HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-11-24, Page 23THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2005. PAGE 23.
Area couple’s daughter creates hope in Sri Lanka
Imagining the anguish felt by
those widowed and orphaned by a
devastating tsunami that hit South
East Asia last December, Alison
Miculan. daughter of Rev. and Kay
John Roberts, Belgrave, decided to
do something about it. So in April
she got on a plane to Trincomalee,
Sri Lanka, and embarked on a
journey she hopes will alleviate
some of the pain.
Miculan is setting up a project
called Come Home Again - a village
that will house 40 widows and their
children.
She stayed in the tsunami-ravaged
area for 10 days, and lobbied the Sri
Meville
Guild
Lankan government to provide
crown land to build a village. Also,
during her trip she looked for a
warehouse to store bicycles donated
to the McMaster Bicycle Project and
also for an office for the newly
established Relief Aid International
Canada.
Miculan had an angel on her
shoulder while in Sri Lanka.
Anushka Joseph, a fourth-year life
sciences student, helped her
establish the village. Joseph wanted
to get involved in the project
because her family is originally from
Sri Lanka. She also has connections
that assisted with setting up the
village and with securing the land
deal.
document the trip to provide
information to teams of 20 to 30
students who were to travel to Sri
Lanka at the end of August with
Miculan to participate in the actual
physical building of the village.
Miculan is hoping that the village
will be up and running by December.
It was decided to build the village
in Trincomalee because it was one of
the areas hardest hit by the tsunami.
It also has been difficult providing
aid to the area because of political
turmoil. In Trincomalee 1,078
people died in the tsunami disaster,
337 went missing and 81,599 were
displaced.
The McMaster University team of
students and leaders flew to Sri
meets
The November meeting of the
Melville Guild was held in the
church parlour on Tuesday evening,
Nov. 15 with 11 members present.
Dona Knight opened the meeting
with the call to worship, God Bless
You and Keep You in His Care. For
the Beauty of the Earth was sung.
A moment’s silence was observed
for Helen Elliott who was a long
time member of the Guild and
WMS.
Mrs. Knight read a poem It’s In
the Valley 1 Grow and the scripture,
Psalm 27 was read in unison. Mrs.
Knight led in prayer and Jean
Bewley gave the topic. A Story of
the War Years, which was followed
by everyone repeating the poem In
Flanders Fields.
Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past
was sung and everyone repeated the
Mizpah Benediction to close this
part of the meeting.
Leona Armstrong presided over
the business. She read a story, The
Seasons and the minutes of the
October meeting were read and
approved.
A note from Jeanne Ireland’s
family was read, thanking the Guild
for the lunch after the funeral.
The treasurer’s report was read by
Cathrine Campbell.
The collection for the year will be
given to the WMS allocation.
The roll call was answered by
everyone telling what they like best
about the fall season.
The Guild is invited to Lucknow
on Dec. 14 at 12:30 p.m.
The Guild will be donating $25 to
the church in Helen Elliott’s
One of Joseph’s tasks was to Lanka in August to help build
Save room for pie
Residents of Belgrave hopefully brought their appetites to
the supper for the United Church held at the Community
Centre Wednesday, Nov. 16. A hot meal was provided
along with several tables full of dessert. (Heather crawford photo)
duplex houses - enough for 50
tsunami widows and their children.
They were wading into an area of
political unrest and complete
devastation. However, Miculan the
project leader, assured the other
team members that western aid and
workers are not a big target and the
political situation has nothing to do
with them.
Team members took two suitcases
each - one containing personal
belongings and the other filled with
toothpaste, hammers, hygiene
products and other necessities for the
tsunami victims.
Miculan was very pleased with the
amount of work which was
accomplished by the team, and she
says that the rest of the duplexes will
be built by locals hired by her and by
Relief Aid International, a non-profit
organization recently established at
McMaster.
The student work, however, “will
be a big boost in moving things
along,” she said.
The $280,000 complex is to
become self-sustaining: It will
include a market garden for food and
produce to be sold, and coops for the
women to raise their own chickens.
The 27 students and four leaders
had their challenges, but they were
determined to replace despair with
hope in at least one area of Kinnlya,
one of the hardest hit-tsunami areas.
Aside from her strong faith,
Miculan says the reason for getting
involved in this project is simple. “If
anyone passed a wading pool and
saw a child drowning they wouldn’t
hesitate to save them,” she said.
“This is just a different kind of
wading pool that 1 have passed by.”
(This is an edited version of an
article which appeared in The
McMaster Daily News which was
submitted by Chan tai I Van Raay, and
also an article which appeared in
The Hamilton Spectator which was
submitted by Carmela Fragomini.)
Pfeade foot ccwtd/tift
Sunday, November 27
Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m.
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
'Weiowceo, to- erunc
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
memory.
Mrs. Knight invited the Guild to
her home for the Christmas meeting.
There will be a $3 gift exchange.
Mrs. Armstrong led in prayer.
Lunch was served by Mrs. Knight
and Mrs. Bewley.
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
MISSIONARY CHURCH
SING A SONG OF Auburn - 526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD
Sunday, November 27
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.[S
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Cotnjnuatty Church
"The Church is not a
Building,
It is People Touching
People"
Sunday 9:45 a.m.
What are
you
living
for?
EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH
10:30 a.m.
Blyth Public School
Mon. 6:45 pm Junior Girls Gr. 4-6
Fri. 7 pm Youth Group Gr. 6+
Sat. 9:30 am Parenting
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848
http://getlivingwater.org
Sunday 9:30 a.m.Family Bible Hour
11:00 a.m.
- Power Hour Circus
(Ring of Relationships)
- Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
Phone: 440-8379 ~ 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 523-4590
Tuesday
Wednesday
10:30 a.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:15 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
- Morning Worship Service
- Evening Worship Service
- Jr. & Sr. Youth Bible Study
- Olympians
- Adult Bible Study
Blyth United Church
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, November 27
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
Worship Service, Sunday School & Nursery
11:00 a.m
Minister: Rev. Robin McGauley
;4CC
Office: 523-4224
The Church sanctuary will be open every Wednesday during Advent
(Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14,21) from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm for Prayer and
Meditation. The Minister will be available for anyone who would
like spiritual guidance for this time. Come into the quiet of God and
away from the busyness of this season.
Sanctuary