Julie's GPS

16 July, Potavil, East Coast of Sri Lanka near the surfing mecca of Arugum Bay — I know you had a tsunami warning after the earthquake off the coast of New Zealand. As it happens I am in a tsunami affected area of Sri Lanka, so my heart dropped when I got the SMS from daughter Abbie. Nearly five years after the tsunami here there is still so much ruin, although there is also a lot of rebuilding.

After my last email when I was in Batticoloa looking for Tamil schools, I have finally found one. Not in Batticoloa but Potavil. Batticoloa was not a success and so many roadblocks. We needed to gain permission to travel to Batticoloa which Raja obtained. The funniest thing, though, was when we had left Batticoloa and were heading to Mahiyangana on our way to Colombo, we were stopped at a road block. I thought just the same checks as before. Well, no. Raja was asked to leave the car, with me in it, and go to the head post which was some 400 metres along the road, which he did. He was gone for 30 or more minutes and I was beginning to get a little worried and nervous. During his absence, the Police officer came to the car, requested that I show my documents, asked questions about my purpose, where we'd been and where we were going. I've had this before, but always with Raja in the car. I felt like they were comparing our stories, which I'm sure they were. The Police officer asked for some hats for his children. What could I do, but give them to him?. Raja eventually came back, a little cross for the delay, and then we proceeded.

Back in Colombo, I prepared the items for the Welfare and Education Centre at Ratnapura, Galwewa school and Seth Sevana Orphanage at Thanamawilla. It took all day. In the evening we loaded everything into the car. Next time I will need to hire a van. It's far too much for his car and now that we have another school in this area with 78 children, far too many items for the car.

We set off on our journey and arrived in Tissamaharama in the evening. The following day, we met with Kalyani who accompanies us to the school and then I bought 50 small blocks of chocolate and proceeded to the school. We gave the chocolate and asked all of the children to come the following day. We took measurements of their feet and would buy school shoes, thongs and socks for them. This was a time consuming task. Just one show shop in Hambantota, so he has the monopoly and definately not much of a discount even though I am spending close to SR40,000, which is around $A460. Disappointed, but what could I do?

The following day, we went to the school, spent three hours with the children, giving books, pencils, school bags and the shoes etc. They were all very happy. There are 49 children at this school and 18 of them live just 300 meters from the school in a home for children. I visited this home as well and was bowled over at how little they have. The supervisor informed us that at the end of July, the German orgaisation who provide funds for the home can no longer do this. What a dilemma. The local community may provide the food, but who will pay the electricity bill? Who will replace the gas bottle for cooking when it runs out? Who will pay the staff salaries? Certainly not the Government. The supervisor is now madly trying to arrange for some organisations within Sri Lanka to take the responsibility. I will keep in touch with her and see what we can do to help these children in the way of material items.

We went next to the orphanage at Thanamawilla. Of course this is always an enjoyable time for us. The children and young adults remember us and as usual we took yoghurt to them. We were also able to provide them with thongs for each child, underwear, the sanitary pads that Jeanette and Brenda sewed for us, and of course the most beautiful patchwork bags that Leanne an I spent many many hours sewing. We attached them to the ends of the beds and they look great and the girls loved them. They will of course store some of their posessions in them. We also had a lot of craft items for both the boys and girls, and the manager said the children were now starting to use items like this to make things and display their craft. Overall it was a good trip once again.

We then proceeded to Ampara, where we were to meet with Raja's son who is in the Air Force. It was nice to see him again as he's always away and I don't get much of an opportunity to spend time with him. A very upsetting and disappointing thing happened in Ampara. I had SR25,000 (A$300) stolen from my bag at the hotel. I was out of my room at dinner in the evening for around 45 minutes, then again in the morning for breakfast for around 30 minutes. The hotel staff were really unhelpful and I felt they were thinking I was telling a lie. I insisted that the manager come to my room and search my things which they did, but their whole attitude changed when I also said I was going to make a report to the Police. They didn't like that, but I needed the report for a claim on my travel insurance. The Police were helpful although it took two hours for this process. It was a most upsettig experience for me. Never before in my life have I had anything stolen from me and definitely not here in Sri Lanka, and I have stayed at more then 100 hotels. Once I went to the Bank for more money, settled the hotel bill and got the report from the Police, we left Ampara and headed to Potavil, where I am now.

More later.

10 July, Hambantota — Finding an internet cafe with speed Internet is almost impossible. Anyway, here goes with another story.

