Sri Lanka Outreach Team

Sri Lanka in Q1 of 2007

2007-02-13T22:23:00.001-08:00

A core reference point for the Sri Lanka Outreach team was the christmas time tsunami of 2004.

I wanted to write and thank those of you that went on after me and continued to support the Sri Lankans in their bright and historic future.

In December, about a month ago - I was able to attend a meeting of Christian Sri Lankans that were all in the United States at a conference called Urbana. This small gathering of 30 Urbana participants allowed for the culutral history and Christian future to be communicated. The point of this note is to state that many lives were touched through the heroics of the Sri Lanka Outreach Team. Mostly positive, and always true, the feedback spoke of mothers who's children were helped by our teams gave light to hope from abroad.

I'm thankful for all of you that gave our your finances, of your time, and mostly of your heart.

Vegas Thornton

1st container

2005-06-29T06:43:00.000-07:00

THe 1st container of goods headed to Sri Lanka is on the way. I will put up photos and tracking links so you can see the status of the container for the distance to Sri Lanka.

Help Support Tsunami Families From America

2005-05-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

As I am only one of a few hundred US American able to arrive, assess, and assist in tsunami relief, I am appreciative of how the entire team is and has been able to help.

Memorial Day is soon in the US and I wanted to thank those, like my father who died giving the ultimate sacrifice and live in out hearts- and those serving keeping American free and safe. I appreciate the security offered that allowed us to help those not of our own kind, belief, and country.

I want to announce that containers offering non-monetary assistance to those working in the area are ready to be loaded.

Dropoff locations will be in San Diego and Las Vegas. If you or someone you know has a location to place a container for a few days, that would be willing to be a drop off location, please email me at Vegas@SriLankaOutreach.com.

I am in Las Vegas, please keep the team still in Sri Lanka close to your thoughts. THey expect to return to San Diego in Mid June.

Thank You,
Vegas Thornton
Director
Sri Lanka Outreach Team

Update

2005-04-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

We welcome two new members to our team - Tiffany Hirokawa and Emily Chou from California - who will be with us for the next two weeks.

For the past week we've been working at a tsunami camp about 20 min south in the city of Angulana. Last week they finished around 60 temporary shelters and are currently working on building about 60 more. Also, along with helping with construction we've been helping revamp a run down school inside the camp.

To be honest, is seems at times that the work we do here is useless and unappreciated. Other people can do my work... I'm far from undisposable. But I was amazingly encouraged twice in the past few days. Yesterday after we finished with construction Janet (a Canadian who's worked at Angulana for several months) mentioned that the work had not picked up that day at all until our team had arrived and encouraged everyone to work. It reminded me that not only are we getting work done but we're telling the locals, through our actions, that we love them... and that love, in turn, inspires them to work. And today we worked at the Dutch Reformed Church (we haven't been here for about a week) and Sri, the guy in charge or relief work, gave us T-shirts and thanked us profusely for our work.

To give anyone who's considering coming our a sneak peak... our typical day consists of 1) a group morning prayer/worship session 2) working for 4-8 hours (location changes all the time and duration is dependant on if we need to take care of other things such as Visas, bank, shopping, etc.) 3) eating out 4) relaxing at the apartment playing cards or watching West Wing (the San Diego team left all 3 seasons of it... glory halleluyah). We work hard during the week and play hard on the weekends.

Still Going Strong

2005-04-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Dustin and I'm currently here in Colombo updating from an internet cafe about 10 tuk tuk minutes away from the team apartment. I'm a 2nd year UC San Diego student am taking the spring quarter off to bless the people here and be rocked by them. Though I've only a week under my belt, the experience has been amazing.

I'm updating mainly just to give an update as to what the teams have been doing here and to remind everyone that there are still many areas of need. 3 months after the tsunami and it seems that the only ones who remembered it occured are the families living in tents, those that lost loves ones, and those helping to ease the pain.

A few days ago we took a 3 hour train down south about 110 kilometers to a city called Galle. The train runs directly parellel with the ocean and almost never loses sight of it and so along the whole ride we could see the tsunami damage. I thought that 3 months later and most of the rubble would be picked up and rebuilding would be through it's first phases, but in most cases there were just leveled buildings and no construction. It's crazy to think that we were traveling on the west side of the country which was not hit nearly as hard as the east side.

