Kasamara - Monday night, January 28

I'm sitting, writing by candlelight, at the roof top bar at Hotel Kasamara with Rajiv enjoying a cool drink and sounds of three-wheelers (tuk tuks) in the background. It's just before 10pm and the air is heavy but cool. Kasamara is one of Kandy's many hotels and we come to the bar often in the evenings for some quiet, to do work and it's always completely empty. The same waiter is here as last year. There's a large Buddha on the hill in the distance. I drove here tonight from the house, and it was fantastic. I would have never thought I'd be driving in Sri Lanka in my life. Our car is about the size of a Mini and the ride always consists of dodging potholes, dogs, people, buses and three-wheelers. But at 10pm, the roads are pretty quiet.

The large Buddha was lit and he just went dark. So it must have turned 10.

I've been here for one week and want the time to slow down. It's so reviving to be out of Oakland and my normal life for a bit. There's something about Asia. In Sri Lanka, everything is on Sri Lankan time which generally means to me that things are an hour later. And it's so nice to be warm and in flip flops or barefoot. My whole body is happy with me. Relaxed adn blood warmed.

My first full day in Sri Lanka was spent finishing up some work that I didnt get finished at home, and recovering from jet lag. Jade and Asia and I headed with Julie to the pool for some sun and swimming after. We swim at Cinnamon Chaya, a pool nest to the river Mejawelli. It's so colonial-looking and the river is gorgeous. I went to bed after dinner around 7. :) Oh, and that day was Poya as well which is the Full Moon and a national holiday once a month. I woke up around 4am with brightest moon shining through my window. I thought it was a huge flashlight in my face.

My purpose here is to help Julie and Jake with PR materials so that they can raise funds for the children's hoome from local companies and abroad. It feels odd again to be doing design work and to be spending so many hours on my Mac while here but I guess that's what I am meant to do. Sri Lanka's political situation is so complex and I would do a terrible job at trying to explin it. But in short, the situation is creating ridiculous costs for goods and people are really suffering to make ends meet. For example, a bottle of juice costs US$7, so people just dont buy bottled juice any more. The average daily wage here is between US$3 and 5. There is a drive to push out all imported items by driving up the cost. The children's home has been mainly funded by a Swedish church for years but the church is unable to increase their donations, and Jake and Julie have found themselves in a situation where they won't be able to pay the home's bills this next year. So the website and PR seems pretty pressing. Although we all know and have seen how God is faithful and will provide whatever it is that they need for the children. (After reading Anna Greta's book last year, I was amazed at how her faith allowed her to trust God for everything and it came just when she needed it.)

I'm happy to do be doing this work for Jake and Julie. And happy to have a mellow beginning to my trip. December was so exhausting and I've found myself really chilling out and getting a nap in when I need it. :)

Here's a list of everything I'll be doing:
• website
• letterhead, business cards, envelopes
• brochures for the Home and a program for community based rehabilitation
• posters
• newsletters
• ads for newspaper announcements of Anna Greta's one year anniversary of her passing... it was Feb 12 last year when she went.
• thank you cards - these are cute! they have drawings on them done by the children!

I'll write soon on the children... and upload some pics!!

kisses, G