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Sri Lanka Journal |
The Clown's DiaryFriday 25 MarchWe were greeted by over 200 smiling, cheering, over-excited children. I had already primed the ping pong ball routine, so I was able to start work before even getting off the motorbike. I seated the children in the shade of the school building. This meant that they didn't get too hot - unfortunately it also meant that I got very hot. (I'm lucky in that I love the sun and can perform well in it - but it does tire me.) This was the biggest group of children that I have worked with on this Mini-Tour, and the mass laughter and excitement was infectious, not just among the children, but also among the parents and other adults (myself included). The children were in too chaotic a mood to separate into two groups for the games, but they all took part in at least some of them. It's truly amazing just how many children can actually can fit round a parachute when they put their mind to it, even if it means standing two-deep and only holding on with one hand - they really loved it! After the games I sought sanctuary in the school building. My water bottle had been out in the sunshine for around a hour and a half, which meant the the water was not just warm, but really hot. This and my body temperature (it takes a long time to cool down here) meant that the water came straight out of my pores, literally soaking my clothes, so that they stuck to my body - which is why, in the group photo of me and CV/CHA, they are all standing a little bit away from me! That afternoon I returned to THE BUTTERFLY PEACE GARDEN. The next show was in the early evening, when school had finished and the sun was a little cooler. The location had been changed as there were logistical problems around transporting the children to the beach. In all honesty I felt more comfortable working away from the sea, as I feel it's important that, although play and laughter are therapeutic, people shouldn't confuse our work with the work of "play therapists". The new location was not ideal for play as, although it was a mine- free, green area, the cows that regularly graze it have not been toilet trained. I sat the children on the road and performed for them while a shovel was used behind them to remove the unwanted waste. We didn't play any games that involved the children crawling or sitting on the ground, and afterwards I washed the parachute in a mixture of disinfectant and water. I explained to CV/CHA that CWI has strict rules on where we can and can't work, and got an assurance from them that, should we work together on the main Children's World International Tour this Autumn, that they will adopt and adhere to our standards. Other than that, the games and show were greatly enjoyed by nearly 100 children and more than 20 adults. I found CV/CHA to be good, caring and well organised people - the sort we could happily work with upon our return in September. After the show and games, they took me to the beach for a luke warm Pepsi, where the breeze helped to cool me down. (an ice box would not go amiss for the next tour. They are light and can be filled with equipment due in flights internal travel etc). Whilst there we meet with other members of CV who asked me to visit another camp with them. I explained that, although I am happy to do more work, time meant that it would soon be to dark to do a show etc. They said "No problem, just come and look. No show." I fell for it. The camp is located in and around a cattle market. It is the largest one in Batti and the living conditions are the worst I have seen in Sri Lanka. Personal space inside the large corregated sheds is defined by sarongs and other cloth being hanged from string that criss-crosses the sheds, making privacy limited, if not impossible. I am not a child psycologist; I have no letters after my name. But experience has tought me that, after dramatic experiences children need a private place where they feel safe enough to express emotions to their parents (i.e. cry etc.). I saw no evidence of such a space here and found the living conditions personally upsetting. It was maybe 20 minutes to sunset. Children and adults were quickly gathered and a hurried mini show was performed for over 150 people. CV then asked me to play parachute games with the children. I exsplained that, due to the failing light this was not possible. They then pointed to a halogen light fixed to the wall of one of the sheds and said that they will get it turned on. Again, I fell for it. It turns out that the light doesn't work, the power being redirected to inside the sheds. However, parachute football by the light of the full moon was a novel, uplifting, and memorable experience for me. In an ideal world I would have a portable U.V. light, parachute and football as not only are early evenings cooler but bad lighting and living conditions must make evenings a dull time for children. I honestly can not say how many people took part in the games as it was dark. However, looking at the photos, I see the crowd around us was, where space allowed, seven or eight people deep. The parachute is seven metres wide, making it something like 21 and1/3 metres round (I think). That's several hundred people. all laughing and enjoying the sight of their children being children. And I regret not being able to spend more time there. Batti was very badly hit by the Tsunami. I do not believe that the conditions I saw in this camp are the result of mismanagement by government, N.G.O.'s or any other organisation. They are sadly just a fact of post Tsunami life. However, in my personal (and totaly unqualified) opinion they not only breach the U.N. convention on the rights of the child but also add to the trauma of both parents and children alike. 
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CWI Tsunami Tour