Once in Galle we talked with several locals who had lost their homes and I specifically remember one conversation inside a man's home that was still barely standing. He explained what had happened and then showed us the water marks which were about 10ft above the floor. Right above the water line he pointed out his dogs footprints.... it was an amazing/disturbing site.

For the past two days we've been working at the Dutch Reformed Church packaging and sorting supplies for various camps located accross the country and tomorrow we're joining one van which is delivering about 140 boxes to a camp just south of Galle. The boxes all contain various essencial family items such as a blanket, lantern, stove, kerosene, pans, a bucket, utensils, and a few other things. These all take time to prepare, sort, and store and so working with about 10-15 people at a time we are able to get through about 50-60 boxes an hour.

I'm glad to be here. The members here are awesome. The weather sucks... but... being from San Diego I'm spoiled. The locals are incredibly nice and hospitable.

The End of the Chapter

2005-04-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

Coming to Sri Lanka was an amazing experience..one that I will never forget and will probably be learning from for a good portion of forever. The most amazing thing about the trip, for me, was learning to communicate without using words. It's remarkable, the unlikely things that are international- such as Arnold Schwarzenegger impressions and bird calls made out of leaves and grass (you probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but trust me on that one.)

I'm writing to conclude my involvement with the Sri Lanka Outreach Team, at least for now. I've spent a great deal of time volunteering in my local church office in the last two weeks and feel that God is calling me to root myself there. I need to place myself in an environment where I grow into the Christian Leader that God is calling me to be. I may return to Sri Lanka, I hope that I will, but not right away.

If you are still interested in volunteering in Sri Lanka, I would still encourage you to do so- the people need as much help as they can get. I will no longer be able to obtain deals from Sri Lanka Airlines or with housing (though Vegas might) but I would be happy to connect you with the local volunteers from the Dutch Reform Church.

I will no longer be checking the gmail account, so if you have a question for me specifically you may contact me at booturner@artlover.com, otherwise you can still contact Vegas at Vegas@SriLankaOutreach.com

As a last impression, I will tell you what was most deeply ingrained in me through the course my time in Sri Lanka: our lives are not to be lived trying to make the best memories for ourselves; our lives are to be lived trying to do the Lord's work- and only that- and from this comes far better memories then you could have ever made for yourself. Don't waste your time, there's a bigger plan in the works.

Faith, Hope, and Love Remain- but the greatest of these is Love.
Sarah Turner

Update

2005-03-29T02:12:00.000-08:00

All teams except for Bill and Katy have been accounted for and are returning to the base in Colombo.

We welcome Dustin Cole from California who will be here for the next 2 months, offering tsunami support.

Update in Regards to the Recent Earthquake

2005-03-28T14:52:00.000-08:00

Vegas called me this morning to inform me of a second earthquake. It came from the same fault that resulted in the massive tsunamis in December. It was recorded at 8.7 and was followed by a 6.2 aftershock. Thailand received warning and evacuated most of the people from the coastal areas. Sri Lanka did not receive warning that we know of.

Vegas and the majority of the team are safe in Colombo.
Andy, Mike, Amanda, and a few others (I do not know who) were traveling to Trincomalee when it hit. Vegas has not heard from them yet.

Please pray for the teams. I will update this as soon as I know more. Feel free to call me if you have specific concerns. 775-544-5601.

Sarah Turner

Second Earthquake Update

2005-03-28T12:26:00.000-08:00

As of 3 hours since the initial earthquake in Bande Aceh, we have not experienced any damage or destruction as a result.

We have not re-establish contact with the 5 whom delivered medical supplies today nor have we received work from Bill and Katy (Maryland) whom conencted with a church in Trinco.

As soon as we reach them will update them accordingly. Currently telephone and most internet connections arr down. (I'm writing from the Apollo hospital)

-Vegas

2005-03-25T00:31:00.000-08:00

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Yesterday I got up at 5am to get the team of 18 up and ready to leave to go to the South to deliver 420 backpacks of school supplies for a school in the south in the city of Ambalagoda.

