Current Activities

I mentioned in the Trincomalee post about the boy's home that we visited. As Miriam now finds herself heading to Trincomalee in the near future to head a girl's home we've decided to carry on visiting the boys as much as we can while I'm still here. Our work in Batti seems to be coming to an end due to several obstacles that have been put in our way and also just because of the lack of autonomy that we have to work in that village without our own transport and without proper communication, etc. So, while we don't want to abandon that work completely we feel that the next couple of times we go will be the last for a while and then Miri can visit again in the future.

The boys that we'll be visiting are between the ages of 7-10 and they have all lost their parents in the war. Most of them have come from the camps in the North. After we left Trincomalee God really put it on our hearts to pray for them and see how we can help bring healing and life to their home. At the moment they are safe from the dangers of the war and the camps, but it seems that the house parents in charge are not aware or don't know how to cope with the psychological and emotional problems that these children have developed. Their basic needs are met - they have accommodation and food - but to us the home seemed a little like boot camp. It seemed like these children were occupied with doing chores and doing their homework the whole time, with no time to play. When we did try to play with them they behaved as if they didn't have the right to play with the toys they'd been given and instead carried on tidying up.

So, when we go back we're going back to change things. The parents are open to input so it might be possible that we can introduce an atmosphere of love and play into that house and to make it into a home. That's the plan anyway! The children don't smile so want to make them smile :) They don't have a mum and dad so we want to encourage the house parents to show affection and love towards them. We want them to be a family. At the moment it's all a bit like an institution. We feel that it's very important to focus on the boys before Miriam has her home when she will focus mainly on her girls.

So that's the plan! Tomorrow we go to the village near Batti and maybe the week after that too, but the rest of the time will be spent with the boys. We need wisdom to understand their situation and to know how we can help. As it is we definitely don't know it all and have a lot to learn!

Hopefully I will be able to post some pictures of some smiling happy boys soon :)