I just received this photo from a new (birdhouse) owner in Bend, Oregon. It always pleases me to see photos from happy homeowners and this is the first I’ve seen yet with snow!

Happy new year to all. Here’s to a new year (and decade) of peace, joy, and economic recovery.

So, here you go: Tsunami Birdhouses on Flickr

I’ll try to try to leave the following gallery relatively static, but will try to tidy up the store and remove products no longer available, on a regular basis. Please let me know if this is satisfactory.

Orange Dogwood Bowl by Diana Fayt

I never meant this site to be categorized as a blog, so much as an information portal for our efforts in Sri Lanka. Still, from time to time I’m compelled to highlight a political or human rights issue in Sri Lanka that consumes me or to describe for a few people in the United States the wonderful sides of Sri Lanka: the birds, the coconuts, the friendly people, the art. So many things.

Although having carried the burden of ethnic conflict for decades, and while operating under many questionable policies even now, Sri Lanka remains a place of great beauty, culture, and mystery. I personally have frequently been seduced by that side of the country, and it’s in that spirit I try to bring up the joys of the place for my American audience, which represents the majority, just ahead of my Sri Lankan audience.

I’d like to take a bit of a departure here, however, and reverse the formula.

I’m often amazed and impressed by the support that comes my way in forms practical and creative, compassionate and challenging. Usually that support comes by way of outstanding individuals who have somehow crossed my path and decided for reasons of their own that Sri Lanka (even if they don’t have a personal connection to the place) is full of bright lives looking for a new beginning. If I’m lucky, someone who I’ll intersect with will not only feel that, but will also decide to make, a connection with me that’s more personal, and even generative, where projects merge and take new shapes.

It Must Be Fayt

The most recent person to approach me in this context is a woman named Diana Fayt. She has a varied and rich genealogical history–a mix of American, Hungarian, and probably a few other ingredients. She’s well-traveled, well-educated, and from the sound of things, a damn fine cook.

But for my purposes here, I wanted to call her out for her skills as an extremely talented artist. She is what she calls a “ceramicist.” Someone who works with clay as a major medium for creating works of art that are not only functional, but original and beautiful. She has a talent and style all her own and if you check out some pictures of her work, I’m pretty sure you’d agree. (Her One Black Bird blog isn’t half bad, either.)

It never ceases to astound me when someone comes forward and says something along the lines of “Hey, I LOVE the concept of the tsunami birdhouses. Please tell me more.” Or, simply, “How can I help? I don’t want anything but to show appreciation for what you’re doing and to support the progress of people who have experienced things I can’t imagine but who now might find a better way.”

That is Miss Fayt. People like her, in my view, could use a little recognition all their own, even though (or especially?) they haven’t asked for it. So if you’d like to celebrate her along with me, let me ask just this: It doesn’t matter if you’re from the U.S. or Sri Lanka, from Japan or Timbuktu, please consider sending her a thank you email. Or visit her site and just be inspired by her work. Or, perhaps, just do something to support someone else unselfishly. Someone you know, someone you don’t know, someone you want to know. It doesn’t matter.

My guess is it will be you who experiences the greatest joy.

Indi recently published a post that might appeal to doctors who have a little time to travel and volunteer their skills. Medical services are in great need for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at camps in the north. If you’re interested in helping and have the time to travel to Sri Lanka, get in touch and we can discuss it further.

Shortly before the medical post, Indi also summarized some of the main concerns of IDPs, so anyone interested might read that for some context about the population in need.

Yesterday I awoke to an email containing a video showing the wounds of a young boy whose leg had been hacked off by an axe near where the leg joins the hip. Gruesome is an understatement. The video claims the incident was the work of the Tamil Tigers, who punished the boy for trying to escape from their last stronghold. The video ends reporting the boy “died mercifully” then goes on to show close-ups of his wounds.

While not nearly as gruesome, below is an alarming video summarizing the situation in camps for Internally Displaced Persons from Sri Lanka’s formerly occupied Tamil Tiger territory. The sources are anonymous Sri Lanka aid workers on site and, as is typical, the Sri Lanka military labels the work as LTTE propaganda. The most obvious question, for me at least, is if everything is on the up and up, why not allow independent/international aid workers and journalists access to these sites?

Remember, this is a small country around the size of West Virginia in the United States. Everything that happens is essentially only a day-trip’s distance from wherever you are. Suffering is palpable right now. Most Sri Lankan’s I know are used to it t some degree, but I’m not.

Don’t get me wrong–Sri Lanka CAN be a sort of paradise. But right now it’s only potential. Kind of like a high IQ. The country has the resources to emerge in the world as a setting of limitless wonders. Will the people running it persistently apply themselves to that end?

After much “back-room” deliberation, P2P Rescue project partner Paavima has decided to, at least temporarily, put a hold on new efforts. The people I met and worked with on and around Paavima are some of the most creative, inspiring, and selfless people I have ever met (both within Sri Lanka and the myriad supporters from countries around the world). These are people who volunteered a great deal of time and energy and asked for nothing in return. In most cases, they worked out-of-pocket and paid for their own flights and other expenses, just so they could help in the aftermath of the tsunami.