We finished distributing the school packs and drove the 2 hours back to our house in Colombo. When we arrived we found the tenet of the ground floor, Mr. De Alwis very upset with us. He held himself in the doorway blocking us from going in and thereby entering the top floor of the apartment we legally rent until our lease is up at the end of April.

When Mr. De Alwis, whom is also the deputy mayor of a city near Ambalagoda stepped away to speak to one of his servants, I tried to enter at which point the mayor came to the doorway and grabbed my arm. I yelled for him not to touch me and to let go of my upper arm, at which point he said he would harm me by punching me. After my team and many of the neighbors who gathered near the house turned to see this he yelled that he would punch me. After a few moments of him staring at me he said, “I will kill you”, at which point he ordered his servants for a knife. His servants delayed and he walked inside asking one of his servants to watch the door and went inside with the intention of finding a knife.

At this point, my entire team and myself moved about 15 feet away from the gate and contacted the police via cell phone. After one of the neighbors notified him we had done so, he yelled, “Be very careful, watch your back, I cannot be touched here”.

Mr. De Alwis, is the deputy mayor of Bentota, Sri Lanka. Bentota is one city (2 km) north of Ambalagoda and he has communicated many times that his city is in need of Tsunami relief. Because he has communicated in the past we found to be untrue, I have passed upon the needs to other organizations such as Compassion International, United Red Cross, and other professional tsunami relief organizations.

Our entire team is agreement, that Mr. De Alwis is a threat to the tsunami relief we do here and more importantly to our safety in the country. We have filed a police report of this matter and notified the US Embassy. The US Embassy and other relief organizations have instructed us to move from the premises, which we have done and are currently at a safe undisclosed location in the countries capital city, Colombo. We are currently looking for another place to live and asking for a donation of US $500, which would provide housing and utilities until April 31st, the date of our return to the US. Sri Lanka’s lease policies differ from the United States in the way that tenants prepay the entire term of the rent plus deposit. We hope to get our deposit from the property owners in Minnesota but because of the close relationship between the deputy mayor and the owners we do not expect this to happen.

Thank you for your time,
Vegas Thornton
Vegas@srilankaoutreach.com

New Members from Denver

2005-03-22T03:10:00.000-08:00

With a super-packed 40 foot container from Australia in front of us, and many villages near Galle in need of clothing and food to help, our team of 19 tackled the several day process of sorting, grouping, packing and distribution good.

We welcome our newest 5 members from Denver who will be with us for the next week and an half.

Paul Gunnick (42)
Judy Gunnick (41)
Stephen Gunnick (13)
Leesha Gunnick (11)
Chris Gunnick (16)

Please pray for the Gunnicks health, safety, and enduirance during this time for work, and relief support to the people of Sri Lanka.

San Diego Intervaristy Tsunami Team

2005-03-19T08:30:00.000-08:00

The team of 10 from the University of California, San Diego arrived today in Sri Lanka. The majority of the team plans to stay for 2 weeks, with many staying as long as 3 months.

The purpose of the team is to focus on tsunami relief alongside the existing student team here. This brings the total of Americans here- serving the affected thousands- to a little over 20.

Within 24 hours of arriving in Sri Lanka, the Sand Diego team joined the Potsdam, Las Vegas, and others in assessing need, visiting camps, distributing purchased bananas, crayons, and paper to the children in many government camps in the South.

The combined groups also packaged 180 boxes of family packs to be loaded and distributed to LTTE controlled Jaffna. The team will not be directly invlolved in the distribution of this load but will be in other areas in the future.

Each Family Package includes items purchase by Samaritan's purse as follows:

3 plastic plates
1 dish rag
1 3 x 6 mirror
1 lantern
1 mat
1 stove
3 pans
3 metal cups
1 blanket
1 butcher knife
and other things.

Thank you all for your assistance and prayer, seen and unseen. Please be in prayer for personal, and governmental decisions to be made in the next few days. Also prayer for Travel Mercies, Health, Protection, Individual preparation, and Unity for the teams here as well as for those yet to come.

