From:  Conny Baumann
Date:  Wednesday July 27, 2005
Subject: "Day One"

Firstly, I must have had the hardest seat in all of history, was so glad to get off the plane!  Got a bus from the airport to Colombo, and then with a help of a few locals, who practically jumped into the road to stop a bus for me, made it to Galle by 12pm.  It was so strange walking up those stairs again, and with a big bag it's not recommended, and I bumped into the twins Caroline and they remembered my name!!!! Anyway, got to the top of the Galleria, great to see Barbara and Dumi, (restaurant owners) So welcoming and sweet, had a quick south African fanta, tastes like ours do in sa and felt all the better.  Went home to have a shower and sort my stuff out and of course a quick mid day nap, to be woken up with a lovely plate full of pasta and fresh basil!  Driving down from Colombo was strange, in some ways all the tents have disappeared and have been replaced by tiny wooden plank sheds, with maybe one window, a tiny one if that, yet the rumble still lies there, just in more of pile.  It does seem more tidy, yet more empty.  I was sitting next to a guy totally intoxicated with mentholated spirits, and he kept wanting to share his bubble gum with me, harmless and really lovely, then we drove past his house, that is non existent right now, and he says "that my house, my wife, son and mother gone in sea"  How do you even begin to tell him that meths isn't the answer, I would most probably be doing the same, where do you start?  Galle however is still a community of tents in most areas, the ones that are not visible by the main road.  Very sad.  The big organizations seem to have disappeared over here, no more flags promoting who they are.  Habitat seem to be into the house building, had a look around Galle and there homes look pretty good.  Getting the locals to work on them, so that's good.

Anyway this is the amazing part.  I went back to the refugee camp where Caroline and I did a womens group, and spoke to Chine.  The main problem being that all these guys are fishermen and have no boats so they sit around all day.  The woman have lost their stalls, so can't sell stuff in their village as they used to and the place just looks like a local dumping litter ground.  Also there is a spare house going, that somehow is connected to the Covent Nuns, not quite sure, but we can use it for the kids!  So Tomorrow is discussion day, Friday and Saturday Shopping day and Monday we all start work.

The idea is, the guys and girls will divide into groups, and build new selling counters, tables for the classrooms, fix door and roof fixtures on the half houses that are over the 100m mark (as these people are now more than likely not going to be considered for a very very long time, if not ever)  Clean all the drains, all the toilets that there are, bathroom cleaning, cleaning around the tents, all the bottles, bags and rubbish, lastly clean out the tents, and washing, including bedding as they have not been washed in the last three months.  Now for those who were saying they could never sleep with their partner on a single bed, these guys are doing exactly that but on the size of a camping mattress, with triple the heat surrounding them!  We also need a fridge, for the cool drink store, an over locker for the lace lady who now is making table clothes and selling them and chairs.  The ladies seem to be overwhelming keen on learning new art techniques for materials, I so wish I had more time so I could show them lots of tricks.  (people that know me, will know how much I wish I could be painting fabric all day)  Another lady needs to buys some clothes, as her business was to sell them once she got her bargains.  So obviously this doesn't cater for every person, and I really don't want to be seen as the giving fairy, soooo I have come up with a plan (thanks to a few supportive emails) and they all seem really keen!  Who ever works will get paid a basic rate per hour, and that way the men can become some sort of earner and the women can get their bits for their shops.  Also the ration coupons have stopped since the end of July, which means many families do not have any money for any food, and are becoming mal nutritioned.  The thing that shocks me most is how much a fishing boat is over here without the engine.  So Chaline, I wonder if you can look into second hand fishing boats from Fishhoek or surrounding areas, even windhoek, and see what it would cost to import.  Even if its not new, as long as it floats and is in one piece its a start.  So guys, there is lots to do, and hopefully by next Friday this camp site will be completed.    Also World Vision which popped in for a day during our last stay left a large massive tent that has never been used, and we are going to turn it into a working area for the ladies, to make stuff, do stuff, for their shops.  It feels like I haven't been away now, and London, and work seem miles away.

We will also be having a party on Friday to celebrate our hard work, and the veg man will continue to do his work, yet in separate parcels this time.  Take care everyone, I will be going to the orphanage tomorrow, I hope my little babes are still there.  I know this email has been all over the place, but am so excited, and very jet lagged, but time is precious, and there is plenty of time to sleep on that hard seat back to London.

love conny

p.s if any of you know how to make boats...then pop over for a week in a group and we can get you working.