Honest From the Heart
It has been a hot and tiresome last 2 weeks. I would say more mentally tiring then physically. Although I would like to write on a more positive note, I want to convey what it is that I am feeling. So here goeas…… People say it is a good deed to serve others, to provide that helping hand that loving touch. I have been serving to the best of my ability for 3 weeks now and I am now tired. I cannot even begin to imagine how some of the people here are continuing to work on relief and rehab efforts for the last 2 months with not even a single day off!!
I visited Nagippattinam which is 6 hours south of Chennai. It is one of the head centers of NGO coordination work in conjunction with the Indian government. It was also one of the hardest hit areas. I cannot even begin to describe the damage I have seen. Entire towns wiped out, bridges broken, rivers flowing in places where once there was land. So I will not try to describe, but at some time I will post some pictures. My work here has mostly consisted in helping with medical camps and seeing patients. I also help put together ration kits for families. A ration kit consists of basic food for a month.. rice, oil, daal(lentils), spices. We made ration kits for 9,000 families who had “fallen through the cracks” of all the relief efforts. Other then that I am a support person for Bhoomika Trust in office work for tsunami related projects, which is an obstacle in itself at times.
Bhoomika Trust is an amazing NGO. Their main objective is to link needs with availability. They basically direct and link up people and NGO’s, whether it is linking projects, funds, volunteers or info. It has been a great honor working with such a reputable NGO who does not hurridly jump on the bandwagon to help victims. Instead they patiently wait, gather all info from either sending a Bhoomika volunteer or a reliable source, and then coordinate efforts to send relief. And it is all done within a very reasonable time period, due to their hardwork and dedication. ( They identified left out families, verified info, recieved approval of funds for the project, had truck loads of food delievered, organized volunteers to make the kits, made the kits for 9,000 families, and had them deleivered to various area all within a week!!!) I am very lucky to have worked with such an NGO in such a short period.
So my friends, as my brain is fatigued. I will end here. Until next time.
Love Karuna