A VERSE OF SCRIPTURE FROM THE SAN DIEGO TEAM:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6-7

More News

2005-03-16T11:11:00.000-08:00

This came out on Monday, March 14, 2005:

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Mar-14-Mon-2005/business/780127.html

Sarah

Volunteers Join Morotuwa Worksite

2005-03-14T23:47:00.000-08:00

A Canadian volunteer joins the Morotuwa worksite flatening dirt as a group of Sri Lankan women proudly hammer the future walls and door of their home for the next year.

Credit Michael Balonek
Full size image

Photos

2005-03-12T23:38:00.000-08:00

Mike and Amanda have been taking tons of phots.

Please see them at http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/michaelbalonek/album?.dir=/5249&.src=ph.

Serving by all ways possible

2005-03-12T23:02:00.000-08:00

After 3 days of tiring muscles, sweating bodies, and bruised and bloody fingers from building temporary houses we have seen the fruit grown from this labor. Through a series of extraordinary events we have seen our team of 4 US students and 1 US college professor complete 30 houses in 6 days.

A Sri Lankan commander stopped by the Morotuwa housing worksite asking " what could be done do move the process along" - even though we had only been on-site 3 days. I communicated the need for local help even at the cost of paying 1 dollar per day per worker, and the government constraint of not being able to use local workers because they are not skilled enough to build safe houses. At that point he made the decision that if the workers could not be gathered from the school and camp we are building for; that he would bring soldiers. The next day the campsite was changed! The 3 paid contractors were very upset because they get paid per day but at that point a process was determined and we have not looked back.

In a perfect example, we started showing the women to help by sorting wood and leveling panels. Then, after a failed attempt to hammer a nail into a panel, a village woman took the hammer and finished in 2 hits, less then the typical American 3 or 4. The next step of showing the other women was easy.

When the men returned around noon from fishing, they were quiet and looked a tad discontent. After watching the women for a few minutes a male village leader took one of the hammers from his wife, causing loud speaking from all the women. At the thought of female humiliation in front of his friends he retreated to using the electric saw, taught to him the day before.

Who would have thought women’s equal rights could be taught from the foreigner students.

Now we don't know if in the evening there was unrest in the camp. But if unrest existed, it would have been outweighed by the pride now displayed by the 52 families or 300 people living in the Morotuwa school house.

Since we have worked our way out of hands-on jobs in Morotuwa we will remain on site for a week or two to help where possible. We have been asked to work on a short term need for food and clothing sorting with a group that has just started. This may happen in the evenings, if we are not too exhausted. The team’s expertise in previous food distribution and the efficient American way is sure to raise question but show others another way of doing the same thing.

Embassy to All Eastern Volunteers

2005-03-12T22:57:00.000-08:00

Bill and Katie have traveled to the East to find a church in need to church partnering along side their home church in the US.

Please pray for their safety based upon the following alert in respons to several murders and politically motivated assasinations.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Colombo, ACS"
To:
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2005 11:12:58 +0600
Subject: CONSULAR WARDEN MESSAGE!
WARDEN MESSAGE
THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES IS TRANSMITTING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
THROUGH THE EMBASSY WARDEN SYSTEM AS A PUBLIC SERVICE TO AMERICAN CITIZENS
IN SRI LANKA. PLEASE DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE TO ALL U.S. CITIZENS YOU
KNOW,WHO ARE NOT REGISTERED WITH THE EMBASSY.

Warden's Message 11 March 2005

The US Embassy in Sri Lanka advises all American citizens in the east of Sri
Lanka of ongoing violence, including politically motivated assassinations in
that area. US citizens are advised to avoid political demonstrations that
may occur in this area. Political activity and gatherings may well become
the focus of violence in the area.

We urge American citizens in the region to exercise increased caution. We
do not recommend that American Citizens work alone as individual volunteers
in Eastern Sri Lanka at this time.

Americans working on relief projects in large groups are urged to register
with the Embassy.

If you have an emergency, please contact us at colomboacs@state.gov
or phone us at our daytime phone 2448007 and
after hours at 2447035. Please continue to monitor our website at
for security updates.

