By Kevin Meadows
‘Thank you Uncle, thank you Aunty,” came the oft repeated reply from the beautiful faces of the Indian school children who received a new toothbrush, an inexpensive ballpoint pen and a fresh, No. 2 pencil.
Before heading to India as a part of the Virginia Baptist tsunami assessment team, I hastily packed a manageable quantity of these common items into a large duffle bag. It was these simple, everyday objects that would elicit those precious choruses of gratitude. Certainly, these are things that you and I take for granted on a daily basis. However, for children who have lost everything, these items perhaps represent a single possession, a glimmer of hope and even a reminder that a stranger cares.
Whenever I travel to India, I am always moved by the children I meet. Encountering the beauty, joy and innocence of these precious ones never fails to touch me deeply. On the morning of Dec. 26, 2004, the crashing waves of mass destruction forever changed the lives of thousands of innocent children in the Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. Although the bright smiles and contagious giggles of the children we visited in tsunami- affected areas were plentiful, stories from the adults in these areas about the children's ongoing anguish and lingering nightmares were abundant.
When schools reopen this June, no doubt there will be numerous vacant desks and empty benches in classrooms throughout tsunami-devastated areas, a poignant reminder of the number of lost and displaced children. Indeed, one of the sobering tragedies of this disaster is that of lost children, their small unresisting bodies becoming the first casualties of the massive surge of water. According to reports from these regions, children account for over 60 percent of the dead. For the surviving children, whom many are calling the “tsunami generation,” the emotional scars are real and the ongoing needs urgent. These little ones are indeed the future of this nation of a billion people.
Many children lost relatives; others, their entire family; still others lost home and meager possessions; and certainly all lost an element of innocence.
Virginia Baptists have a unique opportunity to impact the future of India by providing tangible expressions of hope to these children. A gift of $25 provides school supplies so that all ages might resume their studies in the upcoming school year. A gift of $400 per year provides for those orphaned by the tsunami. This includes the necessary tools for a fresh start in school as well as a loving home, hearty meals and a continuing reminder that someone halfway around the world cares. Willing churches, Sunday school classes, youth groups and individuals can provide these inexpensive tools for India's future. Will you care enough to become involved? Thank you Aunty! Thank you Uncle!
Special to the Herald
Kevin Meadows is senior minister of Grandin Court Baptist Church in Roanoke and was part of a Virginia Baptist assessment team that traveled to India earlier this year. This was Meadows's seventh trip to this region of India.