Double click on the image to get the full resolution for download. Please sign the guestbook at the end of each album. Permission is granted to use the photos, with photo credit, for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America purposes, or in conjunction with an ELCA reference. For the trip blog, plus links to articles, news releases, video interviews, and more, go to www.walkingletter.blogspot.com Questions? Contact Sue Edison-Swift at sue.edisonswift@elca.org
Date(s): January 16, 2005. Album by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA. Photos by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA. 1 - 106 of 106 Total.
enlarge 81KB, 640x426 1 DSC 0554 UELCI/ACT Tsunami Response Center, in association with ARCOT Lutheran Church (Cuddalore) and Lutheran World Service (India). Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 88KB, 640x426 2 DSC 0555 There are 30--40 team members working out of this camp office. Their first response: distribute relief bags. A relief bag contains: 1 blanket, 1 saree, 1 lungi (men's skirt), 2 cooking vessels with lids, plates, tumblers, and kitchen spoons. The second response: building temporary shelters. The third response: build homes with Habitat for Humanity. UELCI/ACT Tsunami Response Center, in association with ARCOT Lutheran Church (Cuddalore) and Lutheran World Service (India). Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 43KB, 640x426 3 DSC 0556 "Thanks to Dr. Rafael and team members for your prayers, support and visit to tsunami affected areas." UELCI/ACT Tsunami Response Center, in association with ARCOT Lutheran Church (Cuddalore) and Lutheran World Service (India). Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 74KB, 640x426 4 DSC 0558 UELCI/ACT Tsunami Response Center, in association with ARCOT Lutheran Church (Cuddalore) and Lutheran World Service (India). Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 56KB, 640x426 5 DSC 0559 Name? UELCI/ACT Tsunami Response Center, in association with ARCOT Lutheran Church (Cuddalore) and Lutheran World Service (India). Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 51KB, 640x426 6 DSC 0560 UELCI/ACT Tsunami Response Center, in association with ARCOT Lutheran Church (Cuddalore) and Lutheran World Service (India). Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 77KB, 426x640 7 DSC 0562 The Lutheran church across from the Chennai UELCI/ACT Tsunami Action Center. Name? Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 39KB, 426x640 8 DSC 0563 The Lutheran church across from the Chennai UELCI/ACT Tsunami Action Center. Name? Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 66KB, 640x426 9 DSC 0564 Church pastor (name?) with his daughter (name?) and friends. Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 41KB, 426x640 10 DSC 0565 Pastor's daughter (name?). Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 37KB, 426x640 11 DSC 0566 Church door (name?). Chennai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 63KB, 640x426 12 DSC 0568 Chithrapettai, India. One of the fishing villages receiving help from UELCI/ACT. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 73KB, 426x640 13 DSC 0573 Chithrapettai, India. Constructing a temporary home. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 85KB, 426x640 14 DSC 0574 Chithrapettai, India. Constructing a temporary home. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 64KB, 426x640 15 DSC 0575 Chithrapettai, India. Constructing a temporary home. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 66KB, 426x640 16 DSC 0576 Chithrapettai, India. Constructing a temporary home.
enlarge 69KB, 426x640 17 DSC 0577 Chithrapettai, India. Constructing a temporary home.
enlarge 84KB, 426x640 18 DSC 0578 Chithrapettai, India. Constructing a temporary home.
enlarge 76KB, 640x427 19 DSC 0579 Chithrapettai, India. The UELCI is providing temporary homes in this coasting fishing village. A temporary house is 10' X 12', has an asbestos sheet roof and side walls, steel pipe poles, steel rod fittings, a wooden reeper (?) and flooring.
enlarge 57KB, 640x426 20 DSC 0581 Chithrapettai, India. Constructing a temporary home.
