Sai Ram

Below are extracts from the article "An overwhelming journey" represented by
Terri T. Johnson, Staff writer Washington Observer Reporter, PA - 3 Feb 2005.

Dr. Vasu Malepati of Peters Township treats a patient during a recent trip to
Sri Lanka. Malepati and his wife, also a doctor, spent several weeks in the
country, attending to tsunami survivors.
After watching television reports of the destruction caused by the tsunami
that pummeled 11 Asian countries, doctors Vasu and Durga Malepati knew they had
to help.
The couple rented a van to travel between rural areas, but travel in a
tsunami-devastated country is not easy. The waves destroyed not only lives and
livelihoods, but also roads, bridges, railroads and public transportation.
Often, the van was driven onto a ferry as bridges were washed away.
They carried fresh water from Colombo, along with flashlights, medical
supplies and plenty of candy for the children who would flock to them. They
frequently treated patients under the shade of large trees.
The couple set up a clinic in the district of Hambantota, on the tip of the
island and one of the hardest-hit areas. They traveled north along the eastern
coast to Vakarai in the Batticaloa district, where they set up a clinic for
four days in a school. In Vakarai there is no electricity, no telephone and no
money.
"We gave some counseling, but here is a lot of depression," Malepati said.
"They always said 'Thank you and thank you for the American people and the
whole world.'"
A majority of Sri Lankans are Buddhists. Malepati is Hindu, and he said his
faith is what drove him. He credits his spiritual mentor, Sai Baba, with his
philosophy: "If you serve people, you are serving God."
"I feel I did something, not much, but I did something," he said. "But I
wish I could do more."
Source: http://www.observer-reporter.com/282532561483546.bsp
Namaste - Reet


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