From:  Conny Baumann
Date:  Monday Aug 1, 2005
Subject: "Another Day"

Being Monday, and everyone knowing how much I hate Mondays, will appreciate this one, I had an open house party to attend at seven in the morning!!!!  Now that's a challenge for us all!  The last five days have been so busy, and I feel like I have been here for a very long time.  So much has happened in a short space of time, and I don't really know where to begin.  Yes I can hear some of you singing that song!  Well we sorted out the tools and wood that we needed to make the tables, got material for the curtains, and that took care of Thursday and Friday.  Then the weekend was filled with buying mozie nets for a random camp that was behind a major shopping mall.  I find it so difficult to comprehend at times, just when you think this is it, you have seen it all, you walk down a dodgy street, full of very dodgy people, and you land up on this open space, with lots of rubble and people needing help, but because they are not as visible to people on the street, they tend to be neglected at times.  My heart just broke, and I constantly find myself having to wear those super big sunglasses to hide the emotions I know they are feeling too.  I wish I could just buy them all a home, every part of me can only imagine how they must long for one.  A home, a family, a future.  And yes I know time will bring all these things, but what a lame comfort.  So I ended up returning with some mozie nets, having very sweet tea, and at least they spoke English.  The husband actually jumped into the sea as it went back, as it had his baby daughter in it, her face is slightly scared, and his leg.  Apparently his wife and friends were telling him to leave her, but he said, without my family I would kill myself, I don't care for a house, I care for my family.  Yes he does want a house, but he is so grateful to have his family.  Whereas I have been working with my camp today, and the boys helping me, consisted of children who all had lost one parent/sibling.  Imagine that.  Today is the first day they have done anything work wise in seven months.  At the end of it they honestly looked finished, yet there was such a vibe in the air, they were smiling and laughing, and I really believe that by working together, they have begun to build bonds and establish friendships again.  They put up this big tent that had fallen down, took out the mat, washed it with many buckets of water and soap powder, and then took it to the harbour port for a rinse, where they all ended up swimming around and on top of it.  It really was good fun.  And then they had to try hang it up without letting it fly away.  That was a more challenging task.  Chaini's husband managed to finish two gorgeous tables for the tent, which is going to be a place to do  things, make things etc.  And tomorrow he will make two more and tables for the children study centre.  The ladies all had their brooms and buckets and cleaned the house down from top to bottom, others were weeding and others just tidying up around the place.  The sad thing was finding so many clothes from the 26th of December, and how they have just been there in plain view.  I often thought throughout the day how painful it must be picking them up and throwing them into a bin, which later would get burnt and then finally disappear.  I really don't know the solution, I really don't know the answers out here, all I  know that the people you love are more important than life itself.  I ended up buying this one guy milk for his baby, as I was not going to get out of it, in the middle of a dodgy street which I should never have wondered down alone in, but, I did , and there was obviously a reason.  I bumped into him again yesterday, or he bumped into me, and told me he had used it twice, and now it was stolen.  At that moment in time I only had enough for a bus home, what do I do, how do I solve it.  They need lock up keys/rooms.  They need a front door.  So once again those sunglasses appeared. 

The best part of today was the old man who sits in his chair all day staring at a radio, and I mean, the same position all day, he would love international flights.  Today is the first time I have seen him get up and take an interest in what was happening, he offered to even help a guy with his table, to hold it and measure it for him.  So that's good.  The depression in this place is so heavy, it is hard to get away from it at times, hard to stare it in the face and not be affected.  I have been tempted by many people to stay.... but don't worry will be back till Christmas at least. 

I really cannot think of what else to say,  my writing seems to have gone into sri lakan grammar, hope somehow the message of what I am trying to say and my experiences are coming across.  I met an old tuk tuk driver today, lovely guy, who ended up driving around looking for me, as he heard I was back.  Well the description of little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes....makes you wonder.  But it was lovely to see him.  And will be going for tea more than likely on Thursday, once we have found some chair bargains.  Also the party I started telling you about, was the sewing girl, where the lighthouse bought her a new machine.  There is this American guy called Murray, and he lives on two floors and has given her the spring board to set up her own business, so last weeks she was busy making clothes like an amazing superwoman.  Very sweet sri lakan styles and is so proud of them...keeps saying...'my design' 'my design'.  Lovely girl.  I know she could do with an over locker.  Anyway this morning was the open day party, where the monks come to bless the place, and you eat lots and lots of rice squares and cake and bananas, Caroline will know what I am talking about, and the pressure to eat all that is on your plate.   Murray, the American guy will also be getting in some computers and stuff and is going to try and make it into a community thing.  He lives in the middle of a community village, so it should work.  He is really doing some amazing stuff.  Am going with him tomorrow to this new orphanage by Holland House of Hope, a way away. to see my little kiddies that have been moved over.  looking forward to that.  Am going to dinner tonight at a friend, well a new friend, who lives in the Fort and works for some organization, can't keep track of them anymore.   There are so many, yet I have no idea where they are, feels like I am the only non local around at times. 

Sorry I keep jumping around the place, but if you read it a few times, you might get it eventually.  Must go, dinner is apparently at eight and I have been told I am too impulsive and should try to stick to some regime:-)  like that is ever about to happen.

Look after yourselves, I will email during the week and let you know how our building projects are coming on. 

Lotsa love Conny