On December 26th, 2004 a tsunami hit southeast Asia killing over 180,000 people and displacing over one million people. Sri Lanka was one of the hardest hit countries suffering billions of dollars in damage and nearing thirty thousand deaths.
At around 8 a.m. the first wave came in to Navalady, located on a peninsula separating the sea from the Sri Lankan mainland.
Pastor Dayalan Sanders, his wife Kohela, his caretakers and 28 children escaped and survived the four waves that decimated the Sri Lankan coast “by the grace of God”.
After hearing a radio broadcast with Pastor Sanders, P.W. was moved to contact him and visit with him in Sri Lanka. In August 2005, P.W. took a small documentary team in to Batticaloa to meet the Pastor and children and see the damage of the tsunami.
P.W. will be using the footage that was taken to make a short documentary that will be part of an “enhanced CD” containing new music and the story of the Samaritan Children’s Home.
Its months after the tsunami – the children are safe and happy in temporary housing and the Pastor and his staff labor to rebuild the orphanage on a different site. But the massive rebuilding efforts across Asia have increased costs to absurd proportions (even by U.S. standards) so P.W. has committed to finishing the documentary and playing it at his shows to raise support and awareness for the children of the home. He has committed to “making the introduction” and partnering churches and organizations all across with the world with the home so the children will have support and contact with believers of all backgrounds and nations.
“I believe the Lord wants His church to be small - that we as a body would be able to worship and suffer with our brothers and sisters across the sea. People whom we might just think of in passing - now we can see and experience how they love Jesus. Now we can see and experience how God has loved them”.
“The children need to learn English and music and I am going to make sure that they have those opportunities”, says Pastor Sanders. There is a great need for laborers – to teach English and music to the children. “These children are bright, loving and eager to soak up what the Lord has for them.” Please consider being a part of their education.
If you are interested in being a part of a trip with P.W. to the children’s home, please email us at missions@pwgopal.com.
Right now we are planning for at least two work trips in early and mid 2006.
If you are a skilled laborer, i.e. plumber, electrician, carpenter and mason – your skills are greatly needed at the home. Rising costs have made the local contractors greedy and unreliable so Pastor Sanders has asked P.W. to bring back U.S. contractors.
If you wish to send financial support for the children, you can go to their website at www.samaritanchildrenshome.org.
Prayerfully consider partnering with P.W. in his efforts.
Godspeed.
The P.W. Gopal Support Team
