01/28 

   

Mail from Puri 17/5/19  

      Puri city is totally destroyed. No trees are standing, all electric poles, installations, mobile towers, roofs of Hotel and houses made of asbestos or Steel blown off. All houses from the light house to Ishopanthi ashram are blown off. The sea beach road resembles a mountain of sand. Hotels along the beach totally destroyed with sand and rubble flown in with the storm.

     Coming to more personal issuses, the damage to the building and property of Karunalaya, Ishopanthi ashram and Beatrix school is beyond words. All window glasses of school and Ishopanthi are broken, 10KW solar panels in the school, 16KW solar panels in Ishopanthi ashram are totally destroyed and blown off, solar panels and solar water heating system with 4 water tanks of the hostel and school main gate are blown away. No trees are standing in Ishopanthi ashram and Karunalaya office premises.  Clearing the debris and fallen trees may take couple of weeks. Even after 6 days, electricity is not restored in Bhubaneswar city, leave alone Puri.

     God alone knows what more is waiting for me in the leprosy colony, dairy farm and workshop when I return on 15 May. Even a fair assessment of the damage may take few days . You all have been with us in the thick and thin of our life in Puri mission.

      I only pray God shows us the way and gives us the strength to stand amidst this destruction. I shall briefly keep you informed of the things when I reach back in a week's time.

     Meantime, I shall be grateful to you for any help you are able to extend to rebuild our lives and Mission in Puri. With much love and prayers,

     Your loving, Baptist, svd