wfn.org | Relief Coordinator Shares Survivors' Heartache, Hope

["Henry Hess" <hessh@crcna.ca>]

Feb. 2, 2005, Poopunam, India-A woman who lost her husband, her
children, and her home in the South Asia tsunami sits on a small slab of
concrete-the last remaining piece of her house-on the coast of the
Indian Ocean.

"This little lady groaned a song of lament," said Jacob Kramer, relief
coordinator for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC).
"She cried it out, sitting on that small slab-all she had left on
earth."

This scene was one of first things Kramer experienced during a two-week
trip in January to the tsunami-devastated countries of India, Sri Lanka
and Indonesia. And this woman's plight was only one of countless
thousands of similar stories.

"The human eye can't fully take in the colossal-ness of this disaster,"
Kramer reported. "When you look at the coast of India, you see the first
six rows of houses are missing. Then you have to imagine the sheer size
and scope, and how widespread the disaster is-that this scene goes on
for miles down the coast."

The purpose of Kramer's trip was to assess the damage and work with
local staff and partners to develop plans to bring effective relief. He
noted that, because bustling cities are directly beyond many of the
affected coastal areas, much of the immediate aid is being taken care of
by the local people.

CRWRC is adding to the supply lines of emergency work by giving money to
a number of trusted local partners but CRWRC, like most large
non-governmental organizations, will be asking, "Where will I hang my
hat? What will we be doing [in the long-term]?" Kramer said.

He said CRWRC's emphasis in India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia will be on
community rehabilitation. "We will try to focus on livelihood, such as
agriculture and fishing, and also on shelter and building wells and
schools as needed."

In recounting his story, Kramer spoke of seeing hope, even in the
backdrop of the Indian woman's sorrow and grief. "As I looked beyond
this lady over toward the seashore, I saw a group of men bringing a
fishing boat into the water - sorrow and hopelessness mixed with
starting anew."

CRWRC is a Christian, non-profit organization of the Christian Reformed
Church in North America, with head offices in Burlington, Ont. and Grand
Rapids, Mich. CRWRC provides a ministry of development, relief, and
justice education to people in need around the world.  It is currently
active in 30 countries.
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Links:
Tsunami Central
(http://www.crcna.org/whatweoffer/newsroom/news/2005tsunami/index.asp?WhatWeOfferMenu)
CRWRC (http://www.crcna.org/whoweare/agencies/crwrc.asp?WhoWeAreMenu)

---------------------------------
Henry Hess
Director of Communications
Christian Reformed Church
905-336-2920 ext.236
hessh@crcna.ca

To learn more about the Christian Reformed Church, visit www.crcna.org