Ｃｈｉｌｄrｅｓｃｕｅ　Ｃｅｎｔｅｒ Official website The Sumatra earthquake Charity Activity 2005/2/17-2005/2/19

Child Rescue Center 3-3-11-101 Hon-cho Nakano-ku Tokyo, Japan 164-0012
Tel 03-3373-9998 Fax 03-3373-9994 (We can presently only respond via phone or fax)
http://www.childrescue.jp

Supported by Singapore Airlines, Yoshimoto Kogyo Co., Ltd. and Izawa Office., and Sun Music Production.

The Sumatra earthquake Charity Activity held by the Child Rescue Center

No.2 　Day 3 (Feb.17th) Day 4 (Feb.18th) Day 5 (Feb. 19th) To Diary page

Saturday Feb.19th, 2005 Day 5.

Sunrise at the MA center

We said goodbye to the MA center this day and went for Kanyakumari. “Kumari” means “Living God”. We donated 5000 rupees (about 15,000 yen) to show our token of appreciation.

We had to travel from 13:00 to 21:00 by car, but that funny driver came again to accompany us. We visited Suchindrum temple during our trip. This temple is a big one that has Brahman, Vishnu, and Shiva enshrined. This temple is famous for the 18 feet Hanuman (In Japan known as Son goku) statue, and there were many people visiting.

Ｔｈｉｓ shrine is also known for it’s musical pillar, which create music. Photos are not allowed so we cannot show you the photos, but there are beautiful sculptures on the pillars and the pillar also has a function as a musical instrument.

Suchindrum temple

We were lucky to have the number one player of this instrument guide us through the temple and we were able to listen to him play. He played by hitting his knuckle on to the pillar. He had a callus on his knuckle by playing the instrument for a long period. The sound of the pillar instrument was very clear, and there also exists a complicated scale. It seems that the sound differs according to the area hit. Visitors put their ear to the pillar to listen to the music.

This person is also a carrier of a portable shrine, and he let us feel his shoulder which was changed shape so that the portable shrine will fit on his shrine.

30 minutes from the temple was our destination, Kanyakumari. This place is most south of India and where the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal meet. This place is called Trivenisangam and is a sacred place associated with Gandhi’s ashes and there is also a memorial hall. Our charity activities will take place here.

With the driver at the hotel.
Thanks for the long ride.　
Hotel Samudra

Friday Feb. 18th, 2005 Day 4.

During our break Our driver, Mr. Suresh		AIMS hospital Official HP of the hospital. We have received permission to use this photograph.	We visited the AIMS hospital located at a place called Coach which is a 3 to 4 hour car drive from the MA center. There are almost no traffic lights during this ride. What was interesting, was that every time we would pass a car, the driver would honk his horn. This sounded more like fun music. The driver had a very artistic sense and would imitate various sounds with his voice, and would use the handle and other parts of the car and it was like a one man jukebox!
Because of the driver’s entertaining and safe ride, this day, which was spent mostly on traveling, has passed pretty quickly.
	This is a picture of the feet of an Indian infant. There is a silver anklet on the right anklet. Not only is this an accessory, it is also used so that the family can always be aware of the infant’s location by listening to the sounds. It seems that when the infant becomes bigger and is capable of going places on its own, then they no longer wear their anklet.

Thursday Feb. 17th, 2005 Day 3.

7 am. We went to the camp where we had briefly visited the day before. There were a lot of tin shelters lined up beside each other. Preparation for breakfast was going on at the camp when we arrived. After the Tsunami disaster, the volunteers from the MA center come here every day to prepare the meals. At the MA center, it seemed custom for everyone who is not a priest, where white. We also followed this custom and wore white clothes and white aprons.

At 16:00, we went to the far coastline with a motor boat, which was an hour ride.

Beautiful dawn

Tin shelters

Assembly place before going to school.

Preparation of meals by the MA center.
Breakfast is curry and grain

To the children we passed by	Boat	Back Water	Children playing at the port

	Cows are treated as important animals in India. This kind of situation can be seen frequently even in the city.	Ａｂｏｕｔ　1000 people gathered at this site for prayers. Within one hour, starting from 19:30, we were able to give out most of our candy bought in Japan. We then went back by to the MA center by boat and arrived at 21:30. We can finally eat dinner. The MA center costs 150 rupees (about 450 yen) per person which includes 3 meals. Meals are all curry, but there is a different menu every time. Other than curries, there are also western canteens so for people who plan to stay for a long time, and want to eat something different, they can do so. Hot water is 1 rupee (about 3 yen) so we could use the tea packs we brought. Toast with butter and jam are 10 rupees (about 30 yen) and vegetarian hamburgers are 20 rupees (about 60 yen).