N.C. Baptists continue tsunami aid

BSC Communications

Within four days of the most cataclysmic event in a century to literally rock the world, North Carolina Baptists were working with a contact in decimated Sri Lanka to send relief. By Jan. 6, the first North Carolina Baptist relief team was on its way.

A year later, teams are still making the 21-hour flight to Sri Lanka to provide presence and a helping hand to people struggling to recover.

Larry Osborne, who has spent most of the last year as onsite coordinator for the relief effort, said it is hard to imagine such a tragedy.

"It makes my heart heavy to know that so many people lost their lives ... so many children lost mom and dad or mom and dad lost their children," he said. "Life here now for these people who lost everything they had is hard.

"They look at their home and it's just a big pile of rubble. They live in a tent that is so hot you can't stand to be in it during the day, they only use it for sleeping at night. They're cooking on an open flame with maybe only two pots that have been donated to them."

North Carolina Baptists rushed into the face of that tragedy and started cleaning wells and distributing water and water purifiers, blankets and food.

Their efforts are supported in great part by gifts to missions through the North Carolina Missions Offering.

Feri Tisch, Hungarian Baptist Aid worker who coordinated efforts with North Carolina Baptists, said as important as that direct and immediate aid was, it was their presence that meant the most.

"The most important thing for us to do was to be here," Tisch said. "After that we can talk about hundreds of wells cleaned by your guys É and the hope they gave the people. They helped the people to stand up.

"You have a house, you have your children, you have a family and in 15 minutes you lose everything. This is something you cannot imagine."

Cleaning Wells

Because the land was at sea level, most water wells were very shallow, little more than a cement-lined hole used by those who lived in the houses surrounding it. Those wells filled with saltwater and debris. Fear of finding dead bodies kept locals away, but after volunteers pumped the wells villagers quickly worked from ladders scrubbing and washing the wells with Clorox.

When volunteers did the initial work, locals ran to get friends and began to help. "It started like a chain," Tisch said. "But it has to start with someone being present."

More than 700 wells are back in service because of help from North Carolina Baptists.

Scott and Janet Daughtry of Selma also are long-term volunteers in Sri Lanka. Traveling 70 miles to the Colombo airport to meet volunteers was a four-hour event - longer with traffic.

"The road was full of people, bicycles, ox carts, motorcycles and buses," Scott said. "The center line in the road was just a suggestion - sometimes three vehicles would pass together on a two-lane road.

"There were no stop signs or stop lights. Everyone blows their horn at everything - if you get near a car or pass one you blow the horn."

"The children had sores on their legs from walking in the flood waters," Janet said. "They looked like mosquito bites - little round, splotchy spots."

Several times during his stay Daughtry drove teams around mountains 10,000 feet tall to the village of Ampara on the Indian Ocean coast. Traveling at an average speed of 25 mph, it took 10 hours to complete the 140-mile course.

In Ampara teams reclaimed wells and did light construction. "It was frustrating to see so many needs and to realize you just couldn't start building a house for 10,000 people," Scott said.

Daughtry said most villages looked like tent camps. "People had put a tent where their house was supposed to be. In the midst of all the rubble, there it was," she said.

Work has begun rebuilding homes in Sri Lanka. Osborne said volunteers are cleaning debris from land to lay foundations.

Relief teams are working not only to help rebuild for the future, but to meet immediate needs.

Sewing Machine Means Income

Osborne met a woman struggling to provide for herself and 12-year-old son after her husband died in the tsunami. "I asked what we could do, thinking we might could pay a power bill," Osborne said. "But she asked for a sewing machine so she could make pillow cases and sheets and sell them." Soon she was using a $140 sewing machine and cloth Osborne purchased.

Visiting an inland camp of about 700 families, Osborne learned their greatest need was for toilets - they had none. The team built 10 toilets, and two people from the camp went to the church the team attended.

"I didnŐt even know they were there until after the service. One of the people then told me they wanted to know about Jesus," Osborne said. "God is really working here. We are letting our work and compassion show the love of Jesus, and through that God is convicting hearts."

As Tisch said, "Humanitarian work is missionary work in itself. "The most important thing North Carolina volunteers provided is the hope to start again."

Love in Action

Love in action is key for volunteers living in a culture that is about 70 percent Buddhist. Every village has a temple. Shrines and statues with collection boxes line roadsides. Children wear charms around their necks to fight evil spirits. Cab drivers often display pictures of Buddha.

One young man who was the only surviving member of his family told Osborne things were so bad he wished the tsunami had taken his life as well. "But he said since we had come, we gave hope in their hearts and he was glad he was still alive," Osborne said.

"Our long term goal is continuing to hand out supplies and material, whether it be a blanket or a bucket," Osborne said. "We also will start doing some construction to provide homes and shelters for the families. There are so many tents here they're very fearful what's going to happen when it starts raining, so there's a big need for homes to be built.

Gaylon Moss, disaster relief director for North Carolina Baptist Men, coordinates relief efforts with Hungarian Baptist Aid, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the International Mission Board. People interested in volunteering should call Moss at (800) 395-5102 ext. 333. Visit www.ncmissions.org to keep track of trips being organized.

"All I can say to the people of North Carolina is God is going to use you here," Osborne said. "Please consider coming, you'll be so thankful you did."

For more information on how churches can be involved and support the work of Baptist Men, Woman's Missionary Union, church planting and other missions, contact Dan Euliss, North Carolina Missions Offering coordinator, at (919) 467-5100 or (800) 395-5102 ext. 121.

Information is also available online at www.ncmissionsoffering.org.