Jungle Fever

When we visited Sri Lanka in September 2010 we took on a new project.  In 2006 a nursery school in the jungle had been set up by an American working in Sri Lanka.  It is the only free pre-school  in a poverty stricken area dependent on farming.  The average salary for a farmer  is 500 rupees (50 US cents) a day and if the women are lucky they may get jobs in a garment factory which is 2 hours walk away.  


The Buddhist Monk who ran the project had run out of money, the American had left Sri Lanka and he was, with great regret, about to close the project.  We had known him for 6 years as his temple in Mount Lavinia is where the fishermen went as refugees directly after the Tsunami. 

We took on the project together with the restaurant owner on our local beach. We have visited them twice to take shoes and uniforms. Today, we took nothing other than a promise of continued help but today was more moving than any of the other visits.   


The kids put on a special procession for us together with an elephant they had made themselves.  They danced and sang for us and we were all very moved.  


We promised commitment, for as long as we are able.