I've travelled more than 700Ks to Baticoloa and back with very little joy in finding schools to support. All schools in that area have more than 250 children and it is impossible for Serendib foundation to provide support to a school of that size.

It took two days of driving eight hours to reach Batticoloa. I was exhausted and I'm sure Raja was, too, as he had the responsibility of getting us there safely.

We were stopped at at least seven roadblocks. At some it was just a basic question of who are you, what do you have, and where are you going? We needed a travel permit for this region. The travelling was slow due to the poor condition of the roads and other local obstacles such as cows, people, tuktuks, bicycles and people just driving like there is no tomorrow and they must rush to their destination.

Once we arrived, tired and dirty and in need of a shower, food and rest, I made contact with the people I had details of who might be able to help in my quest for schools. They were delightful and very helpful. Unfortunately apart from an orphanage that we visited which is run by the YWCA, I wasn't able to leave the goods I'd taken. I want to make regular visits to these particular schools so just dropping goods and running is of no use to me.

We headed back to Colombo with a car full of things. We did drive through a Tamil village on our return and we stopped by the side of the road and solicited the help of a local woman to get the school children to come to us on the road side. Within 15 minutes, we had more than 40 children. The bush telegraph works well here. We were able to give school items, hats and some toys to these children. They were all Tamil which I was happy about. My mission on this trip was to locate and support one or two schools with Tamil children.

Yesterday we made a visit to the Galwewa School to take the measurements of the children's feet so I could buy them school shoes, thongs and socks. The kids were happy to see me and most of them remembered me from previous trips. We took measurements and asked them to come to school the following day so they could receive their gifts. Bribery, I think.

We visited a local shoe suppler and negotiated the order and price. This morning I picked up the shoes, thongs and socks and proceeded to the school. We delivered to the children, shoes, thongs, exercise books, pencils etc and then visited a children's home just down the road from the school. There are 42 children and I was aghast to see how much poverty they live with. I found out from the lady who manages the facility that at the end of July, the German organisation who provides funding for this home is to withdraw their funding. I suppose it's a fallout of the economic crisis, but here these children know nothing of this, they just know that in one month they may not have food. I have asked Raja to keep me informed of the outcome of this situation. We may be able to help in someway in the future.

Tomorrow we are off to the orphanage at Thanamawilla where the kids have intellectual disabilities. Will keep you informed of the progress in the next GPS

Cheers

Friday, 3 July 2009 — I arrived in Sri Lanka one week ago and it's taken me a week to locate a computer with Internet I've travelled to the South (Deniyaya) for Raja's brother's three-month anniversary of his death. I participated in the ceremony with him and his family. There were 10 Buddhist Monks present ranging in age from around 11 years.

Travelling in Sri Lanka is very slow. We took nine hours to return to Colombo, a journey of approximately 180 Ks. The road is not so bad, but it is congested with cars, motorbikes, people, animals etc.

Once arriving back in Colombo, I took a day to unpack the 19 boxes and sort them into the order of schools. We set off on 30 June for Batticoloa which will take two days. The first day we travelled from Colombo to Mihyangana taking eight hours with a meal stop of around one hour. We spent the night at Mihyangana and then proceeded to Baticoloa. This particular part of the journey is very slow. We were stopped at at least six checkpoints, and need to take a permit to continue travelling. Raja was questioned as to what we were doing, what goods we had and who would be receiving them. We arrived at Batticoloa (67 Ks from Mihyangana) five hours later. It was lunch time so we ventured to a small hotel on the river's edge to eat. It was late in the afternoon and we had to wait 45 mins for the staff to prepare our food.

After this, we decided to proceed to the areas where I have been advised about schools with no more than 50 children in each. We drove, asked people to no avail. Apparently all schools in this area have at least 200 children in each. I was disappointed and felt as if this part of the journey was a waste of time. I called a friend in Colombo and she is able to get her friend here to make contact with me. We arranged to meet at our hotel in the evening. She is the one who is going to offer to help. Tomorrow she and her daughter will call and we will all go with her to an orphanage where 67 children live, some with intellectual disabilities. Not particularly what I had in mind, but I can't leave this area and not give the items I have brought with me.

On the way back to Mihyangana, Raja and I decided we will try to find a couple of schools clearly with children from very poor circumstances and give them the extra items we cannot give to the orphanage.

We will travel back to Colombo and arrive on 5 or 6 June in time to take my friend Arul who is visiting Sri Lanka from Noble Park to the airport for the continuation of his journey to Europe.

More when I next have the opportunity to access a computer and Internet

Aybowen