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By Jennifer Tran
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| Jennifer offered food to the locals |
When I was asked to write this article, I struggled with what I thought would be the most important thing to share with the ICAN community– what is it that I wanted you all to know and experience through my words? I could tell you about the different project sites I visited, what kind of work is being done there, or how everything looks – but that information is easily accessible through media coverage and information on our projects are being reported on by Thay. Instead, I will share with you the most valuable messages that I left there with: that we need to be optimistic, that there is human compassion, that as individuals we are stronger than we think, that we are all connected by our common human experiences, and most importantly, that a disaster can be a blessing in disguise. In the face of such adversity, there is hope because this is just another obstacle to overcome and there will be invaluable lessons to be learned as we move forward into the future.
I first arrived in Sri Lanka late on a Saturday night and it was a 3-hour drive from the airport in Colombo to Hikkaduwa. As we approached Hikkaduwa, we drove on the main road that ran along the coast for a while and I remember that although it was dark and there weren’'t streetlights, I was still able to clearly see the tsunami wreckage amidst an undeniably beautiful landscape. Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to and I began asking myself, why did this natural phenomenon occur? Why now? Why here? Why did hundreds of thousands of people have to die? That night I went to bed not knowing answers to these questions, but eventually the answers would come to me as the days progressed.
I was fortunate enough to meet a lot of amazing people, both Sri Lankan residents and foreigners who were there as volunteers. While I was there we visited a campsite where ICAN has been funding activities for the children. The youth group that plans and runs the activities for the children left a lasting impression on me because in Sri Lanka I did not see many natives doing volunteer work. However, these 10 young individuals were incredibly dedicated and were really good at what they did. For the few hours they committed every weekend, they were able to lift the spirits of all the children, and even their parents, by giving them something enjoyable to look forward to and by allowing them to escape from the reality of their situation for just a few hours. When you are living out of a tent at a campsite that is literally 100 meters from the water, it is hard to get past what happened just a few months before. It is through these ten young adults that I saw the power that an individual can possess. They were making a huge impact on the lives of many people just by setting aside their weekends to devote themselves to helping others. You could see by looking into the eyes that although there may be fear and suffering, all of that vanished when they could laugh and play with their friends and the volunteers.
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| Jennifer and local volunteers (Sri Lanka) |
One of the most apparent things in Sri Lanka was that there was very little has been done by the government to help the people restore their communities. Most of the visible projects I could see were being taken on by foreigners who have come to the country to lend a hand wherever needed. I met people from different age groups who work in various fields that have come from all over the world. When the tsunami happened, they reprioritized their lives and left their obligations back home behind to help Sri Lankans rebuild their communities. Whether they were doctors, teachers, nurses, or whatever, they came with an open mind about what they could do for the people. Some helped by working at clinics, building temporary shelter, drawing plans for a housing plan, playing with children at an orphanage – it was all being done without reservations.
The tsunami was a disaster. The loss of lives is never easy, especially when in such profound numbers. I really believe that it is one of the greatest tragedies that our generation will ever experience. However, at the same time I believe that this has been a blessing in disguise; it is true that every cloud has a silver lining. This experience has brought people from all over the world together to reassure us that if we work together, we have the ability to change the situation into a positive one. By living a life that is meaningful and by having compassion for others, we will see that this is the human experience – suffering and overcoming hardships is all a part of life. It’s easy to get caught up in the madness of your own life, but if you stop look beyond yourself then you will see we are destined for something greater. The tsunami was a reminder that we are meant to connect and help one another in our struggles because we are all fighting battles in one way or another. Rebuilding a community is a never-ending process and we have to remember that it takes work and dedication. It is a long term commitment that is necessary and important for us as human beings and for the future.
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