One of our sponsors and his wife are interested in adopting a child from Sri Lanka. In their quest for information and help they were led to Sister Vineetha Malalgoda at the Sacred Heart Convent in Galle. To say that she is an amazing person just isn’t enough. Running the convent in Galle, overseeing the curriculum at their school of over 2000 students and attending to the needs of the people in Galle are just a few of the duties she so tirelessly performs.

Sister Vineetha brought us to a devastated village right on the water in Galle. Despite the easy access to and from Colombo and the tourist trade, these affected people were still living in what was once a youth hostel. Families of 5 living in 6x6 rooms. No running water, no toilet facilities, and spotty electricity right next to the foundations that once held up their homes. Imagine no insurance, no FEMA, and foreign aid that never makes it to the people most in need.

Once again the children there are amazing. In order to promote their education the Sisters have built a study center. Each day, after school, the children come to the study center for additional learning and tutoring. On our March 2006 trip we were able to purchase musical instruments for the children and have several additional fundraisers planned. We’re sponsoring a trip to Colombo where they will visit museums and other cultural centers. Our next project will be to help Sister Vineetha setup individual savings accounts for the children and to purchase computers for the study center.