From an American's Perspective

2005-03-10T23:46:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

This Sarah Turner writing from Reno, NV. Coming back was an interesting experience. I had an overnight stay in Zurich, Switzerland where I got to see what being "lost in translation" is really like. All of the signs and overhead annoucments at the airport are first stated in Swiss, and then in German. Nothing more. Being that I do not know Swiss or German I had to ask a lot of questions and wander around looking especially confused. I had to run to the train, not walk at a leisurely place, and deal with the fact that I was no longer a minority by appearance, but still couldn't understand what was being said around me. I was dressed in the warmest clothing that I had, meaning a sweat shirt and tennis shoes (it's about 100 degrees in Sri Lanka right now,) but had to walk to the train station in a 28 degree snow storm- actually, that was fun.

Once in America I could understand all of the conversations taking place around me- a rather claustrophobic feeling. I found myself hovering dangerously close to a women speaking French into her cell phone, just feel isolated for an extra second. Even here, though, the signs and overhead announcements made in the airports are only in English. No other languages. If your are lucky, and happen to speak Spanish, you may see a bathroom sign from place to place, but that's really about it. It made me realize, and have a new respect for, how brave exchange students and immigrants are. The prices are outrageous, everything's in English, and Americans do not walk in a way that says "please stop me if you need assistance." Takes guts.

In speaking with passer-bys in the last two days, I have found that no one knows where Sri Lanka is, and the idea of speaking Sinhalese is completely beyond comprehension. The general public also seems to believe that the work here is going to take years (which is true) and therefore you should only come to help if you can stay for years (which is not true.) There is very little information left in the media, and even fewer ways to raise money in the mix of things. I was delighted to see blue bracelets on sell at 7/11. They are made and sold by Save the Children, an NGOs that is doing a very very good job in Sri Lanka, and have a line of stick-figures holding hands all around the band. The bracelets are $3 and that money actually goes to Sri Lanka, please buy as many of these bracelets as you can- I have one for each wrist.

I still plan to be as much a part of this team as possible. On the surface, I was asked to come home because of circumstances that I cannot control, but deeper down I feel that God has called me home to prepare my heart. A wise friend asked me why Jesus had come. I said, "to change the lives of everyone he met?" He said, "To focus solely on 12 people, preparing them to build and lead his church for the rest of time; and in doing so, he effected the lives of everyone he met. He didn't come to feed 5,000 people, he came to grow 12 workers into 12 disciples, and they fed 5,000 people."

My plan is to meet with the Pastors and Leaders here in order to form a new plan. Volunteers never have to be believers in order to help, but I would like to be in scripture and prayer together. I want my focus to be the volunteers, and through them, the people of Sri Lanka will be served. So this will be my goals for this next chapter of time, in addition to raising awareness and hopefully finding more funding.

Thank you all for your prayers. Please continue to pray for Vegas and the teams in (and coming shortly to) Sri Lanka. Please continue to support us. A personal request, could you please pray for a friend of mine who has popped out her ribs, unable to work, and in a great amount of pain? I don't want to write her name, but God knows who she is, and he'll listen on her behalf. Thank you!

1 John 3:16 (New International Version)
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."

Peace and Faith,
Sarah Turner

Photos

2005-03-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

Mike and AManda have updated photos.
They can be found at at http://www.flickr.com/photos/sl_amanda

Hello New Team Members

2005-03-07T05:25:00.000-08:00

Sarah Turner was my counter-part and one of the most influential persons involved with our work here. As you may have read she has made the difficult decision to travel back to the states at herparents request. Sarah will be missed here by locals and the team that worked with her. Please be in pray for her safety and travels as she ventures back to the US and finds what her next step leads. Sarah hopes to contonue to work with our team from the States on the orphanage project through child sponsorship.

Secondly, we are glad to welcome 4 new members to the Outreach Team. They come from the US like all of us to give energy and help to the many thousands, homeless, jobless and devistaed by the tsunami. I would like to intorduce them below.

