Tsunami '04 Relief Updates

Giving toward Tsunami Areas of Sri Lanka

An Open Letter from Doug Birdsall

President, Asian Access

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center

Thanks to your generous contributions, our Asian Access-trained leaders continue to respond to needs across Sri Lanka. Food and shelter have been provided, businesses and lives are being rebuilt, land is being purchased away from the sea and new homes are being built, and a children's home for those orphaned by the tsunami is nearing completion. Funds also enabled churches to provide trauma counseling, which has been a source of encouragement to those devastated.

God's churches and organizations have been the primary deliverer of relief following the tsunami. Visionary pastors have seen God's agenda and responded to people's needs. Your kind donations are even more necessary as Asian Access expands the development of these key indigenous pastor/leaders in the next year or so in Indonesia, Malaysia and other areas affected by the tsunami.

You may continue to donate online (use this link). The most strategic way to give is toward the development of leaders across this area. So please designate your gift to "Leadership Development/Sri Lanka" where it directs you on the web site. Your funds will go to continue to grow key leaders who can respond to the needs of their countrymen in crisis and show the love of Christ.

If you prefer not to give "online," another way to get funds to those in need in Sri Lanka is to send checks through Asian Access. You may send them to "Asian Access" with "Leadership Development/Sri Lanka" in the memo line. Then send your donation through the regular mail to:

Asian Access | PO Box 200 | San Dimas CA 91773-0200 USA

We will then send the funds to tsunami-affected countries to develop key leaders whose churches can respond to these needs.

Thank you for you love and support for our friends in South Asia. God bless all of you

In His love,
Doug Birdsall

President

Tsunami Anniversary:
One Year Later

Tsunami Had It All

A Poem from Sri Lanka

Written by: Ophelia

A bright Sunday morning it was, all our thoughts were 'of a good day'
The beaches of Asia were filled with guests of all nations and races
As the families relaxed in their homes closer to the sea
The Sunday fares were filled with people in thousands
Thousands awaiting for the buses to go to places unknown
A few hundreds were touring the Yala animal sanctuary
The train decided to stop, not knowing what the next minute held

Some may have really been praising God for his creation, lazying by the beach
Then so sudden the sea seemed to leave far from the shores as if it was offended
Clueless of how it was going to come back on them
They either looked amazed or ran onto the shore that was open wide
Picking up the fish that were jumping around
And the metal of the ships that have once sunken down

They did not expect waves to rise up so very high with no waste of time
To travel in fury and in rage sucking in what ever came its way
Those who were strong ran for their lives
Those who were weak let go of the grip to what they held tight
Got swept while being beaten from vehicles and debris from buildings destroyed
That was the end of their unfortunate life

The good, the bad, the wicked, the kind, alike without a choice drifted away
For the waves it did not matter what kind or race
But it took whatever came its way because it did not have feeling in any way
How sad, how very sad that we human beings with feeling and all
Fight and battle for worldly things
We have forgotten that blood is red in every race and kind
And what it consists of is the same
Sad as it is, I would say this brought the nations to rally around
Which showed that deep in the human hearts
Is the hidden love of God immaterial of their race
The love you showed and the support you gave and most of all
The prayers you sent to heaven above for our land
Is very much appreciated by us all

Thank you for your overwhelming love and concern for us and for our land.

-----

Christian-Buddhist Relations Improve in Sri Lanka after Tsunami

U.N. Survey Finds Many Tsunami Children Hopeful about Future

One Year Later: Tsunami Survivors Express Reserved Optimism

One Year Later: Mourners Remember Tsunami

Sri Lankan war fears overshadow Tsunami anniversary

SRI LANKA - by Peter Apps(Daily Times)
Many coastal communities have been moved a few miles inland in case of another tsunami placing them closer to ceasefire lines that will become battlefields if a 2002 truce with the Tamil Tigers fails.

A year after the tsunami swept away his house, building materials for fisherman R Alagodurai's new home have finally arrived. But he fears escalating violence could reignite Sri Lanka's two-decade civil war and he might never live there.
[full story]

Somber tributes mark Tsunami first anniversary

December 26, 2005

SOUTHEAST ASIA (MSNBC)

Memorial services held across Asia in remembrance of 216,000 victims.
[more...]