Along the way, I think, the southern coast of Sri Lanka in the area of Matara has become somewhat of a second home to many involved with Paavima–a place where we recognize faces, remember the walking paths to family homes, and have great memories of the meals and traditions we’ve shared as invited members of these communities.

For now, however, circumstances being what they are, there comes a time when it’s smarter to put a project “on hold” rather than labor through inefficiencies and outright dangers caused by elements far outside our control. We hope conditions in Sri Lanka change soon and that Paavima will find a suitable new environment for continuing what we all set out accomplish as early as 2005.

As usual, if you have an interest in this project or wish to learn more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. — Sean Kelly

Official Statement from Paavima (www.paavima.org):

Due to the resurgence of the conflict in 2008, Paavima and its funding agents, MailMan Sri Lanka, felt it necessary for the safety of its staff, volunteers, and clients to close its offices. That being said, the founders are still active and not only keeping in touch with their constituents, but helping to guide the adventurous traveller and volunteer vacationer around the the south coast of Sri Lanka. Some of Paavima’s students have gone on to other careers, beyond the hazards of fishing the dangerous waters of the south coast. Some are now working in the diving profession, some in the shipping industry, and some in the hospitality sector. Some have returned to their profession on the south coast, despite its risks. All the students, as well as the Paavima volunteers, have enjoyed the experiences of a lifetime while pursuing our mutual goals: providing increased opportunity for employment and enhancing environmental stewardship while furthering the understanding and appreciation of Sri Lankan culture, natural resources, and people.

We at Paavima are often asked the question “What was the most challenging aspect of your work?” Many have difficulty in imagining traveling halfway around the world, only to immerse oneself in a foreign culture in order to make a positive impact. We found it hard to comprehend as well. Contrary to our initial beliefs, the greatest difficulty was not in raising funds, organizing local support, or even finding enough volunteers. The greatest challenge was to spread a message of hope: that human beings can persevere. After years and years of half-fulfilled promises by non-profits and non-governmental organizations, many in Madiha had given up hope. Despite aid from dozens of countries in dozens of forms, very little had changed for the people of our favorite village. The single most difficult task for us turned out also to be our greatest accomplishment: rekindling some human spirit that says that man is capable of bettering his situation, despite overwhelming odds. We were not wildly successful at this, but we have learned that change of this magnitude happens one person at a time. It comes not through material donation, political revolution, or the removal of hardship, but through the fundamental belief of one human being in another. As such, Paavima continues to live on in the individuals it touched and the bonds it formed, both in Sri Lanka and beyond.

All this being said, we are still here, looking forward to the day when the war ends and Sri Lanka can return to sharing its natural beauty and culture with the world. We still regularly respond to emails and are happy to share with you our inside knowledge of the south coast. Should you be interested in volunteering some time, diving (or learning to dive) in untouched locations, exploring the gorgeous south coast, or eating some of the spiciest food you’ve never had, please send us a note. We’d love to hear from you. To other organizations looking to jump start a grass roots non-profit organization in the field, please don’t hesitate to contact the Paavima team. We’re there when you need us.
- Team Paavima

I couldn’t be more excited about last night’s election results and the electricity in the air today. America already seems like a new place though the official handoff won’t happen til after the new year. There’s an almost unfathomable amount of work to be done to realize the change Obama has campaigned on and he’s entering an environment that, in itself, almost requires miracles. If the world doesn’t see the change he has inspired us to work toward, many will say he sold us a bill of goods, or an empty promise. If he can unravel the disaster that has become the United States government over nearly the past decade he will be celebrated beyond what I can begin to imagine. It seems an all or nothing proposition. That man has guts, but he also has follow-through. I am very hopeful, as he wanted us all to be. But the task at hand is clearly large enough to merit at least a little skepticism.

Just following Obama’s speech last night in Grant Park, I stumbled onto a site in Sri Lanka where a blogger could only find in this historical moment sarcasm and the despair (paraphrasing): “Big deal. When will Obama lower our food costs?” I hear this kind of thing surprisingly often in Sri Lanka. The country is on the opposite side of the planet from the US and incapable of feeling the results of such a sea change immediately. But Sri Lanka, I think (and I argued on the site) WILL feel a difference. It might take a while. But I feel this election will ripple across the world in ways I’ve not yet seen in my lifetime.

Still, I was curious about what other countries, or people from the US that are in other countries, felt about last night’s events. Here’s a snapshot of opinions from around the world:

World Celebrates… (Times Online)
A Change for the Better (Pravda)
World Reacts…(Al Jazeera)
Jubilation Follows…(Al Jazeera)
Latinos Turn Out in Force (Yahoo)
Mideast Echoes Obama’s “Change Message, Skeptically (Reuters)
U.S. Troops React to Election News (CNN Politics)
Late Addition: Reactions from around the world…

These are but a handful of examples, but all of them show that the eyes have been focused on this election and the message it sends. My own message may not be even as significant as that of the Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has already sent his congratulations to Obama on his victory, but let me say it nonetheless:

Congratulations to President Barack Obama and to all the supporters who helped make this historic event.