Mike Balonek (Potsdam, New York)
Amanda Balonek (Potsdam, New York)
Bill Kitchin (Baltimore, Maryland)
Katie Kitchin (Baltimore, Maryland)

These memebrs will be working hands on in many areas of ministry and tsunami relief. You will hear from them on the blog and through photos often as they describe the work, need, and all that is going on. Mike and Amanda may be working with the YMCA on the East coast running some of the YMCA programs and music classes. Please pray for the lord direction with this decision.

Today we built 6 houses and hope to finish 80 by end of the month in the refugee camp of Moratuwa. This project is being led by the evangelical alliance of Sri Lanka on land governmentally owned. The desire of this project is to provide short and long term housing to 400 people / 90 families that are currently living in a school. Moratuwa is a 20 minutes train ride south of our Columbo base.

An Ever Changing Path

2005-03-02T23:59:00.000-08:00

Friends, Volunteers, Supporters, and Friends:

This letter has been sent to inform you that Vegas and I will be returning to the United States sooner than expected. My family has asked me to return in order to help with some struggles, so I plan to arrive on United States soil March 8.

I am sorry that I am changing plans that I know some of you have relied on and planned around. I do not feel that this decision is rash or done without great reason. I know that God works in mysterious ways. Even though I could choose to stay in Sri Lanka, I have decided to honour my parents and trust that their will is God's will. I hope that you can understand this.

For those coming to Sri Lanka, please know that both Vegas and I will continue to help as much as possible, both before and during your stay, via phone and email. We will connect you with Volunteer Managers as much as possible before you arrive. I have set up a Blog with everything you need to know: phone numbers, hotels, costs, etc. I will continue to update this as much as possible, but I think it will help you in the beginning.

I apologize again for the short notice. God Bless you in all that you do.

www.slovolunteer.blogspot.com

"The spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance to our God; to comfort all who mourn." Isaiah 61:1-2

Peace and Faith,
Sarah Turner

Encouraging and Challenging Emails

2005-03-02T23:50:00.000-08:00

In the last couple of days our team has been addressed with some very real concerns, and also some very encouraging praises. I would like to share some of them, I will not put who they are from but you can see my response to all of them. This may be a more personal way to show the insider's part of this team:

From a Pastor:

Sarah,
I've been reading with great interest your blog and emails, including those your mom sends us. I am happy to hear that there has been some degree of resolution with the team, but am sad that it seems everyone is going their own way from here on. I felt like I needed to express my concerns about your situation, and you can take it or leave it.

1. This may sound a little trivial in light of all that's going on, but your present living arrangement (you and Vegas sharing an apartment) seems a tad questionable to me. A team of people living in an apartment is one thing, but two single young people of the opposite sex living in an apartment in a foriegn land just opens the door to speculation on the part of those looking in, and, yes, even temptation on your part. You and Vegas do no honor to the name of Christ by co-habiting in this way. And you put yourselves in a situation that could easily cause you to compromise your relationship with Christ. There...I said it.

2. I'm concerned about who is representing 30 Churches you are connecting with. Is there some stateside contact that can verify who this person is and what their role is in the situation? Forgive my cynicism, but there are thousands of very clever cons being reported around the relief effort. At this point it seems wise to remain skeptical and proceed slowly. Send me any names and contact information you have on the church there and I'll do the research from here. I just need to know more about these folks to be very excited about your partnership with them. I know the guy here in Sparks well enough to get him on this for me if I have some names and contact information.

3. Who are you and Vegas accountable to there now that the team is disbanded? You seem to be pretty much on your own, and that doesn't do much for your credibility (or safety, frankly) in a volitile area and circumstance. You have no experience in relief work or cross-cultural mission (that I know of) and you are in a very different culture from your own. You are Christian and American and young and female, living and traveling with a young male who is the same. All of these things are hurdles to overcome in your present circumstance and some of them put you in grave danger. Who is looking out for YOU? Who is guiding and supervising you and your work there?

