Kandapola burned out houses Issuing School uniforms Jan 20th

Kandapola burned out houses

Issuing School uniforms

We had to wait until the Thaipongal festival is over, because of the Hindu children; most of them begin their schooling after this festival. On the 20^th at about 3.00 p.m. we arrived at the Smyrna Church in Kandapola. We could see children are playing around the Church. When van stop in front of the Church children came running towards the van and they helped us to carry the things into the Church.

 There we inquired about their present situation, still they are in the tents, and when there was a bad weather week ago all of them were in these tents. Now they have started cooking for their own families. They have got some of the clothes for their use at home, and the school where they attend had collected some exercise books which they can start lessons in the school. Until we visited them they did not had any hope of getting school uniforms.

We came to know through the Pastor  that only 21 children are schooling, six children have stopped going to school because of various reasons and now we advised the Kandapola Mission school teachers to visit the six children and bring them to Mission School. 

First we asked a tailor from Kandapola town to come and take the measurement of each child and we started issuing the uniform materials, under garments, school books and school bags. We served them with a bun and a cup of tea them we explained all these people how we collected money for  Sweden and told  them that we sent photographs of burnt houses and the tents and from Sweden there were so many kind people who helped us to support them.

 This family came late to receive their books and uniforms

We explained about the Smyrna and what Smyrna is doing for people to uplift their lives. These children were so grateful for being so concern about them when they were in a great need. We felt the warmth of their hearts toward us.

 Then we asked them to get into the van and we went to the Kandapola town to buy shoes for them according to their sizes. We brought them back to the church for them to go to their tents

From Smyrna Fellowship working Committee.

                                                                                       

Two boys left Mission School for Vocational Studies

Prasanth and Selvanayagam are both 14 year old boys who were studying at Smyrna Mission School.  They could not gain entrance to a government school so continued studies at Smyrna.

Both of them now wish to follow a course at the Technical College where they are offered different courses.  Sadly, they don't have the course they want to follow here at the Technical College and were asked to follow the Electronics course they wanted at their branch in Helbodde, which is about 1 hour drive from Nuwara Eliya towards Kandy.

We miss them greatly as they were the "big brothers" for all the kids and were very responsible and looked after the other kids in the school.  But we had to say good bye as we no longer could keep them and they need to get some vocational training.

They take the 6.30 morning bus to be there at 8.30.a.m.  They started yesterday and they came to see me a while ago. They are given a monthly allowance of 600 Rupees which will go into a bank account. However they cannot withdraw that money until they are 18 years old!
They are now burdened with finding money to travel daily.  The government bus depot issues a season ticket that enables them to travel in a bus for a lesser amount and they have to pay 800 rupees to get that ticket.  They were asking if we could help them to buy the season tickets.  The course is for six months.  I told them that I would look into the possibility.  After completing this course they will be able to earn a living by doing electronic repairs.

We have helped them so far and I would like to request you to consider helping them for the next six months too after which they will not have to depend on anybody.

Compiled by Ruth

 

Prasanth and Selvanayagam

Prasanth and Selvanayagam with their Mission school friends

 With their Mission school friends

With their Mission School Teacher