focus of my MPhil degree at the University of Bradford as a nice integration of previous MA in Counselling Psychology and MA in Peace Studies; yet I did not know what a real application it might have in my work until now.

I will write on this blog weekly updates of life and work here. Through the eyes of a Canadian woman with at this moment more heart and soul and less head insights into working with people in camps who have lost everything. I arrived here on Thursday night (just a bit of Jet lag as Calgary, Alberta home to London is 7 time zones away, and London to Columbo is another 5!).

Friday we went south to a camp with tents for people on the land of a buddhist monastary. We brought books and supplies for 80 children, hoping to start school (the school is gone, but they will meet in a building that was not destroyed) on Monday.(just told new update- they hope to find a place for school to start by the end of the month.) We brought underclothes needs for women, as the AHIMSA group had asked for specific needs. The donated clothes of course do not include such basics as underwear. Once the word went out that we were there with such things, a large group from the villiage as well as the camp were all the exact size of our limited supplies. We will go back on wednesday next with many more supplies. One woman who is 8 months pregnant was hoping to fit a size 32 bra, but better than nothing.

I brought medicine and supplies from Calgary donations (my family doctor and the travel clinic staff) and the Chinese doctors were most grateful as they had run out of supplies the morning before. at some point it is mostly about cleaning sores and providing relief as there is very little in terms of serious medical care one can do in a tent. The doctors are a team from China, and the tents in this camp were provided by the King of Saudi Arabia. There is a tremendous out pouring of relief from so many nations. It is very appreciated and at the same time complex.

One child's drawing had blue water drawn over everything. The boy lost his whole family and is now with extended family, but his dog came back. small things like panties, or a package of crayons and a notebook make a smile come to some who have had very little to brighten their lives for a long time.

The road was packed with traffic as this was a long week end and many around traveled to see the site of the train which was destroyed and over 1000 lives were lost in that one spot. the train is off its rails and pushed a great distance from it's place, and large fishing boats (the type for 8 people or more to stay at sea (not small dingy types) have been washed up to beyond two football fields from shore. There are still people wandering the wreckage of pieces on wall and houses and total destruction, looking for a piece of fabric from their loved ones clothes, I suppose hoping in vain for someone alive...

Life back in Columbo has a necessary balance as Monica (My friend and colleague from Bradford and AHIMSA founder) and I went to dinner with Yukiko who was also a fellow MA student at Bradford and is here from her usual work in Jordan to do preliminary work in setting up a relief office with her Japanese NGO. It is a wonderfully small world to share such good times with friends!

As i write this, I am listening to a man next door to this office who claps his hands all day. He has had a stroke and now spends most of his days clapping. i will plan to go and visit him, and I am not sure if he is interested in music or has the capasity to play cds. if so, I will bring him Keith Jarrett and some of my music.

Music fills the soul and sort of centres one.These are transition times for me, with sleep, eating, heat, lifestyle and all in a state of flux. I am living with a family of another AHIMSA staff and finding my way there as well. By the time I fall into bed at night I am barely 2 minutes before sleep takes over. Dreams full of flight and fun so my wild times seem to be sleeping expeditions and connecting with friends. See you there!

Take care, all of you.
Peacefully,
Martha