Why We Give to World Vision

My friend Cory works for World Vision and has been passing along e-mail updates with information on what the organization, to which so many of us have sent money recently, is doing to bring relief to tsunami-ravaged areas. Here are some excerpts from his most recent e-mail:

What does practical love look like? From Sri Lanka: "Yesterday in Matara, 7,000 people were buried in a mass grave to mitigate against the spread of disease. To facilitate identification, officials had the grisly chore of severing one finger from each body. World Vision provided a refrigerator where the body parts can be stored until family members are able to identify their loves ones."

INDONESIA: No one was looking after the needs of children. WV will create 20 Children's Trauma Centers, maybe eventually 100; the first ones are not in operation. At first, all that the children could talk about was their losses and what would happen to them now; very traumatized. But now some are playing, laughing. Really seen a shift, as they have a place for themselves, an island of hope in the sea of destruction around them. Some are starting to smile again.

SRI LANKA, quoting Steve Matthews: I've covered most global emergencies in the past 8 years, but never anything like this. Most survivors escaped only with the clothes on their backs; some didn't have even that, as the water stripped them naked. Within 24 hours WV was responding. Phase 1 is finishing; included 5 airlifts with 200 tons of supplies, plus locally-purchased food and materials. I met a woman, Manachee, who told me, "I watched as my children were devoured by the waves. I don't even have any photos of them left." Another woman, who'd lost her entire home, was concerned for other mothers: "Make sure you get help to the mothers who not only lost their homes but also their children."

And, ending on a hopeful note...

Play returns for child victims
By James East

The sound of a child's laughter was again heard among the homeless of Aceh -- two weeks after the tsunami struck Indonesia's coast. Dozens of children played with balls, colouring books, building blocks and sang songs. In the depressing surroundings of the camp encampment the sight of children running and kicking balls is a reminder to families that life moves on, even in spite of the truly tragic losses experienced by some.

The official launch of the children's trauma center -- a special place of their own -- is a key step in ensuring the children are given a place to open up, to share their hurts and where counselors can work intimately with the four to fifteen year olds to ensure they can overcome any trauma.

So many children have lost loved ones and had their homes erased that restoring a sense of stability and a regular routine is crucial.

Typically a child displays trauma by withdrawing, by becoming irritable or being aggressive when their trauma is not dealt with.

Art work is central to the informal curriculum. Fadhal Parmizi, 10, has drawn a picture that shows people floating in the sea crying "help" while hundreds of stick men flee the scene up the hills and inland. In fact, his father escaped the worst of the deluge after he was flung into a tree. Dad is now searching for any relatives who might have lived in his village. In the meantime Fadhal is living with eight members of his extended family in a tent based at the social welfare centre. Fadhal himself lost his older brother to the tsunami.

Grace Hukom, who is overseeing the children's tents says bringing youngsters together helps her and the three volunteers from the camp identify those who might need further counseling and support.

"A lot of the children have been drawing big waves, houses falling over and others have drawn helicopters flying over," she said.

Lynn Arnold, World Vision Vice-President of the Asia-Pacific Region, said: "We know from relief situations all over the world that there is post-traumatic stress and it is devastating and children are not immune. In some cases children are more affected."

He said parents would be reassured by having their children in a safe environment.