One Thousand Pairs of Eyeglasses for Sri Lankan Refugees
In two months we have donated over 1000 pairs of eyeglasses.
As part of our efforts to provide health care and improve the quality of life of the people who were displaced by thirty years of conflict in Sri Lanka, we have held eye clinics and donated over one thousand eyeglasses so far. Our eye doctor has visited seven IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps including Sumathipuram, Weerapuram, Puthukulam High School, and Manik farm Zones number 4 and 5.
To select more than one thousand people who could benefit from eyeglasses, our Doctor examined thousands of people. Our eye doctor will continue to visit different IDP centers and examine and chose the needy and we are ready to provide eyeglasses for all the people who with this simple but priceless gift can see clearly again. With your help, we are expecting to provide eyeglasses for one thousand more people during the next few months.
At the end of the war we had over 300,000 people in the camps. As the Sri Lankan government slowly resettles families, 80 percent of the people are still living in temporary shelters. Serving the needs of these people is often challenging because of travel restrictions. Frequent visits require permits and border clearance to travel to and from these areas and the careful planning needed to do this can take a lot of time and effort.
I am very grateful to our eye Doctor who was willing to go through numerous difficulties and never complained. For example, one day I dropped our eye Doctor off at the Sumathipuram IDP camp where 1500 families live in temporary tents. I was not able to go back to pick him up in the evening. The doctor had to sleep in a small military hut where conditions were not that great. The next day he had to take a bus home. Since I travel with a military escort and I have no restrictions for travel in the area, often the Doctor has to travel with me to get in and out of the IDP centers at all.
Many people were involved with this noble project. We all worked hard. I am especially grateful to the individuals and organizations that provided so many people with eyeglasses. Following are our major contributors. Ellipse Communications Inc., in Houston, Texas, the Center for Conscious Living in Moorestown, New Jersey, Anatta organization in Summit, New Jersey, Acoaxet Chapel in Westport, Massachusetts and Holy Covenant United Methodist Church from Katy, Texas.
We appreciate your continued support that makes it possible to do these wonderful acts of compassion.
