© Still Waters Trust 2021 All Rights Reserved
Caring for Vulnerable Children in Sri Lanka
Tsunami 2004 Disaster
The disaster struck on Boxing Day 2004
Still Waters raised significant funds to help families rebuild their homes and restore their
livelihood. We provided fishing boats, nets and outboard motors to help fishermen get
back to work. We built new homes. We donated computers, books and equipment to help
schools with their training programmes.
Still Waters became engaged in providing aid from the first day after the disaster on
Boxing Day, Sunday, 26th December 2004. We used all the reserve funds we had to help
with the immediate needs of the survivors. From the first days, it was evident that
rebuilding and reconstruction work would be a long-term project and Still Waters was,
and is, committed to support survivors in this task.
Homes and property completely destroyed
It is difficult to describe the extent of the damage to home and property.
The pictures below show a little of the devastation caused by the Tsunami.
One story from the many
During my time in Sri Lanka I visited Batticaloa on the Eastern coast which took the worst
of the hit from the Tsunami. The sight that awaited us as we entered the coastal areas is
hard to describe. Street after street all along the coast was a scene of complete
devastation. It was hard to find a house that was still standing. The waves had gone deep
inland and turned thousands of homes to rubble. Every plot where once there was a
proud home of a family had been raised to the ground and remains still just as the
Tsunami had left it after doing its destructive work. Amid the shattered ruins were
personal clothing, the odd cooking utensil, letters and papers, a photo album and what
remains of many peoples’ homes.
And there were white flags everywhere, row after row of them, a piece of white cloth
fastened to a piece of stick to indicate the death of a person. Some plots had several
flags telling the sad and painful truth of entire families who had perished. On many a plot
I met a lone individual or a couple standing or sitting in silence and staring at the sea.
Their eyes glazed with a deep sorrow giving glimpses of a sad and broken heart. It was
not a time for talk. I stood in silence with them as a sign of solidarity and whispered a
prayer for healing of pain, easing of sorrow and the dawn of hope for these unfortunate
fellow human beings.
One of the people I was able to talk to was Lakshman (Lucky), who told me his story
struggling to hold back the tears. He and his family were all ready to go to church on
Sunday 26th December. They were a few minutes late because his 21 month old daughter
was not ready, and the Tsunami hit their home. The first wave entered the house with up
to six feet of water, and he gathered his wife, child and the rest of the family and tried to
escape when the second wave over thirty feet high engulfed his home and swept
everyone and everything away. When the waters subsided, Lucky was found alive over
1,000 meters away, but in a serious condition having swallowed too much sea water. He
was rushed to hospital where he remained for over ten days. His wife (27), his daughter
(21 months), his mother (53) and his sisters (13 and 18) were all dead. All but the body
of his only baby daughter were recovered.
Lucky also lost his home, his two fishing boats, his minibus and his engineering
workshop. Lucky was clutching the dried out copy of his New Testament as he recalled
that fateful Sunday, and wished he had left for church five minutes earlier. We gathered
around Lucky embraced him and prayed for him standing amid the ruins of what had
been a home he had worked so hard to build. Lucky needed to get back to purposeful
employment and needed carpentry and engineering tools, and we were able to get him a
starter pack of tools the next day. I hope Lucky will get the emotional and spiritual
support he needs to overcome the trauma of the Tsunami and begin to rebuild his life.
V Frederick George MBE
Director
Still Waters visit shortly
after the disaster
Boats grounded and swept
ashore
Trees uprooted
Buildings and schools
destroyed
Temporary classrooms set
up
Providing school packs for
each child
Help with re-housing poorer
families