Hungarian Prime Minister's Daughter Praises FFL

Saturday, January 29 -- The daughter of the former Hungarian Prime Minister, and national celebrity, Ms. Anita Tornoczky, arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka to witness the tsunami relief efforts partly funded by the Hungarian Government's $22,000 (USD) donation recently awarded to Food for Life. Ms. Tornoczky hosts a popular television special-interest program that airs every month in Hungary. She is also a fashion model and recently appeared on the cover of popular IS Magazine.

Joining Ms. Tornoczky was her "Happy Productions" television crew and ISKCON swami, Sivarama Maharaja. Ms. Tornoczky plans to use the footage for a special presentation on Food for Life's humanitarian services. The 30-minute documentary will air in April.

Anita Tornoczky (left) helping out with the cooking.

Moratuwa - Destruction on the West Coast!

Our first stop this time was a relief camp in Moratuwa, about 50 km south of Colombo. Although situated on the west coast, amazingly it too was affected by the tsunami. As the large waves smashed into the east side of the island of Sri Lanka, massive tidal swells wrapped around to the south and then raised the water level on the far west. The rising tides encroached 100 meters inland, bringing down poorly built houses and uplifting anything not tied down -- destroying hundreds of miles of coastline.

The lady in this picture (left) was wandering amongst the ruins near where Food for Life was distributing meals. She looked very sad and confused. Her expression says it all.

Food for Life's hot lunch consisted of rice, dhal, soy chunks, and vegetables cooked in coconut milk. Everything was prepared at one camp, loaded onto a flat bed truck and then served throughout area. As we passed through some of the ruins, children recognized our truck and began running while calling out to everyone else. It was very enlivening to know that we were making a difference.

Cricket for Life!

Food was not the only thing bringing a smile to the children. The day before, I noticed a group of children playing cricket with a plank of wood and an old rubber ball. I told them I was from Australia and started mentioning some famous cricket players. Immediately we made a connection. I picked up the ball and started playing with them. All the boys were so happy to see a foreigner who knew how to play the game they loved. One boy later came and asked me if I could get them a new ball. The next day I returned with two new cricket bats and five tennis balls. Within seconds I was smothered. We later grouped for a cricket team photo!

Food for Life Action Shots

Anita just loved the children	Two pretty girls lining up for their meal	A BIG plate for a little girl
Children receiving their nutritious hot lunch from Food for Life volunteers at one of the relief camps. "Happy Productions" television cameraman can be seen on the lower right.	FFL Emergency Relief Coordinator, Indradyumna Swami (left) and other volunteers serving meals at the Moratuwa base camp, located in the St Maria catholic school.	Happy children with their freshly cooked vegan meal that was prepared by Food for Life volunteers on-site and then sanctified for purity.

A visit to the Bhaktivedanta Children's Home (Orphanage)

Young orphan girls aged 9-15 years learning English in one of the many small classrooms.

Sunday, January 30 -- Ms. Tornoczky, the "Happy Productions" film crew and the FFL Global team took a trip out to the Bhaktivedanta Children's Home, located about 20 minutes outside the center of Colombo. When we arrived, the children were busily taking lessons in English grammar, mathematics, reading and craft.

Trying not to disturb too much, we peeked in to catch some of the lessons. I must say I was very impressed with the level of education the children were able to comprehend. Sitting happily at their little blue wooden desks with rapt attention on the teacher, we had to keep reminding ourselves that this was no ordinary school. All the children were orphans. Some of the children were actually "war orphans," having suffered the traumatic experience of seeing their parents killed in front of them! And yet, here they were studying to be good Sri Lankan citizens, obviously very satisfied in the warm loving embrace of this exceptional Children's Home.

Ms. Tornoczky was so touched by the experience she decided on the spot to sponsor two of the children for life. It was good timing, because Food for Life Global is in the process of launching a child sponsorship program which will provide a secure future to every child that enters this orphanage.

Interested people can sponsor a child for a little over $1 per day or $35/month. Sponsorship includes the child's complete maintenance for one month. More details will soon be available on the website. See: www.gokulam.org

Volunteers Experience the Love

Young orphan boys saying a prayer before eating their lunch.

