Messages from Raja

EVER-VIBRANT Harcharanjit Singh, who was conducting kirtan and lecture sessions in the recent Melbourne Gurmat samelan, is now engrossed in humanitarian relief work in Aceh, Indonesia.

Based in Sabang, the base camp for the GLOBAL SIKHS-WAVES OF MERCY, Harcharanjit is in a different kind of action from what he is more used to – Gurmat camps, fellowship camps and lepaking (Malay for hanging-out) with his buddies, as and when time permits.

“We found six families with no aid at all….In the rain around 3 am yesterday, they were drenched wet,” he reports in one text message sent to his wife, Harminder Kaur. At this moment, that's one of the issues that he has to contend with.

A lawyer by profession, Raja as he is fondly called, has been on back to back missions since attending the one-week SIKH NAUJAWAN SABHA MALAYSIA annual gurmat samelan in Johor Bahru which ended on Christmas day.

Immediately after the camp, he packed his suitcase to head for the Melbourne camp. Here, he joined forces with fellow Malaysian Mahinder Singh, popularly known as Khalsa Ji. Also there was Jasbir Singh, SNSM’s former meet jathedar (deputy president). (Back in Malaysia, we fondly call him Father Jasbir).

And now, Harcharanjit, a familiar sight in Gurmat Samelans in this region, is in Aceh.

Almost daily, he has sending text messages on the mission at hand to his wife. In return, she has diligently been forwarding the messages to the key people in the Aceh operations back in Kuala Lumpur. (Of course, the mission’s command centre is also in touch with the volunteers in Aceh via the two satellite telephones, mobile phones and also the skype).

Raja’s Messages

Feb 04: We will be covering three more camps in the morning and another three in the afternoon. The warehousing should finish by noon. Things are going on well for us. We’re trying to get the some system and knowing what food to get for the people and their needs. Stay blessed.

Feb 04: Baked beans and green peas and chick peas. Not that they don’t like, they don’t even know how to cook it. That’s the problem. They just keep the cans. I’ve been giving them a cooking course sort of a thing. Staple food is still fish, maybe sardines still in demand. And dry fish…

Feb 05: Camps in Pulau Weh have enough rice and cooking oil to last at least a month. We don’t need these because SAVE THE CHILDREN from Jawa are doing that and they can get supplies from Banda Aceh. You can go ahead with food, sugar, dried salted fish and washing detergent for clothes. No mineral water and clothes, please.

Feb 05: Children go to school but no uniform. It’s ok because half of he kids are affected and are without uniform. No books. Will try to see what I can work out with the Mayor’s office. Trauma is there. They’re strong wiled and say they have to outlive it and go on. They need boats and food. Working a cost for an atap roof room 100 per house.

Feb 06: We found six families with no aid at all. Yesterday, only the floor was left. And they only have put up some tents for shelter. In the rain around 3 am yesterday, they were drenched wet. So were the clothes donated by the people. One family that I spoke to was washed up the hill. One of the ladies was 8 months pregnant. She has since delivered. Her 8-day old baby was all wet in the tent and they had to take him and run in the rain.

Joining other volunteers, Harminder has been one of the persons seen around the Sabha House, the headquarters for the mission's operation in Kuala Lumpur. If you would like to send a message to Harcharanjit or Harminder, email them to harminder@123poz.com.

Global Sikhs-Waves of Mercy: Background

WHO WE ARE

GLOBAL SIKHS-WAVES OF MERCY is the name coined for the international relief effort to help the earthquake and Tsunami victims in Aceh, Indonesia. It is an informal grouping of Sikh and non-Sikh organisations worldwide that want to assist in the relief mission. While the mission platform carries the name Sikh, it is open to people from all races, religions and nationalities. We have, both on the mission and at the headquarters level, volunteers from various races, religions and nationalities.

Partners
The mission is spearheaded by Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (Malaysian Sikh Youth), a Malaysian-based 41-year old youth organisation. This is a registered NGO in Malaysia and has performed various community projects in Malaysia and the Asia Pacific region. Website: www.snsm.org.my

Its key operational partner is the WAVES OF MERCY, a group of Langkawi-based sailors who have rallied together to make the ships available to carry forward the mission. It is led by Captain Hugo Crawford. Some of the sailors have lost their boats in the tsunami incident. Website: www.wavesofmercy.com

Its main international partner is the UNITED SIKHS, an international NGO with chapters in Europe, America and Asia. It has sent five of its members to Kuala Lumpur for the relief work in Aceh. In separate missions, UNITED SIKHS have also sent their members to Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. Website: www.unitedsikhs.org

SUPPORTING PARTNERS

• Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE), Washington, USA
• Guru Gobind Singh Foundation (GGSF), Washington, USA www.ggsf.org
• Gurmat Learning Zone. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-zone/
• The Association of Sikh Physicians for Involvement, Response and Engagement (ASPIRE), USA
• Naujawan Sabha Melbourne, Australia
• Dya Singh World of Music

MISSION

Our mission is to assist in the humanitarian relief operations in Aceh, Indonesia, in the most effective manner as possible. Funds raised and assistance rendered will go towards achieving the objective.

24-HOUR COMMAND CENTRE

GLOBAL SIKHS operates a round-the-clock control and command centre n Kuala Lumpur. Tel: ++ 603 - 2283 3713

FEEDBACK: aceh-relief@snsm.org.my

DONATION