OT Tsunami
shantinik
Dear homeschooling friends
By now, many of you have read about the tsunami that has just hit the
coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal. I am particularly sad to report
that areas of the coast of southeast India are in ruins.
This is the area in which my adopted Indian parents have been doing
land reform/development work for the past 40 years, and also where
American homeschoolers have contributed much-needed funds to help
build houses for people who were previously living in little more than
mud and grass huts that would be destroyed during every monsoon, and
to support 220 orphans. A wall of water 30-40 feet high hit and moved
more than 10 miles inland (where the orphanages are), destroying
everything in its wake.. The mangroves, which had been the only
natural protection against such destruction, had all been cut down by
multinational/World Bank-backed projects in industrial shrimp farming.
As of this writing, 1,100 people are reported dead in this district,
and upwards of a million homeless. I am awaiting more direct word from
my mother or sister, but am unlikely to receive it anytime soon. (My
sister is head of a pediatrics hospital in the region I expect I
won't hear from her in weeks!),
As it turns out, my daughter (former homeschooler and now Smith
College first-year Aliyah) and I were planning to leave for the area
on Tuesday evening. We would (and may) still go, though with plans to
assist in the relief effort. But I expect the local airports will be
commandeered for relief aid, so we'll just have to see.
In the meantime, we have set up a relief fund. All proceeds from the
sale of my book "The Color of Freedom" (which is an oral biography of
my parents, and the story of their work) were already going to their
efforts, and can be purchased through my website at
www.skylarksings.com Tax-deductible donations cash, checks, or
credit cards can be sent to me at the address on the site (if for
more than $500, checks should be made out to The Gandhian Foundation;
if not, simply to Skylark Sings, as the funds will get there faster.)
The quickest way is simply to call me at 360 352-0506 (will be out
this evening, though), and I'll do what is necessary we will wire
the combined contributions directly, and there will be no overhead to
cover.
Thank you for your help and prayers.
David
www.skylarksings.com
By now, many of you have read about the tsunami that has just hit the
coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal. I am particularly sad to report
that areas of the coast of southeast India are in ruins.
This is the area in which my adopted Indian parents have been doing
land reform/development work for the past 40 years, and also where
American homeschoolers have contributed much-needed funds to help
build houses for people who were previously living in little more than
mud and grass huts that would be destroyed during every monsoon, and
to support 220 orphans. A wall of water 30-40 feet high hit and moved
more than 10 miles inland (where the orphanages are), destroying
everything in its wake.. The mangroves, which had been the only
natural protection against such destruction, had all been cut down by
multinational/World Bank-backed projects in industrial shrimp farming.
As of this writing, 1,100 people are reported dead in this district,
and upwards of a million homeless. I am awaiting more direct word from
my mother or sister, but am unlikely to receive it anytime soon. (My
sister is head of a pediatrics hospital in the region I expect I
won't hear from her in weeks!),
As it turns out, my daughter (former homeschooler and now Smith
College first-year Aliyah) and I were planning to leave for the area
on Tuesday evening. We would (and may) still go, though with plans to
assist in the relief effort. But I expect the local airports will be
commandeered for relief aid, so we'll just have to see.
In the meantime, we have set up a relief fund. All proceeds from the
sale of my book "The Color of Freedom" (which is an oral biography of
my parents, and the story of their work) were already going to their
efforts, and can be purchased through my website at
www.skylarksings.com Tax-deductible donations cash, checks, or
credit cards can be sent to me at the address on the site (if for
more than $500, checks should be made out to The Gandhian Foundation;
if not, simply to Skylark Sings, as the funds will get there faster.)
The quickest way is simply to call me at 360 352-0506 (will be out
this evening, though), and I'll do what is necessary we will wire
the combined contributions directly, and there will be no overhead to
cover.
Thank you for your help and prayers.
David
www.skylarksings.com