Wednesday, February 2 -- As mentioned in our last newsletter and in announcements to interested volunteers, Food for Life Global has set up a fundraising and public relations office for the Bhaktivedanta Children's Home. Our goal is to help create a solid future for all the orphans through a "Child-Sponsorship" program, as well as to help finance the completion of the building construction. Volunteers, Ms. Colleen Hardiman and Ms. Sara Spears, both from the U.S. joined the FFL Global office in Colombo early this week. On Wednesday, I took them to see firsthand what the Children's Home was like. Here is what they had to say:

Colleen: "Arriving at Bhaktivedanta Children’s Home, we could immediately feel love and compassion in the atmosphere. While walking around, observing classes, and seeing the children in their normal daily life, it became clear to us that these children were not only receiving a good education, nutritious meals, and a safe and healthy home, but they were also given unconditional love and support by the caregivers, cooks, and teachers. The children seemed so sincerely happy and content, that I had to keep reminding myself that these were not normal children; they were in fact orphans, many of which have experienced atrocities that most of us thankfully will never have to. Although they had lost absolutely everything, looking at their faces you could never believe it.

"Director and founder of the Bhaktivedanta Children’s Home, Nandarani Dasi, a truly amazing woman, said something that really stuck in my head, 'Whatever they have lost, they get it back here,' and from what I observed on Wednesday, this was a very profound statement."

Sara: "Traveling to the orphanage, I didn't expect to see the children in such good spirits. I was so impressed by the way the orphanage was run. The boys and girls were happy, healthy, and really seemed to be a family. Nandarani is a wonderful mother to the children, teaching them the fundamental values of respect and appreciation for what they have. Watching them during their daily activities, I could tell the children were in responsible and caring hands. One thing that sets the Children’s Home apart is the love you can feel just being there. I am so proud to be a part of this project, knowing the children are receiving such comprehensive care."

As we watched the children sit down in lines for their lunch, we couldn't help but appreciate the discipline and genuine contentment of the children as they sat patiently and waited while the caregivers served lunch to all 75 children from stainless steel buckets. Only after everyone had been served and then singing prayers in honor of the blessings of the food they were to receive, did they eat their lunch! Nandarani then asked us to sit down and eat lunch. For all of us, it was the best meal we had eaten since arriving in Sri Lanka.

Three healthy meals a day, a clean bed, loving care and a full education

Happy and healthy students. Yes, they are orphans!

Unlike many orphanages throughout Sri Lanka, the Bhaktivedanta Children's Home is clean, the children receive three nutritious meals a day, a full education, and lots of loving care.

Nandarani Dasi, the director of the Home told us that the children see her as their mother. "The little ones" she said, "always want to sleep with me. I can't even leave the premises without them wanting to tag along."

She went on to explain that she tries to give the children a non-sectarian spiritual foundation, explaining to them that their real father is God and that all people of all races and religion are His Children. "It doesn't matter what language people speak," I tell them, " we are all brothers and sisters." The simple message carries a deep meaning here in Sri Lanka with the island deeply divided over racial tensions, much of which has affected the lives of some of the orphans who have personally witnessed the senseless violence in their former homes.

The clean buildings, healthy meals, and the genuine happiness of the children at the Home are a stark contrast to an orphanage I came to learn about from another volunteer from the U.S. Ms. Michelle Curry, director of Volunteers International, called me early in the week asking if Food for Life could feed a small orphanage in the south. "Our volunteers were all allocated to other areas of the island," I explained, "but I can send you a two weeks supply of food!" Michelle jumped on the offer. "The children down here are only getting a handful of rice daily," she said. "But where are all the donations going to," I replied. She had no answer. The next day we loaded a van filled with rice, dhal, biscuits, vegetables and soy chunks.

Schools out! Young girls walking in line on their way to lunch.	The children at Bhaktivedanta Children's Home sleep in immaculately clean bedrooms

70% of Relief Funds not Reaching Victims

According to a report by USA Today, 70% to 75% of the available food, medicine, and other necessities have not reached the one million Sri Lankan victims of the tsunami. In fact, hundreds of protesters complained outside the U.N. World Food Program in Colombo that they had not been receiving food rations.

This had not been the first complaint of its kind, as the government has been receiving criticism from the eastern city of Batticaloa that food aid had disappeared, and the food they did receive was rotten, it was reported.

Food for Life currently operates a food relief program in Batticaloa at one such area where aid was lacking. The challenge for Food for Life has always been locating these pockets of inequity where government aid is not reaching. There are literally hundreds of relief camps spread all down the coastline. Most have around 200 people, so the logistical barrier FFL faces in helping these camps is the traveling and time constraints of serving so many people spread out over a large area. According to the USA Today report, the government and military are falling short in their efforts, but there is only so much a small NGO like Food for Life can do. To date, Food for Life volunteers have served well over 150,000 hot vegan meals throughout the island.

