Click here for history and background of Samaritan Children's Home

Newsletter update from Pastor Sanders - Dec 2006

Dear friends, well wishers and prayer partners,

Hope this finds you in the best of health and happiness.  Wish you and your loved ones a joyous Christmas and a peaceful New Year!

I feel the urge to provide you with a detailed update of our reconstruction effort and the political and social realities.  I do apologize for not always keeping you informed of our progress here in Batticaloa, eastern Sri Lanka.  You have however been patient and have continued to support our children's mission through your monetary gifts and prayers.  I thank you for your sacrificial giving, prayers and trust you have bestowed upon us to carry out God's work.

I. Reconstruction:

We purchased 25 acres of land in the fall of 2005 more in-land and away from the old Navalady location that was destroyed by the 2004 tsunami.  Soon after the purchase of land the reconstruction effort began in earnest.  Immediately we were faced with a number of difficulties due to the political and social unrest caused mainly by the resumption of hostilities between the Sri Lankan forces and the Tamil Tigers (aka LTTE or rebels).  Hostilities and the post tsunami reconstruction work resulted in a shortage of skilled workers and a several-fold increase in prices of construction material and labor.  To counter this situation we were forced to find skilled workers from outside the Batticaloa district and retain them by providing food and lodging. 

Reconstruction of multiple buildings is in different stages, but importantly the two main buildings: The Boys' Home Complex and the Girls' Home Complex are almost completed and we have so far admitted 81 children.  About 5 to 10 children seek admission every week and we are taking in only the most needy ones.  Most of them are from the north and east where the fighting is most intense and the casualties heavy.  If you remember at the time of the Tsunami we had 28 children and of course all of whom were saved by the grace of God on that horrifying day.  We have 39 girls and 42 boys and they range in age from 6 to 17.  All of whom attend the local public school and they will do so until they complete the 12th standard.  As intended depending on the availability of funds we plan to open a Vocational Training School for the school leaving children.  

I.a. List of new buildings under construction:

Girls' Home complex (GHC): Currently has the capacity to accommodate up to 60 girls

Boys' Home complex (BHC): Current capacity to accommodate up to 60 boys

Chapel Office and Children's Recreation Centre (COCRC)

Out-door kitchen (ODK)

Additional Study Room (ASR)

Stores and Library (S&L)

Main gate and entrance (MGE)

** GHC and BHC are almost completed and other buildings are about 80% completed 

II. Current political climate:

A Norwegian-brokered cease-fire in 2002 was supposed to end the violence, in which as many as 65,000 people were killed, many of them civilians.  In the last six months, however, sporadic clashes between government troops and rebels along their de facto borders have escalated into what many here refer to as an undeclared war.  Nordic truce monitors estimate about 1,500 people have died since the upsurge in violence since December last year.  The United Nations' refugee agency estimates about 170,000 people have fled their homes since April to escape the near daily exchange of artillery fire, and are now living in cramped, unsanitary conditions in churches, temples or out in the open.  Most of the fighting has been focused around the eastern port of Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and in Jaffna, where the 500,000 residents remain under a on again off again curfew, and food, water and other staples are running low.

Recent talks in Geneva, Switzerland between the two main factions: the Sri Lankan government delegation and the LTTE failed to result in any meaningful outcome.  In all this fighting it's the civilian population that has suffered and is suffering the worst.  In spite of the presence of so many foreign NGOs (non-governmental agency) and the Norwegian peace envoys, one cannot understand why the insane killing of the civilian population is allowed to continue.  No one hardly ever speaks of the human suffering the civilian population is subjected to in the midst of all this fiendish fighting that's been going on for months now.  All what the people want are peace and a decent standard of living and this life of hell on earth to end.  Its time the international community stepped in and did something concrete and decisive to end this madness and alleviate the hardships of the innocent civilian. 

III. Immediate and future needs: 

Due to the increase in hostilities we are experiencing more children seeking refuge and we would prayerfully consider adding extensions to the two children's complexes in addition to the Vocational Training School as mentioned above.  However adding infrastructure to meet the growing needs is only part of the challenge, and as we grow we are also in need of reliable and committed people to staff the children's home.  We would be interested in talking to those who are committed to our cause and would like to come and help us run the children's home.  We will of course provide food, lodging and a monthly stipend.

Samaritan Home Relief, our US fundraising arm, will continue to raise funds for the up keep and maintenance of our expanded Samaritan Children's Home.  Due to social and political uncertainties and the effect it has on the cost of essential items it is hard to estimate our monthly running expenses, but we assume we would need something in the region of US$5,000 a month to support 120 children and 9 full time employees.

Please note Samaritan Home Relief remains a volunteer organization.  In other words, we don't have any paid staff and my family and friends volunteer their time and resources to raise funds.  Which means barring minor miscellaneous expenses all your sacrificial donations are sent directly to Eastern Sri Lanka towards the reconstruction work and to carry out our mission of providing a loving, caring and nurturing home to the most needy and impoverished children in the North and East of Sri Lanka.   

Samaritan Home Relief is a 501 (c) 3 organization registered in the state of MD and all donations are tax deductible.          

Please spend some time to browse our reconstruction pictures (click here for the pictures) and feel free to write to me at dayalansanders@yahoo.com with any questions or comments.

Thank you for your prayers and continued support.  May God bless you.

Pastor Dayalan Sanders, Director/Founder

On behalf of the staff and children of Samaritan Children's Home

December 2006

Samaritan Home Relief, Inc., has an account set up at Chevy Chase Bank. For more information, please email to donations@samaritanchildrenshome.org or call 1-301-279-2947.

© Samaritan Home Relief, Inc.

To read the articles from the Gazette.net and the Washington Post, please select a link below.

An Orphanage Once Called Home-By John Lancaster (Washington Post July 24, 2005)

Mission To Shelter Orphans Stymied - By Jacqueline L. Salmon (Washington Post Jan 31, 2005)

The sea is coming (Gazette.net Dec 29, 2004)

Outracing The Sea, Orphans in His Care (Washington Post Dec. 30, 2004)

Md. Woman Seeks Help Reviving Sibling's Dream (Washington Post Dec. 30, 2004)

Click on the images below to see the damage to the children's home by the tsunami.