Sri Lanka - Last Day: Celebrating Together

The day is hot and beautiful as Team 11 sets out together to inspect all the worksites. For the last 10 days we were divided into three teams rotating daily through all locations so it is very exciting to have a chance to take a good look around and see all that has been accomplished.



First stop the Muslim School where the crew worked to “parge” the walls both inside and outside the library and computer lab, put down floors, finish ceiling, cleaned up and built walk ways around the outside. The rock is a special tribute to tripcanada designed by Christine. The building will be completed by our workers by the end of May.

 

 

It was hard to tell what was more exciting for the kids in the neighbouring Muslim community – ice cream for everyone or the fabulous new playground with swings, slide and teeter totter.

 

The teams worked hard at the temple pre-school cleaning, painting and “redecorating” a community meeting room and the children’s classroom – and donated some new much needed school supplies. Many hours were dedicated to “parging” the new kitchen building. The children were dressed in their best and patiently waited through a thank you speech and tea for the volunteers provided by their mothers and then ran outside thrilled by their new playground. 

 

 




On to the peaceful and beautiful location at Palathaduwa Temple a new community gathering and worship room is rising from the hard red mud. Is the team celebrating or rebelling at yet another photo?

This site started with a few holes in the ground and it was back breaking work to dig, build a complete foundation and support columns and start to brick the walls. At the same time, the Monk’s meeting room was re-painted for the May full moon festival.

 

 

 

The Monk’s delight in the contribution by our volunteers was evident with the very serene and meaningful blessing ceremony and handing out of personal certificates and gifts to each volunteer.

 

 

Our evening started with a thank you party for the 20 men who have worked beside us, laughed with us and taught us many new skills and a deep appreciation for this country and its people. Kristian is getting a last lesson in the art of dancing from Priyantha and the party ended with a heart-felt sharing of the Canadian and Sri Lankan national anthems. We returned to Moonstone Villas, where we were treated to a show by native country dancers and a delicious farewell dinner.

Team 11 has left a lasting mark at the places they built and made a difference in hundreds of lives enriching the opportunities for education, worship and play. We are forever connected to these people and each other sharing many unforgettable memories. Some captured in a few comments:

“I have reached a new low dressing each day trying to decide – what is the least dirty thing I can put on!”

“We are lucky to have so much. But at the same time it blinds us from what is really important in life.”

“I have found muscles I never knew I had – both from working hard and laughing. We laughed so much I feel it right down in my belly!”

“It is quite astonishing that while I came to make a difference to others, I feel that the life that has changed the most is my own.”

Thank you Team 11 for making a difference in hundreds of lives. 

Janet McKelvey
DWC/TRIP Canada Team Leader
Sri Lanka, April 2015

 

Sri Lanka - Day 9: Getting it done

Sudharma Pre-SchoolKim had a personal mission today. While she was happy with the facilities at the pre-school, it wasn’t enough. She identified a need for classroom supplies for the preschoolers, persuaded others to chip in and she and Jennifer went on a shopping spree accompanied by a very excited teacher. Three stores later they returned with many needed bags of pencils, markers, pens, erasers, pencil cases, musical instruments, tambourines and pastels. The teacher was so grateful to be able to buy her students so many things that would enhance their learning and schooling experience. The smiles on her face was the reward.
 

Muslim School
In the morning parging was still the main task and the volunteers took turns sifting the sand, making cement and then the art of getting it on the walls! After lunch, Glynis, Eloise, Katy, Blair and Peg, left the school to paint playground equipment in the middle of the Muslim neighbourhood. Armed with brushes and pots of red, blue and yellow paint, we began to brighten the look of our jungle gym and swing. It wasn’t long before we were approached by a lovely local woman asking if she could help. We all looked at one another and immediately handed her a brush! Having her join us not only lightened our load, but became a bridge between the volunteers and the local community. What a significant moment! Never before has a woman stepped forward to work with us!

 

 

PalathaduwaWhat a busy day team 3 had at the Monk’s temple! The morning was spent mixing cement, moving bricks, building walls, pouring cement into forms and painting. At noon, the volunteers were treated to a traditional Sri Lankan lunch provided by Chamalie at the community centre. Then they set to work sorting all of the gifts brought from Canada by the volunteers: piles of clothing, toys, school supplies, dental products, toiletries, and of course, Canadian flags! They will go to needy families. After lunch, it was all hands were on deck to finish the painting with that Full Moon ceremony coming quickly!

 

It was truly a good day.

Janet McKelvey
DWC/TRIP Canada Team Leader
Sri Lanka, April 2015

April 26: Day 8 - Re-energized and back to work

Muslim School Progress

The day started with parging inside the library (the computer lab is done) and some heavy duty “landscaping” until lunch. Then we took a little extra time to go to the Sunday market where we all bought spices, sarongs and “Sri Lankie blankies” (beautiful Sri Lankan bed sheets that make perfect tablecloths or beach blankets).

Then it was off to the Muslim neighbourhood for the installation of a much needed playground. Easily the most scorching site yet with full blazing sun and no breeze at all in the hottest part of the day. As we toiled away the neighbours all came out and brought plastic chairs which they placed in whatever shade they could find. The children crowded around and watched excitedly as their new playground was being prepped for installation. Everyone was all smiles which felt great as this is a new community to us and we were made to feel very welcome. David and Bruce pulled an extra-long shift at the new playground site, working most of the day there. David becoming a neighbourhood favourite as he sprayed the children with the water hose the family next door lent us to help mix concrete with. It was a tough go but these kids are going to be very happy.
 

 Sudharma Pre-School

What a hot and still day at the female monk’s preschool! Poor Scott and George were closet pargers for the entire day…no air…no room to turn around, let alone see what they still needed to parge. Interestingly, they never came out of the closet! In Scott’s own words, it was like working in a greenhouse in 40 degree temperatures with their work boots slowly filling with sweat. On a high note, they never had to take a pee break in spite of all the water they consumed.

The rest of Team 3 had a slightly easier day, finishing up a few spots that had been missed by paint, and then putting the preschool back together. Thank goodness one of the Sri Lankan women hovered in the room while we put the furniture and flooring back as she knew where everything needed to be placed. By the end of the afternoon, the room was swept, organized and ready for the school day tomorrow. What a wonderful feeling to have finished one of our projects! The second floor room was also swept and the freshly painted furniture was put back in position. Two rooms completed!

The playground was worked on with the new equipment placed, the holes dug and the cement poured. The children will be so excited to have a place to play outdoors!

It was a great day for Team 3, with their close proximity to the market a wonderful lunchtime bonus!!

Palathaduwa

The team flipped back and forth between the new building and the community room. At the new building, some helped with the forms that were put in place, soon to be filled with cement which will form the walls. The workers were happy to teach Amalie choice Sinhalese words, which she later found out could not be repeated to either Anil or the monk!

There was a press to finish the painting in the community centre. The full moon ceremony is fast approaching and the monk would be delighted to see the space completed beforehand. He is thrilled that we have been able to re-paint this room as the May full moon is most significant as this is the month Buddha was both born and died.

Local children attending Sunday school, spent a good deal of time watching us paint. From a shy start, soon the students were climbing through the windows to get their picture taken by Eloise! Given more time, they would have tried to help us paint which may not have been so bad, as we seemed to be getting more paint on the floor than the walls!

 

While many spent lunch at the market, the monk provided a special moment for Janet, Peg and Richard when he invited us in to see the private room in which he worships. It was such as honour.

Many wonderful memories for all of us!

Janet McKelvey
DWC/TRIP Canada Team Leader
Sri Lanka, April 2015