Tsunami Survival

The miraculous escape of our staff in the Kalmunai Centre, which was completely destroyed by tsunamis on 26 December 2004.

Pas. Ahilan, Sis. Rajani and Sis. Sharmila

At around 8.55 a.m. Pastor Ahilan was at prayers, waiting for the believers to come for Sunday worship. Suddenly he heard a commotion outside and when he inquired what was going on, the people cried out that floods were coming. He immediately warned the two sisters who were inside getting ready. As soon they ran out the waves caught them, lifted them up and lodged them in the branches of a mango tree.

Meanwhile Pastor had run in search of the other believers who lived nearby. Soon a second wave caught him and carried him about 200m and he was thrown into the compound of a house, badly bruised. In spite of this he came around and went again in search of the believers. As the next wave came he grabbed on to those he found, but the force of the waves swept them out of his hands.

By now the sisters had been rescued from the tree and once reunited, the three of them managed to find their way out of the area to safety.

Sister Sharmila suffered severe injuries and Pastor Ahilan too was injured all over his body. Eleven of the believers died including four Sunday School children. The building and all the others around it were completely smashed.

We will now have to rebuild the Kalmunai Mission Centre, for which we look to the Lord in faith.