Trevor and Beverley, Sri Lanka

Beverley and Trevor from South Australia are Uniting Church volunteers serving in the Diocese of Jaffna, Church of South India. They write about the launching of new boats for fisherfolk in mid-February. A great day of celebration!

We had the best day of our time here in Jaffna so far on 15th February when we went to Kaddupulam. Before the conflict (Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan Government) 880 people lived here and worked as fisherfolk. When the war broke out they had to move away and have lived in a refugee village of cadjun huts ever since at a place called Chillipuram, one kilometre from the sea. Some of the men were eventually allowed back through the high security zone to re-commence their fishing pursuits. They have had to leave all their boats, nets and motors on the shore each day, not being allowed to take anything other than fish back through the lines. The villagers were lucky on the morning of the Tsunami as the men had gone to a temple festival and had not gone fishing that day. They were safe but all their boats etc were gone and so was their livelihood. These are very poor families, some affected by leprosy, and I have been tending them with a medical clinic for a year now. As these people did not lose their houses they have been ignored by the Government as needing relief from tsunami damage. After our appeal to our friends and family in Australia and talking with the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India we were able to buy five boats, one from the Watsons and four from the Diocese. On the 15th, after obtaining all the correct permissions, we went to the Beach, along with our Bishop, to hand over the boats. When we arrived, there was a real carnival atmosphere as the security forces had allowed all the 41 families to attend also. This was the first time in 15 years that the women and children had been allowed onto the beach. We had a small service, the Bishop spoke with the people, we presented the keys to the motors and all the nets and then went down to the shore line for the blessing of the boats. As soon as this was over Bishop, Trevor, Ms Grace Bunker and the Pastor, Rev. Joshua went for a trip out in the boats with all the children and the fishermen. The coast is very rocky as the tsunami had dumped a lot of big slippery stones along the shore so Bishop, Trevor, Grace and Joshua were carried ashore by the men. I didn't go as the thought of a small boat and water makes me feel ill. The Watson boat is green and gold and has, "Australian Friends" donated by the Watson Family written on the side. After this we had a picnic on the beach. Rev. Joshua had organised drinks and eats for all and we enjoyed this while we watched the children playing in the sea until it was their turn to have cordial and biscuits and buns. Although we had asked about photos the request had been denied until the day when they did allow one camera, so we have a record also. At the end of the afternoon we were able to distribute gifts to all the children, which had been donated by the affluent families of the children at Udavil Girls College.To complete the setting up of the whole village with boats we needed three more and the Uniting Church has promised money for this, this week. Also a request was made by the men for a lock-up shed and a canal way through the rocks, which they will build, if we can supply the finance to protect their new equipment, and the Uniting Church will supply this also. A great day of very worthwhile work. God is Good