A Visit to the World Bank

Thursday, February 3 -- I was invited to make a presentation to the World Bank's Country Office in Colombo. After handing out brochures and showing a slide show, staff members were visibly impressed and all agreed to make an official visit to the orphanage in the coming weeks. Minutes before my presentation, the Country Office staff had wrapped up a meeting to discuss a new $1 million dollar grant offered by the World Bank to assist orphans in the east and south regions of Sri Lanka. Although the Bhaktivedanta Children's Home is situated on the west coast in Colombo, my objective was to alert the World Bank that there existed a model orphanage they could learn from as they began assisting other orphanages. I think my message was greatly appreciated. Let's see what happens. Certainly partnering with the World Bank would add some much needed prestige to this exceptional orphanage.

Buddhist for World Peace Offer to Help

Last week I received a call from buddhist Monk, Venerable Bhikkhu Maitreya, of the Buddhist for World Peace Organization. He came across the Food for Life web site and felt inspired to help raise funds for the orphanage. He has contacted Buddhist organizations around the world to help raise funds to complete the construction of the orphanage to facilitate caring for 250 children.

APPEAL: Children's Home Needs a Mini Bus

During our discussion with Nandarani, we became aware for the first time that the orphanage does not have its own vehicle. Whenever the children go on day excursions, the Children's Home has to rent a vehicle. Due to financial constraints, they can only rent a small van with a capacity to seat 8 children. "A mini bus would be ideal," she told us. We had to agree -- with capacities of up to 21 seats, more children could go on excursions and ride in comfort. If you are interested in gifting a mini bus to the children, please contact Food for Life Global.

APPEAL: Volunteer Coordinator Urgently Needed

Food for Life Global continues to receive applications from volunteers wishing to assist FFL in its worldwide projects. We desperately need the expert help of an experienced Volunteer Coordinator. The ideal person needs to have the following qualifications:

• Familiarity with Food for Life projects
• Familiarity with ISKCON
• Vegetarian
• Enthusiastic, determined and straight-forward in dealings
• Able to communicate with a wide range of personality types
• Can work virtually as well as on-site when needed
• Good team player
• Ability to "Rally the troops" and inspire people

If you or someone you know possess these traits, please write to us with references to volunteer@ffl.org

Little 2-year old Sita Devi, the youngest of the Bhaktivedanta Children's Home orphans sitting with some older girls.	The immaculately clean kitchen where all the children's meals are prepared three times daily by two professional cooks.

How to Contact Food for Life Global in Sri Lanka

The Food for Life base camp is situated at:
ISKCON
188, New Chetty Street,
Colombo 13
Sri Lanka

email: iskcon@slt.lk
Paul Turner Cell: (+94) 77 302-0495
Office phone: (+94) 11 243-3325
fax: (+94) 11 247-1099

Bhaktivedanta Children's Home
607A, Negombo Road
Mabola
Wattala
Tel: (+ 94) 11 294-8398
www.gokulam.org

Volunteering Offshore

Food for Life is encouraging people to give their time in their local area to help raise awareness of FFL's activities and thus raise much needed money. Many students have emailed to ask if they can organize a fundraising drive at their campus. The answer is a resounding "Yes." Please help in whatever way you can, whether it is selling t-shirts, approaching your local businesses, or writing an article. We just ask that you keep Food for Life Global informed of all your activities.

Poster - Please Distribute

Please print and post this FFL poster around your city. You can also print this flyer and place it in vegetarian restaurants or hand them out at your church or shopping center.

For the webmasters among you, we humbly ask that you place one of these banners on your web site with a link to our home page (www.ffl.org).

Donations by Check

Send to:
Food for Life Global
PO Box 59037 
Potomac, MD 20859, USA 

All donations are tax deductible.

Where You Can Donate

JustGive and Network for Good, both of which are prominently displaying Food for Life on their hunger relief pages and of course at the FFL web site using PayPal. (Note: PayPal does extract a very small percentage of the donated money for transaction fees. Typically $3 for a $100 donation).

Thank you for your friendship.

On behalf of all the Food for Life volunteers, we hope this meets you in the best of health and happiness.

The Food for Life Global Friends Newsletter is distributed to more than 20,000 vegans and vegetarians worldwide.

Paul Rodney Turner
(Priyavrata das)
Food for Life Global
PO Box 59037 
Potomac, MD 20859, USA 
DC Office: (301) 987-5883

Sri Lanka: (94) 77 302-0495
www.ffl.org