BATTICOLOA, Sri Lanka (ABP) — The spirit of God is washing over areas of Sri Lanka that were hard-hit by the tsunamis, revealing a changed topographical and spiritual terrain, according to a missionary in Sri Lanka.
God has arranged “divine appointments” that enabled the Christian disaster-relief efforts to move more swiftly, according to David Beckett, a Gospel for Asia missionary working in Sri Lanka and member of Currey Creek Baptist Church in Boerne. A Canadian man helped connect Texas Baptist Men to the water board of Batticoloa in Eastern Sri Lanka, and the parties quickly devised a way to clean wells contaminated by saltwater.
“We are exhausted and weary both mentally and physically, though our spirits are high and our spirit rejoices with praise and wonder at seeing God's mighty and compassionate hand at work,” Beckett wrote. “He is doing so much to love the Sri Lankan people who are suffering from the tsunamis' destruction.”
Each water purification team is cleaning 25-30 wells each day. Texas Baptist Men volunteers also are repairing the city water pumps and chlorination systems for Batticoloa and a more southern city, Kalmunai. This equipment supplies water for as many as 150,000 people along the country's eastern coast.
While cleaning the wells, volunteers are showing Sri Lankans how to do the work themselves, thereby speeding up the recovery process. People cannot return to their towns until they get clean water.
Texas Baptist feeding teams are feeding several thousand people a day in Batticoloa. Workers were constructing kitchens closer to Kalmunai, where more than 10,000 people live in refugee camps, but were asked to stop by the government. Beckett did not know the reason for their request.
The damage is extensive. Entire villages were washed away. Homes and buildings were damaged beyond recognition. But Kevin Dinnin, president of Baptist Child and Family Services, is amazed at how God's people are acting faithfully. His organization has committed to build two shelters for Sri Lanka orphans.
“How do you pick up the pieces when everything you have is gone and many of the people you loved best are dead?” he said. “There are faces and voices none of us will ever forget. There were examples of Sri Lankans living their faith that will inspire us as long as we live.”
Victim Relief Ministries chaplains are helping to meet emotional and spiritual needs of many who lost loved ones.
The efforts already are making an impact in the largely Hindu and Muslim areas. One Sri Lankan pastor is getting a chance to minister to those who persecuted him. Through Texas Baptist efforts, the pastor was able to provide a medical clinic for his village. He prayed with a man who once beat him because of his faith. The pastor serves those who repeatedly burned down his home.
“They're having a huge impact in so many different ways in Muslim and Hindu communities,” Beckett said. “You're hearing story after story of people breaking down and crying.”