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Association of Tamils of Sri Lanka in the USA
By James Mitchell, Hometown Weekly, South Lyon, Michigan, USA, January 26, 2006
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When Lorio moved to Sri Lanka, it was a land of peace. Since the civil war began in 1983, he instead saw what some consider an attempted genocide of Tamils. Lorio tries to protect his students however possible. |
South Lyon teacher prepares lessons for orphans
Call it an occupational obsession, but South Lyon teacher Erin Whaley is furious that some students haven't been in class lately.
"The girls haven't been to school," Whaley said. "If I didn't have any other reason for going, that's reason enough."
The "girls" are the 80-plus orphans of Grace Care Center in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Next month, Whaley is going back to the orphanage, now managed by Diane McLaughlin, a Cleveland social worker serving as head of the orphanage.
"Home school" has new meaning there. The schools in "Trinco," as the district is known, were closed for most of January. On other days, when caution seemed in order, McLaughlin kept the girls at the orphanage and gave makeshift lessons to the best of her ability.
McLaughlin also tried to keep the girls from being scared, which may be beyond her talents. Violence began rocking Trinco Jan. 2, when the Sri Lanka military allegedly killed five Tamil boys. Retaliations followed from both sides. Peace had been the hoped-for legacy of the Dec. 26, 2004 tsunami, but death and destruction have become daily occurrences. More than 100 people were reported killed since early December. Last week, two residents of an Internally Displaced Persons camp next to the orphanage were killed in a mine attack.
Whaley understands McLaughlin's decision to keep the girls out of school, even when the roads were open. Travel was restricted for most of the month. One morning, McLaughlin woke to find the beach patrolled by soldiers.
"The girls dragged me to the fence to show me the 'men and their guns,'" McLaughlin said.
Whaley and McLaughlin first met the adorable residents of Grace Care Center in August 2005. Whaley became involved with founding organization VeAhavta through the tsunami-driven, "South Lyon to Sri Lanka" campaign. McLaughlin had just left her position at Parmadale, a Cleveland-area facility for troubled youth.
They learned that the tsunami was not the worst thing to ever happen to many Sri Lankans, and that the 2003 cease-fire was as fragile as the children's future.
"That's their life," Whaley said. "There are AK-47s everywhere."
The situation at Grace Care Center is common in Trinco. Father Lloyd Anthony Lorio, a New Orleans priest who has lived in Sri Lanka since 1952, runs an academy for students in town. Lorio also decided, at times, to keep the children somewhere safe.
"People live in fear not knowing what to expect," Lorio said. "I keep the students inside as they may be shot if there are any problems."
When Lorio moved to Sri Lanka, it was a land of peace. Since the civil war began in 1983, he instead saw what some consider an attempted genocide of Tamils. Lorio tries to protect his students however possible.
"I try to give each one an identity card to avoid being rounded up by the military," Lorio said.
In spite of the tensions, Lorio and McLaughlin just want the students back in school, with some sense of normalcy in their lives.
"I wish I could click my heels and have Erin appear in the hall," McLaughlin said. Whaley and McLaughlin keep in touch, and a recent phone call to the orphanage helped confirm Whaley's travel plans.
"They just had a bomb explode, and they worried about how I was doing, if I was OK," Whaley said. "They asked: 'When you come Sri Lanka?'"
Whaley blinked, forcing familiar tears into retreat. "I'm coming soon," she told the girls, who spend their days at the orphanage playing school in place of the real thing.
For information about VeAhavta, visit www.you-shall-love.org.
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