Look...we love you and are praying for you. We also (many of those who have spoken with me anyway) think you're a bit over the edge at the moment. Personally I think you guys should come home and get reinforcements, and look for an agency here that can send you and train you and supervise you. There is a reason World Vision responded to you the way they did...and I think you should listen carefully to them.These are my personal concerns, mainly. Many others, as I mentioned, share my concerns. NOBODY wants to say ANY of this to you because we love your heart and passion and don't want to squish any of that out of you. Be we are worried for you, and I thought you should know.I'm copying this to your mom and dad because I love them and don't want to keep any secrets from them...especially when it comes to their daughter. They didn't know I was sending this to you and they didn't ask me to. Fact is, they might even be pissed at me for doing it. Unfortunately I am not good at pretending...or keeping my mouth shut when I have an opinion.

Please reply as you can. I would love to hear from you.

My Response:

Your concerns are very appropriate and I appreciate your honesty- hardto take, as it is... I will address your concerns as best I can.

In regards to Vegas and I living together: We asked a religious official if it would be inappropriate to live together. He said the same as you, that a team of people in onehouse would be alright but that the two of us alone would not be okay.The apartment that we plan to get will be available to us on Sunday,January 30. A volunteer from Fresno- a 45yr old, married woman named Andrea- will move in with us on February 4 and a couple - IV alumnai from NY- will move in on March 1. As far as the four days until Sundayand the four days until Andrea arrives, Vegas and I are considering getting seperate hotel rooms (they are $6 a night) or staying with the family. The family will not reject us or kick us out, it has only been my desire to move out as soon as possible because I feel that we are a burden to them, financially and otherwise. The apartment has three bedrooms and two bathrooms- from the moment that we step in the door, boys and girls can have different bathrooms and bedrooms. This will give us the appropriate distance and privacy.

In regards to our church contact: --I had about a paragraph here but was asked to take it off for privacy sake. I do not want to get any of the existing christian organizations in Sri Lanka in trouble--

In regards to who is looking out for us: You are right that we do not have the training that we need, or the resources, or the skills to offer (that was actually one of my dad's points), or the accountability in the States or in Sri Lanka. As far as accountability goes, we are trying to fix that. We were just given the email addresses of IV Staff, here in Sri Lanka, and would love to connectwith them for support and general prayer. In the meantime, our church contact has agreed to meet with us once a week and discuss our progress, problems, and cultural know-hows. We also met some Sri Lankan students who have spent the last year in America, and they call us all the time to make sure we're ok and answer any questions. The guy that we bought our cell phone from calls us daily to check up, and a man from Canada keeps us updated on the news and religious tension. So it's spread out- but people are looking out for us. As far as the states goes, I have to talk to my parents as much as possible and that's the only support that I get. For personal accountability I have been emailing my partner in America: she keeps me honest and prays for me in the areas of temptation and comfort and all that. I do the same for her, so that relationship has not been lost. Vegas does the same with his accountability partner.

As far as being in too deep, or over the edge, or not having any clue what we're doing- you're right. But I would have given up already if I didn't feel that this is exactly where God wants me. I'm scared spitless and consider coming home every day- but it's an easy out. I won't do it. The doors here keep opening, even if it's just a crack at a time. It takes a lot of patience and prayer- a lot more than I have, but God makes up for the rest. He intercedes for me when I cannot pray and strokes my head in the night when I cannot cry. I have felt his hand on my head every night since I've gotten here, I wake up and look around, but there's nothing there but his peace, so I go back to sleep. I am glad that I'm here, over my head, with nothing to offer-because that means that what people receive is not any of me, and all of God.Please continue to write your concerns to me, and communicating with my parents. I know that they are concerned as well and it is harder for them to tell me their concerns because what I need from them as support.

Pray for them and for us.
Sarah Turner

From a Volunteer:

My name is ----------------- and I'm a part of a local church in San Diego,California. This past two weeks, our church has been fasting and prayingover the Lord's direction-we have felt a calling to go to Southeast Asiaand help out with the Tsunami Releif. After two weeks of calling differentorganizations, we were unable to find any Christian organizations thatwent to Sri Lanka. So, thinking it is our only option and best option, weare currently planning to go to Sri Lanka in Mid-end March with an secular group called Global Crossroads.We have been frankly trying to contact churches, mission organizations,etc for Sri Lanka local missionaries and churches so that our physicalrelief work might also be partnered with ministry work for His Kingdom.

