The project of the archdiocese of Colombo focused on the parish of Wadduwa in the south. 520 homes were rebuilt thanks to funds collected by Msgr Gomis in less than a year.
Colombo (AsiaNews) The parish of Wadduwa, one of the areas in southern Sri Lanka hit by the tsunami, received 34 homes from the archdiocese of Colombo. On January 18th, His Grace the Archbishop Oswald Gomis blessed and handed over the homes to the tsunami affected families, Catholic and Buddhist.
The archdiocese financed the reconstruction and repair work on the buildings damaged by the killer wave thanks to donations received during the last 12 months. The Archbishop purchased land through the funds received from the Congregation of Franciscan Minim Sisters of Sacred Heart to build 34 houses. Other donations came from parish priest of Minden in Germany, Fr. Roland and Mrs. Christa and the parishioners having heard about this much deserving project, initiated to collect funds to assist the Archbishop to build these houses through the parish Priest of Wadduwa, Fr. Prasad Perera. Fr. Prasad laboured day and night for the completion these houses.
Fr. Perera pointed out that many donations also came from the special tsunami fund opened by Archbishop . Gomis. The houses will be equipped very soon with electricity, pipeline system, road development and a water tank.
Chief monk of the Gangarama Buddhist Temple Ven. Narada Thera expressed his great gratitude to the Archbishop and to the Minden parish and other donors for providing very good houses to these poor people. When Tsunami hit Wadduwa village on 26th Dec. 2004, many Catholics of Wadduwa sought shelter in the Gangarama Temple. Being a Full Moon day, on which Buddhist observe as a Day of prayer and meditation, had stopped their religious observances to give accommodation to these Catholics.
During a very moving ceremony many parishioners were present to see the tears of joy of the people who received the houses today. Msgr Gomis thanked the Minden parish and the Congregation of Franciscan Minim Sisters of Sacred Heart for their support throughout the project. Avery special thanks was extended to monk Narada Thera for his openness and solidarity towards the Catholic families affected by the disaster.
But the work is not over. The prelate has already launched the 2nd Project at Wadduwa building 21 houses through the funds received from the donors. 520 homes have already been rebuilt in Wadduwa in the last 12 months thanks to the post tsunami