It’s nearly Halloween here in a number of international locations, such as the United States, Canada and lots of Latin American countries. That got me wondering: Does Sri Lanka “celebrate” Halloween? (I’m not sure celebrate is really the right term, unless you’re into celebrating the Night of the Witches.)

I was in Sri Lanka during a recent Halloween but I don’t remember seeing anything unusual. Then again, it could’ve been Poya day, which has some similarities–especially involving costumes. I can’t imagine Halloween is a particularly safe idea in Sri Lanka considering the political/war climate.

What do you do for Halloween?

Photo by stevechasmar via Flickr
Check out “stevechasmar’s” other Halloween photos. They’re hard to explain and most definitely twisted.

Photo by dabdiputs.

I have somewhat of a musical history. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no pro but I gave it a shot when I was younger, playing in a band that did pretty well considering. Our band opened for some decent acts in trendy art houses in the San Francisco Bay Area, recorded albums (vinyl!), and got some regular radio play. Every once in a while, I’ll still catch a flashback tune of ours on some local US college radio station. We didn’t make the “big time,” or even really make the “small time,” but those days have helped give me perspective into a small portion of the in-and-outs that make the enormous music industry, the RIAA, the independents, and so on.

How might this relate to Sri Lanka? Well, I’ve been slowly considering ways to create an audio compilation of tracks to sell in order to support some of our projects in Sri Lanka. Actually, “considering” recently got a tad more serious and I’ve been lucky enough to receive a couple of track donations to support the project. These donations aren’t from nearby garage bands that put on the occasional open door concert, but from really, really respectable artists. (And I sincerely appreciate their willingness to support Sri Lankan projects at a difficult time.)

An audio CD is a bit like a novel. Although sadly I have a tendency to focus on the music and not the words, music is about the complete package. So I was surprised by the timing of all the action about M.I.A. in the past couple of weeks, because I was looking into whether or not her work would be vital to include. I know about some of the controversy and anger she inspires. I know M.I.A is the daughter of a former LTTE terrorist, but a video by what this blog calls “The First Sinahlese Buddhist Patriotic Rapper” gave me pause.

Here’s the video (NSFW/language), which directly confronts M.I.A on her (potential? alleged? supposed?) support for Tamil Tiger suicide bombings.

But, my Sri Lankan friends, I have some questions (and I am in no way suggesting my own feelings in the process of asking):

–Is M.I.A. really, in your opinion, endorsing typical LTTE violence or is she telling a different kind of story thru her music? Both?

–In light of freedom of press and speech issues currently dominating country news (think Mervin…), where do you think the appropriate line is for artists addressing or even venting their opinions?

–Would her music prove a worthwhile addition to an audio music CD, however controversial?

–Let’s ignore for a moment that non-profit/charity-related CDs have become somewhat of a cliche. Which musicians (no matter their location in the world) would prove vital in your opinion to an audio CD? Which do you listen to? Which has struck you for some of their lyrics or content?

Feel free to comment below or, if you prefer, send a less “public” email to info@p2prescue.org.

Thanks for your opinions–they’ll certainly prove educating.

Sean

I’d like to tell you about Prashadi.

In February of 2006, eight-year-old Prashadi, her mother, and father were traveling together on a motorcycle near where they live in southern Colombo when they were hit head-on by a drunk lorry driver. Mind you, a lorry is a big truck. It’s not often when one crosses a center divide. But when one does and it meets the light, almost insignificant metal of a typical Sri Lanka motorbike, it will always win.

Having been driving immediately behind the motorcycle with some friends and colleagues, we not only witnessed the horrific accident but we also were the first to assist the seriously injured family. The little girl and her father were unconscious–lumps on the street–and appeared very near death, with major lacerations and broken bones. Prashadi, whose head rested awkwardly on the road and twisted over her shoulder, looked to have a broken neck. On her hands and knees, Prashadi’s mother appeared to fare better, but was clearly in shock. After I learned she kept repeating “Where’s my gold chain?”

The scene quickly grew into chaos and violence, when a mob began attacking the lorry driver and his passenger, and swarming the street around the accident. It was soon clear no ambulance could get through the crowd to the injured. The only things I can clearly remember as I was carrying Prashadi to a nearby van was the pure, pearly whiteness of the bones of her shattered shin and her regaining consciousness with a groan as the van’s sliding door slammed shut.

Then she was gone.

During the following two weeks, I hunted for Prashadi with some friends at various hospitals, before knowing her name. I couldn’t get over what may have happened to her and felt connected to her like we sometimes connect to dreams. Some dreams stay with you for a long, long time.

All of us who were there feared this brief life was over. The death of a young girl is not an unusual loss in Sri Lanka to be sure–and that’s hard for me to get my head around too–but it was a new loss for me. Or at least it would have been if we hadn’t found her.

Alive. Badly injured, but alive.

To be continued…