A Nation In Mourning

By Matt and Rebecca Baker

The true nature of this disaster unravelled very slowly. The day I felt the earthquake, we went for lunch in the park with friends and their family. We discussed the earthquake, and that the news had said "the oceans are rising". At that point there were a few deaths reported, mostly as being those of curious people watching the unusual sea action. When we returned home in the evening we began to see images on the news of rapid flooding, and heard that the death toll was over a thousand. There were frightening images of the sea rapidly rising in coastal areas and people mourning their dead (Sri Lankan news edits out nothing). Disbelief set in... but we found many Sri Lankans we spoke to had not even heard yet that the dead toll was rising.

When I awoke the next morning, it quickly became apparent that the previous evening news had not even come close to capturing the calibre of this disaster. The death toll had risen to 5000 with a million people displaced. This time the images on the news were even more frightening - my opinion is that the video from the previous nights came from less seriously hit areas where those doing the videoing survived. The video that came the next morning was a result of news crews visiting the extremely devastated areas where those who may have tried to video it with their personal cameras simply didn't survive. Our minds are all branded with terrible images of buses piled on buses in the middle of the town... of train cars hundreds of feet from their tracks, tossed like a child's lego pieces while taking morning commuters to their jobs. I cannot express the terror these images inspire - I am not sure if any (or many) of them have reached the north american news uncensored.

Yesterday was a day overshadowed with shock and sorrow. Everywhere we went, people were somber faced, and the only topic of conversation was the results of the tidal waves. The streets were oddly quiet, in a town known for its bustle and noise.

Sri Lanka is a nation well-known for its laid back attitude and often frustratingly slow response to just about anything. We have been extremely surprised and impressed to see how quickly Sri Lankans have organized themselves to reach out to their fellow countrymen, instead of waiting for other countries to do the work. Walking through town, we have seen trucks being loaded with clothing and food to take to stricken areas. The local grocery store is keeping a "register" for those who wish to buy food staples and donate them - they will be monitored and sent out as a corporate effort to offer relief. The Muslims have organized relief supplies... our church sent out a convoy today to Batticaloa to give food and clothing to church members there... the Buddhists sent around a truck in the neighbourhood where we are staying this evening, collecting from everyone clothing and food. We actually heard that there has been enough clothing donated already, that now food is being requested. It is really remarkable how well Sri Lanka has done to take care of its own in this horrible time.

This morning when we woke up, the death toll was announced as being 10,000. And today, the rain returned to Nuwara Eliya. It came in torrents. Today, Sri Lanka moved from shock and sorrow to outright grief. We have given clothing, we have bought food to feed the hungry, but we can't assuage the grief for the family and friends that seem to be lost or missing to every person we meet in town. Every student we met today had a story to tell of death or missing persons. Several had near misses themselves, as they had been on vacation on the coast.

Tonight, as I sit near the TV and write you, they have just announced that the death toll has reached over 18,000. The grief of this country is unbearable.

Our prayer is that this horrifying disaster will manage to bring the two sparring halves of this country together in a way not done through the failing peace talks. We pray for the divided families to be reunited. And we pray for healing for the trauma caused by all aspects of this disaster.
------------------------------------------------------------------