enlarge 60KB, 640x427 21 DSC 0586 Chithrapettai, India. This family lost their possessions to the tsunami: "What was inside our four walls was lost." They work around the house during the day, but sleep on higher ground. "If a tsunami comes at night, what would we do?" Names: Mani Mazi (mother), Abida (daughter), Abinesh (son), Suder (Dad). Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 92KB, 640x426 22 DSC 0587 Chithrapettai, India. Constructing a temporary home. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 52KB, 427x640 23 DSC 0589b Chithrapettai, India. Priyanka. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 56KB, 427x640 24 DSC 0590a Chithrapettai, India. Nithya. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 69KB, 427x640 25 DSC 0592 Chithrapettai, India. Premie (brown top) and Nithya (green top). Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 59KB, 640x426 26 DSC 0593 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Front: Prem (boy), Premie (brown dress), Nithya (green dress); Back: Priyanka (orange), Khasmboo (Grandma). Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 64KB, 640x427 27 DSC 0594 Chithrapettai, India. Chithrapettai, India. Front: Prem (boy), Premie (brown dress), Nithya (green dress); Back: Priyanka (orange), Usha (Mom), Sridhar (Dad), Khasmboo (Grandma). Women in yellow saree unidentified. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 63KB, 640x427 28 DSC 0595 Chithrapettai, India. Front: Prem (boy), Premie (brown dress), Nithya (green dress); Back: Priyanka (orange), Usha (Mom), Sridhar (Dad), Khasmboo (Grandma). Women in yellow saree unidentified. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 78KB, 640x426 29 DSC 0596 Chithrapettai, India. Khasmboo (the grandmother) shows where the family home was. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 77KB, 640x427 30 DSC 0597 Chithrapettai, India. This is what's left of Sridhar and Usha's home. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 46KB, 640x426 31 DSC 0600 Chithrapettai, India. "The wave came so fast" said Sridhar, "I couldn't run. I held on to a tree." His family lost their home to the tsunami. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 53KB, 640x427 32 DSC 0601 Chithrapettai, India. Usha and Sridhar lost their home to the tsunami. "We love this place, we hate this place. We want to go away [further from the coast] but we don't know where to go." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 51KB, 640x426 33 DSC 0603 Chithrapettai, India. Khasmboo, a widow, is the family's grandmother. "We're afraid," she says. We just live day by day." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 61KB, 426x640 34 DSC 0604 Chithrapettai, India. Usha (Mom), Sridhar (Dad), and Priyanka (daughter). Sridhar: "I need my job back." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 58KB, 427x640 35 DSC 0606 Chithrapettai, India. Priyanka's family lost their home and posessions, but everyone stayed alive by running to the temple for safety. Her school is four kilometers away, but she's not back to school yet. Her school uniforms and books are gone. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 49KB, 426x640 36 DSC 0607 Chithrapettai, India. Usha lost her home and possesions to the tsunami. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 67KB, 639x426 37 DSC 0608 Chithrapettai, India. "We love this place, we hate this place. We want to go away, but we don't know where to go." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 60KB, 426x640 38 DSC 0608b Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 79KB, 427x640 39 DSC 0611 Chithrapettai, India. Family lost their home to the tsunami. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 67KB, 427x640 40 DSC 0613b Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. "This was my house!" Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 84KB, 640x427 41 DSC 0614 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 71KB, 640x426 42 DSC 0615 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. "My house had water!" Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 51KB, 640x427 43 DSC 0616 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. The wealthiest families in the village live in two story "tile" houses like this one. Even those that withstood the tsunami waves had the belongs inside the home swept away. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 53KB, 640x426 44 DSC 0619 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. DGM members of the "Walking Letter" delegation: Lowell Gretebeck, The Rev. Joe Chu, The Rev. Rafael Malpica, Leslie Weed-Fonner, and Belletech Deressa. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 67KB, 640x426 45 DSC 0620 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 62KB, 640x426 46 DSC 0621 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 55KB, 640x427 47 DSC 0622 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. The headdresses on the women help them carry the pans of fill dirt for the temporary housing. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 41KB, 426x639 48 DSC 0623 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 101KB, 426x640 49 DSC 0625 Chithrapettai, India. "Come and see my house!" the man communicated. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 83KB, 426x640 50 DSC 0626 Chithrapettai, India. The boat was deposited by the waves far from shore. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 91KB, 640x426 51 DSC 0627 Chithrapettai, India. Traditional home. Some of the temporary shelters are made from traditional materials. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 61KB, 427x640 52 DSC 0628 Chithrapettai, India. A yellow bag on another well in the village meant it was contaminated by salt water. Does the clear bag mean this well is OK? Digging new wells, and land reclamation efforts will be important recovery efforts. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 59KB, 640x426 53 DSC 0629 Chithrapettai, India. Some of the wells are contaminated by saltwater. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 84KB, 426x640 54 DSC 0630 Chithrapettai, India. Erecting a temporary shelter. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 87KB, 640x427 55 DSC 0631 Chithrapettai, India. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 77KB, 426x640 56 DSC 0632 Chithrapettai, India. Family lost their home to the tsunami. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 65KB, 640x426 57 DSC 0633 Chithrapettai, India. Family lost their home to the tsunami. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 62KB, 640x426 58 DSC 0633b Chithrapettai, India. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