Today, by the Sovereignty of God (because I'm not sure why I got this update email), I received your updates.Would it be possible for us to get in contact with you, your team, and the local churches in Sri Lanka? Do you need our manual labor/help or shouldwe still stick with Global Crossroads? Would Visa be harder to obtain ifwe went into the country individually? At this time, we're trying to tie last minute plans together. So if you could get back to me ASAP, that would be wonderful.I am encouraged and excited by reading your blog updates. I know that the Lord will do wonderful things through you and your team! If anything-we'llbe simply broken by the Spirit in being there...stretched in numerousways.

Praise God! Hope to talk with you soon.

From a Friend:

Someone I've never met sent me this email below about your relief efforts. I wondered if your group is plagued with lecturer types who don't work and serve. Or I wondered if your group is led by people who do not believe it is ever appropriate to speak in reciprocally friendly conversations, about Jesus. It seems by the emphatic nature of your 'need to be clear' that it is one or the other. Frankly I tend to find both extremes rather ridiculous. Not that any was asking, but apparently someone felt I should know about this 'good work' done by mimes apparently guilted into sensitive silence, or radicals reigned-in for inciting religious riot. Smile. I felt this statement below indicated something I'd not want to support, just FYI.

My Response:

That was rather bold, thank you. I personally find myself to be the type ofperson who's attitude says "you don't really believe that it's GOOD NEWS if you aren't motivated to tell anyone and everyone about it..." and so in thatregard, I strongly agree with you, I wouldn't want to support me either.What you brought up is a very good point.

What were are facing is a cultural threat. In coming here, I had the plan to show the love of Jesus by my actions and speak the love of Christ to those who asked about it. Another team of Christians came here, however, proclaiming the same goal. Instead, they put on skits and handed out tracks.This created a tremondous backlash from the community, and the churches are now reluctant to accept "christian workers." That is why I added that comment- I had to. I don't feel good about it and may take it off, but we will not be supported by the local people if we claim otherwise.

I am sure that if I felt led to stand on a chair and proclaim to gospel ofJohn- I would...and would probably be arrested or killed for it. However, I don't believe (at this moment) that God is calling me to threaten theauthority of existing christians in Sri Lanka.

Thank you for your words,
Sarah Turner

His Response:

Sarah, you rock. Great and helpful reply. You might put that on your web.Many including myself who have served overseas for multiple years have seenshort-term people be of service and be a major pain. Smile. In yoursensitive contexts with this religious people group and the conflictsalready on the ground their between various religious and ideologicalgroups, your testimony, willingness, tact are actually just the sort thatfolk 'who know' would want to promote. Thanks for your reply. And thanksfor not dissing my boldness where it was technically none of my business ina sense. Thanks for taking the time to reply and no need to take up yourvaluable time again. Major thanks and prayers for you and the missiontoday.

Lack of News

2005-03-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

To our friends and family. Although we are busy here we apologize for the lack of blog updates over the past week and a half. We are still working on getting the project details on the orphanage and finding contributors once this project is approved. Secondly we are preparing to welcome new volunteers for the month that will be here for several months.

There are exciting changes that are taking place as we work as much as we can in this redevlopment effort. Please pray God ultimate wisdom be placed upon the refugees, politicians, teams, and advisors here and abroad.

Thank You,
Vegas and Sarah

Limited Free Speech in Sri Lanka

2005-02-20T03:00:00.000-08:00

A email sent from the largest group of Sri Lankan NGO's is communicating that we all need to very careful with anything emailed, posted on the website and communicated to others. This means we cannot communicate some of the serious isses here that we find are not being expressed properly or correctly to our supporters, friends and family in the US and abroad, we hope you understand this problem.

On the request of other NGO's who are forced to do the same, "Until further notice and more specific information has been given regarding what can and cannot be said -we will not and can not mention, describe, document, archive, photograph or comment on what the Sri Lankan government is or is not doing here.".

For more on this please see. http://www.colombopage.com/archive/February18153851UN.html

The Sri Lanka Outreach Team

Orphan Photos

2005-02-19T06:26:00.000-08:00

Todays Phots can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/12776927@N00/sets/127154/