ABDF

Hi everybody!

The following is the text of an email I received this morning. Several of our projects have been in conjunction with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which works among the most impoverished of Batticaloas’ poor and disenfranchised; in particular orphans, widows, and the aged. Mr. Gabriel is the President of the Society, which is located at Thandavanvely Church, on the border of Batticaloa Town. (For those of you who have been to Batti, it’s the big church on Trinco Road, just down from Sunshine Bakery.)

Dear Mr. Ben,

Wish you A Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year 2010.

Vantharumoolai (Van-TAH-roo-moo-lie) is a village about 18 miles north of Batticaloa, site of last year’s computer lab.

The school is run out of these half-finished block-style buildings.

The town is mostly made up of rice farmers, a handful of small shopkeepers and craftsmen (mechanics and such), and a few employees of Eastern University, which is some 5 miles south. The school at Vatharumoolai serves the entire community, starting with kindergarten.

The students have to use this stairwell to get to class.

Vantharumoolai (Van-TAH-roo-moo-lie) is a village about 18 miles north of Batticaloa, site of last year’s computer lab.. The town is mostly made up of rice farmers, a handful of small shopkeepers and craftsmen (mechanics and such), and a few employees of Eastern University, which is some 5 miles south. The school at Vatharumoolai serves the entire village, starting with kindergarten.