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enlarge 66KB, 426x640 67 DSC 0644 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Leslie enjoys the hospitality of fresh--really fresh--coconut milk. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 64KB, 640x426 68 DSC 0649 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 53KB, 640x426 69 DSC 0650 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Supramamam had owned a boat, no he has "no work." He received 2000 rupees from the government for the loss of property. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 64KB, 640x426 70 DSC 0651 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Pasapathi with his youngest daughter, Jivitha. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 47KB, 640x426 71 DSC 0652 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. Kartikeyan, age 14. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 85KB, 640x426 72 DSC 0654 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. A young man climbed up this coconut tree to provide the delegation refreshments. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 48KB, 640x426 73 DSC 0656 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. This man, Pasapathi, lost his wife, Vallai, in the tsunami. Vallai was the only fatality in the village, although eight other bodies washed up on their shore. Pasapathi cares for his three children, ages three (Jivitha, shown here), five, and 10. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 46KB, 640x427 74 DSC 0657 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. It's estimated that it will take $3500 to replace a fiber-glass boat, motor, and nets. One plan is to establish cooperatives of two to three men. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 40KB, 640x427 75 DSC 0658 Chithrapettai, India, 1/16/05. "We want to work." It's estimated that a fiber-glass boat, motor, and nets will cost $3500. One plan is to encourage cooperative ownership between two to four men. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 90KB, 640x426 76 DSC 0659 Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. An alternate spelling for the village, Ayyempettai, is used on this sign. "Pettai" means "village." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 54KB, 640x426 77 DSC 0661 Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. A completed temporary house. Such a shelter costs about 1200 rupees (about $27). The roofing is made of asbestos. It seemed oppressively hot inside the shelter. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 37KB, 640x426 78 DSC 0662 Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 68KB, 640x426 79 DSC 0663 Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. Dr. Belletech Deressa and [name?]. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 64KB, 640x426 80 DSC 0664 Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 50KB, 426x640 81 DSC 0665 Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 56KB, 426x640 82 DSC 0666 Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. Arumugam, 50, is a good example of someone who does not fish, but whose livelihood depends on fishing. Since he buys and sells fish the fact that no one is fishing and no one is eating fish means he has no income. Since he's not an official resident of Ayyampettai, and his home village did not have tsunami damage, he's not entitled to government restitution. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 68KB, 640x426 83 DSC 0667 Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. Dr. Fred Rajan translates as Arumugam tells his story in Tamil. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 56KB, 427x640 84 DSC 0667b Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. Arumugam, 50, "has nothing to eat." He buys fish on this beach and sells them in his village about eight kilometers inland. He was here in Ayyampettai on 12/26. He kept his life by holding on to a coconut tree, but lost the money he used to make change and the basket he used to carry fish. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 79KB, 426x640 85 DSC 0668 Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 51KB, 426x640 86 DSC 0669 Ayyampettai, India, 1/16/05. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 52KB, 426x640 87 DSC 0671 Cuddalore, India, 1/17/05. Arcot Lutheran Church central office. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 35KB, 640x426 88 DSC 0672 Cuddalore, India, 1/17/05. Arcot Lutheran Church central office. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 35KB, 640x426 89 DSC 0674 Cuddalore, India, 1/16/05. The Rt. Rev. Gideon Devanesan is Bishop of the Arcot Lutheran Church. The church was in a good place to immediately respond to the disaster with feeding programs because the church schools offered infrastructure. Between 12/27 and 1/3 they estimate that church programs feed 12,000 people in 16 villages. The Junior Ministries (youth) of the church took an active role by playing with the village children and counseling them. They hope to provide 300 permanent homes and livelihood for 800 families. Bishop Devanesan referred to the story in the 1st chapter of Luke. "The bent up woman could only see her feet," he said. "Then Jesus touched her so she could see others. Jesus has touched us so we can see others. Where we were considering only our members, now we are going out in to the community." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 58KB, 640x426 90 DSC 0675 Cuddalore, India, 1/16/05--The Arcot Lutheran Church disaster medical clinic/camp. The Indian government is very appreciative of the record keeping the UELCI-related programs are doing. Beginning on the 27th, the church disaster teams kept record cards for each family in the villages they were serving, "to keep track of who received what." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 37KB, 640x426 91 DSC 0680 Cuddalore, India, 1/16/05. These are two of the doctors volunteering at the medical camp/clinic. The 150 to 200 patients they see here a day come for infections, asthma, dizziness, shivering, sleeplessness, etc. Dr. Issac Rajesh says the government did a good job inoculating against many infections immediately after the tsunami, although there is still a potential for Typhoid fever, Japanese encephalitis, cholera, dissentary, and other diseases. The medical camp makes good use of a former Arcot Lutheran Church college. The dormitories can house all staff, including the 40 at a time who are coming for a week of training to offer psycho-social counseling back in their home villages. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 67KB, 640x427 92 DSC 0681 1/16/05. Kamsala brought her daughter Priya to the Bishop Peter Training Institute in Devanimpattinam, Cuddalore, for a burn. Volunteer doctors from area doctors come to work here for 15-day shifts. They are seeing 150--200 patients a day here. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 62KB, 427x640 93 DSC 0683 Cuddalore, India, 1/16/05. Priya is being treated at the Arcot Lutheran Church disaster medical camp/clinic for a burn on her leg. "It wasn't tsunami-related," said the doctor, "but we treat everyone who comes." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 49KB, 640x426 94 DSC 0684 Cuddalore, India, 1/16/05. Arcot Lutheran Church medical camp/clinic. "We have plenty of medicine/supplies," the doctors tell us. "Everyone who comes is treated for free." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 72KB, 640x426 95 DSC 0689 Cuddalore, India, 1/17/05. Typical traffic shot #2. When I asked the age of some of the shops I was told--"Oh, 300 years." You can tell by the roof tiles. Now that's long-lasting roofing! Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 70KB, 640x426 96 DSC 0690 Cuddalore, India, 1/17/05. Competing and congested traffic made for exciting travel. Sometimes it was best not to look. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 73KB, 640x426 97 DSC 0693 Cuddalore, India, 1/17/05. The Arcot Lutheran Church campus includes a hostel for young women like these who attend college in Cuddalore. Three years of college runs about 100,000 rupees (about $2275). A school teacher might earn $80 a month. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift/ELCA.
enlarge 90KB, 640x426 98 DSC 0695 Samiyarpettai, India 1/17/05. The temporary homes here are made out of traditional materials and will last three- to six-months. Of the 1850 people in the village, 17 children and six adults died. Total number of houses in the village: 560. Total number of families: 700. Destroyed homes: 129. Severly damaged homes: 128. Partially damaged homes: 55. Number of families who have lost all possessions: 51. Number of families not needing help: 50. Hand pumps to be replaced: 10. Electricity posts to be erected: 40. High school students to be helped: 350. Elementary students to be helped: 175. College students to be helped: 100. Pre-kindergarden students to be helped: 200. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift.
enlarge 37KB, 640x426 99 DSC 0696 Samiyarpettai, India 1/17/05. Ramadoss (left) and J. Basha walk the beach and reflect. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift.
enlarge 45KB, 426x640 100 DSC 0697 Samiyarpettai, India 1/17/05. A lungi, the traditional man's skirt, goes easily from long to short. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift.
enlarge 45KB, 426x640 101 DSC 0698 Samiyarpettai, India 1/17/05. J. Basha (left) and Ramadoss. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift.
enlarge 48KB, 426x640 102 DSC 0700 Samiyarpettai, India 1/17/05. Ramadoss. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift.
enlarge 57KB, 426x640 103 DSC 0701 Samiyarpettai, India 1/17/05. J. Basha, a tailor and a Muslim (left) and Ramadoss, a fisherman and a Hindu, were walking on the beach separately; we called them together to talk with us. J. Basha lives elsewhere, he is here visiting relatives. He wants to see the place of the destruction. Ramadoss and his family have fished here for generations. He wasn't here on 12/26, but lost his boat, nets, and home possesions. He estimates his loss at 70,000 rupees ($2000). We asked, "How has the tsunami affected your faith in God?" Both answered that it lead to "more faith in God." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift.
enlarge 46KB, 426x640 104 DSC 0704 Samiyarpettai, India 1/17/05. Ramadoss, a 48-year-old fisherman, is Hindu. He's "confused" over what he assumes are official reports of another tsunami predicted for January 21 or 26. "It was on TV news," he said. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift.
enlarge 49KB, 640x427 105 DSC 0706 Samiyarpettai, India 1/17/05. "How beautiful are the feet that bring good tidings." Photo by Sue Edison-Swift.
enlarge 46KB, 640x426 106 DSC 0707 Samiyarpettai, India 1/17/05. Fisherman's feet. Photo by Sue Edison-Swift.
