It has been three weeks since my last journal entry and even today I find myself running short of time.
March 31st is the year-end reporting period in Sri Lanka and we want to be ready to go for auditing. Sorting through thousand of receipts allocating each area of aid and placing them in to categories such as medical relief, immediate relief, livelihood programs, medical programs, trauma relief programs, monsoon shelter program, sanitation program, boys home building program and of course the work for widows program is not an easy task.
I haven’t seen my women in two weeks now and I miss seeing their smiles. My only conciliation is that a wonderful volunteer and a dear friend, Naomi has been in Sri Lanka and has taken up the task of the last runs. Naomi came to IMPAKT in January 2005 just two weeks after the Tsunami and has been a major part of all of our work. Although her obligations with her work take her to numerous locations around the world, she always finds the time to come back to us in Sri Lanka.
Naomi has comforted me in my days of depression, stood by me in my days of weakness and worked 24 hours a day in my days of need. Even last night she sat with me until 4am sorting through receipts and keeping the coffee coming.
I am proud to say that Naomi is not the only volunteer that has given so selflessly; each and every volunteer has given to IMPAKT to make it what it is today. I am thankful for them all.
