October 2009: Homeless and Directionless Find Support
October 2009 Bulletin Insert Format [PDF]Octubre 2009 en español
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
St John’s Center in Northern Sri Lanka, which is part of Global ministries’ partner the Church of the American Ceylon Mission, is working with twelve refugee camps which have been home to thousands displaced from their homes due to civil war. St John’s has nineteen volunteers, eleven pastors, one doctor and two nurses who are working tirelessly among the camps in a systematic and coordinated way offering subsistence food, child care centers, trauma counseling, medical assistance, clean water and sanitation.
Recently, about three months after the end of the civil war, the Sri Lankan government decided to send 5000 refugees from the outer camps back to their own villages. St John’s received about 200 and gave them packages of food and basic clothes to start their new lives. Since their homes were destroyed they will go to live with relatives. The elderly were also released, many have no where to go. St John’s is working to accommodate these elders on a temporary basis in elderly facilities.
Over 300,000 people are still in the camps. About 40% of the displaced are children – many of whom are unaccompanied by family members. Their care is the subject of conversations between the government, social agencies and faith groups like St. John’s.
‘Thank you very sincerely for your timely support and prayers in taking care of the refugees. Please uphold our ministry in your thoughts and prayers.’
Rev. Dr. S. Jeyanesan is Chair of CACM, and Project Director of St John’s and wrote this letter to James Vijayakumar, Global Ministries Southern Asia Area Executive