Caught in the tsunami

On Boxing Day, the great tsunami hit the coasts of countries around the Indian Ocean, bringing devastation and death. Here we carry reports from some Christians in the area.

Jacqui Hoole, who is acting principal of Baldaeus Theological College in Trincomalee in north-east Sri Lanka, writes:

Our family was away in Mannar over Christmas. Mannar wasn't directly affected by the tidal wave, but people weren't sure whether another would come, so many left the island for safer places inland. We decided to stay and return to Trincomalee on the 29th. Thankfully the college and most of our students are OK, but many around us are suffering incredibly, more so from the loss of loved ones than their homes and possessions. There are many refugee camps around Trinco now and, with people, vans and motorbikes everywhere, it is as if everyone is virtually living on the streets.

We went to visit an extended family who have lost 19 members. The lady I sat next to has lost all her five children, two of them had been literally snatched from her arms by the wave. Another two men we met have lost their wives and children - the pain they are experiencing in their hearts is beyond what most of us can imagine. Yes, food is being provided for them, and they have relatives to stay with (ten families in a one-roomed house!), but who can ease their pain? They prefer to be at the relatives' house; in the refugee camps everyone is continually crying. Much of the few possessions they had has been stolen from their destroyed homes. As we sat there an ox cart brought the wooden planks which had been the frames of their houses - even they are precious now. A suitcase of clothes was also brought, but all the contents had been ruined by the water, just a few 'valuable' papers were carefully salvaged.

Life precarious

As we returned, the navy had given out a warning that another wave was coming, and had already hit Batticaloa. People were running everywhere, panicking, carrying their few possessions with them once again. The roads were total chaos as vehicles and pedestrians all tried to get to higher ground. We took one family of 15 or so to safety a few miles away. Life has suddenly become so precarious for all these people.

Interestingly, the wave hit just as people were in church. If many of them had been in their homes, they may well have lost their lives as well as their homes. But there were also a couple of churches, one in Batticaloa and another in Mullitaivu, situated near the sea; the wave took the buildings and the people.

How should we respond as a college? It has been heartening to see some of our Trinco students helping distribute food and clothing. It seems that most are being provided with their basic needs at present, but the people also need to talk, to cry, to have someone sit beside them; maybe our students should be spending some time just visiting the camps. Please pray for these precious people, only God can really comfort the pain in their hearts.

Priya Handy has been very busy taking lorry loads of relief supplies from the AoG church to many parts of the country, particularly the Tamil Tigers-controlled areas. He even saw Tamil Tigers and army personnel working together rescuing bodies from the debris. Both sides have experienced great losses to their war machinery, including personnel, making the imminent possibility of war very unlikely. So, in the midst of all the trauma and destruction, God may well also be working out his own purposes.

Thank you for your prayers. Please continue praying for the folk here and that we would know what God wants us to do as a family and as a college in this situation.

Orphanage

Another correspondent with different contacts sadly reports more information: 'We have at last spoken to our contact in Sri Lanka this morning - Dr Mohan at Dehiwala - he is well, but the mission orphanage he runs has been completely washed away and he assumes that all the children from the orphanage have been lost'.

Barnabas Fund reports

The region of south-east India where the tsunami hit is one where many Indian Christians live. One of our partners in India reports that in the city of Nagappattinan alone, Tamil Nadu State, some 800 Christian families have lost their homes and are living in the streets without food.

In the Indonesian province of Aceh at the tip of Sumatra, the nearest land to the epicentre of the earthquake, the population is 99.9% Muslim. Yet even here our partners have reported an estimated 150 Christians killed and 5,000 Christians displaced.

There is little information yet from the Andaman Islands, but our partners report that the home of an Indian missionary working there was destroyed.

India

This report comes from Joseph Paul (formerly a leader with OM in India), who for the pat seven years has been running an orphanage in Chennai.

On Sunday the 26th at 6.30 am, we were all in El-Shadai Home for our morning devotion when suddenly we were shaken and fell to the floor. I realised that this was an earthquake and I asked all our children to come out of the building. After an hour, at around 7.30 am, I said to the children, 'Let us go to church. Being the last week of the year, let us go and praise God and thank him for what he has done in our life'.

So we went to church and were worshippping, when suddenly there was a big sound from our neighbours, everywhere there was screaming, crying and asking for help. When I came out of the church, there was water everywhere and we heard it was due to shock waves, and water began to come in such force that everywhere people were running, even from church. So, by his grace, we brought all the children safe to our El-Shadai Home, but we were all wet with sea water. We walked on the road, some were able to run, and reached home safe. Water began to come to our area. By God's grace there is no water in our area, but it reached just a kilometre away and washed away all huts, cars, and personal belongings. Many died, especially children who were playing cricket and some sleeping.

After leaving the children safe at El-Shadai, with some youths we went to help others, but unfortunately by that time I was only able to bring back dead bodies. I have never heard or seen such a tragedy in my own state or district. We are just seven kilometres away from the sea, but purely God's grace protected us from this big calamity. Most of our children are still not able to come out from this shock.

Trans World Radio reports

Amidst this catastrophe, what is truly marvellous is that the hand of God has stayed upon the towers in Puttalam, Sri Lanka, and on the Leadership Training Centre (LTC) in Chennai.

Despite the large-scale destruction and loss of lives and property in Sri Lanka, the tsunami waters did not hit our towers in Puttalam and the broadcasts are going out unhindered as usual., with special prayers being aired for the bereaved and uprooted. Nothing and nobody in our offices have been affected and it is a wonderful thing to behold. Similarly, in the LTC on the seashore off Chennai, the waters had come just near the campus but not inside. The staff and security personnel are safe and are helping the poor fishermen in the nearby villages who have been affected.

It is nothing but the grace and protection of the Lord Jesus Christ in Puttalam and Chennai. Though a couple of miles away from both these places disaster had struck, it is wonderful to see how God has shielded our people and property.

Further info: http://www.baldaeus.com - http://www.harvestindia.org - http://www.barnabasfund.org - http://www.indialink.org.uk - http://www.twr.org.uk

Reports from Christians in the area

Life precarious

Orphanage

Barnabas Fund reports

India

Trans World Radio reports

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