Sister Christine' household and Father Sarath who do do wonderful work in supporting marginalised communities.

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The social ashram we visited marshland outside Negombo. While their men are drunk at home, these women get up at 3am to fish and then have to sell their in Colombo, so they are often not back until 3pm. They worry about their children during the day.

A

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Father Aloy Pereis SJ and Sister Christine Fernando at Tulana Research Centre, Kelaniya, Colombo. Aloy is a leading radical theologian of great intellectual capacity with an international following. Sister Christine does wonderful work with marginali

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Further thoughts on my experiences in Sri Lanka

After the shock of returning to a freezing UK, I am just about thawed out, ready to assess my experiences in Sri Lanka.

I am a differnt person for having been there, that is for sure. What matters in life has taken on a differnt meaning. I did find the heat overwhelming and the mosquitoes very difficult, but much was made up for by the warmth and respect of gthe people and the exotic places I saw. I do hope to return in due course once I can sort out the mosquito issue. 

I was very grateful to the staff at the Rainbow Bridge , or the Village Academy for the experience of speaking English to Tamils and trying to get them to speak back. My attempts to get them further resources are still ongoing. 


I was also very grateful to my host and his family for the 5 weeks I was in Batticaloa. I was able to relax completely in their company and share many ideas and laughs. On another occasion, I would try to stay with a local family, but the limitations of my mobility are considerable. I shall be older on my return and may find the ordeal of travelling across Sri Lanka even harder.

My last day in Sri Lanka was very special in that I experinced the Buddhist Temple of Kelaniya and the amazing atmosphere there. I also met the remarkable intellectual and radical Jesuit, Father Aloy Pereis, who supervised a friend's PhD amongst his many acievements, including a recent book on Vatican II. 


I was then whisked off by Sister Christine Fernando to a social ashram with the poorest of the poor in the marshes north of Negombo. That was a truly moving and humbling experience. One grandmother had gone there as an outcast from Colombo with nowhere to live and set up a village of fisherwomen who worked phenomenal hours while their men drank. There is now some attempt to help these woman with the violence they are experiencing. 


A Father Sarath (unsure of his surname) gave Sister Christine full support in this work. He told me that they supported 19 of these groups in the area. They have invited me back. Hopefully I shall be able to go back once I am more mosquito proof.

Yes, I will go back to Sri Lanka, if I can be of use in any way.