The Holy Family Sisters Stand with their People
However, in the midst of death, destruction, pain, loss and intense fear, something beautiful is happening – the spirit of Sri Lanka’s people refuses to break. Families who spent years building their homes and lives watched their life’s achievements vanish in minutes. Yet, they are looking after their neighbours, sharing what little food they have and are there for each other. From other areas, less badly affected, meals are being cooked to be delivered by boat and vehicle to those still trapped by the floods.
Volunteers work side by side with Navy rescue teams, searching through dangerous waters where crocodiles lurk, for survivors and also to bring home the bodies of those who are no more. Most inspiring is to see Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims not only opening the doors of temples, churches and mosques but also their homes to shelter anyone who needs help. No racial or religious differences prevent a helping hand being extended, for we are ‘one family’.
For us, as Holy Family Sisters, we are following in the footsteps of what our Good Father, Pierre Bienvenu Noailles, envisioned: “In devoting yourselves to the Works of the Association, you have not separated yourselves from those who live under the common law. As companions of their good angel, you follow them in the valley of tears, and to bring them back or to keep them for Jesus Christ, you share with them, as far you can, all the fatigues, the trials and the dangers of the journey.
We too have been deeply affected. Some of our convents are flood-hit. We too lost our communication systems and internet connections. We too felt the same fear and pain like every other Sri Lankan. Many of our Sisters have seen their own family homes damaged or destroyed by this cyclone – their parents, siblings and loved ones are among those who have lost everything.
Yet, even as they are assailed by personal grief and loss, our Sisters continue to serve. This shared suffering has not weakened us; it has deepened our commitment and strengthened our bond with the people we serve. Several of our convents have become shelters for families who have nowhere else to go. Our Sisters travel by boat through gushing flood waters and by vehicle over badly-damaged roads, taking hot meals to people, wherever we can reach them.
What touches our hearts most is how our work inspires others to join in. When people see us serving, they help too. Strangers show up at relief centres with donations of money and food. Others roll up their sleeves to cook with us, pack supplies or simply hold crying children who have lost everything.
This cyclone has taken much from our nation. But it has also shown us something powerful: our greatest strength lies in our shared humanity and our willingness to care for one another.
As Holy Family Sisters, we try our best to continue walking alongside our people through this crisis and through the long months of rebuilding ahead. We will remain present in both the suffering and the hope of our beloved Sri Lanka.
Holy Family Sisters in Sri Lanka