 “The
Water is Coming”, cried Balu.
It has been two months since 8-year-old Balu’s lost his playfulness.
Instead of running to the inviting waters his of the Indian ocean, his little
bodyshudders when he just hears the ocean’s surf. In the aftermath
of December's tsunami, Balu’s mother Bhavani is thankful that her
three children’s lives were spared.
But now she is especially concerned for her eldest, her Balu. After the
tsunami, his small frame was found unconscious and floating in a flooded
area. Since then he has suffered from a high fever and wakes up with nightmares
every night. She shared, “I don’t know what he is talking
about at times, but when I ask him, he starts to cry and say, ‘water,
water is coming’.”
Recently volunteers from OB India were able to console some of Bhavani’s
concerns. She was able to take a supply of medicine to bring down the
boy’s fever and the family received counseling. A few days later,
team members went to the family’s shelter to check up on Balu. “OBI
provided us relief aid and also the emotional support,” commented
Bhavani. “With all your timely care, love and right counseling,
my son Balu has improved.”
Like Balu, countless children as well as adults, are trying to understand
the chaos around them. For two months, our recovery teams in India, Sri
Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand have delivered emergency relief, food, clothing,
medical care and emotional support to thousands of survivors. The opportunities
to show genuine love and care for grieving families and flattened communities
is still overwhelming.
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