Well, here in Sri Lanka things are all warm and sunny. I've been staying at a seminary in the capital of Colombo. The people have been very nice and welcoming. The campus is fairly new and well kept, but they only have commuter students, so there haven't been a lot of people around to talk to. I have seen monkeys jumping through the trees though and am getting used to cars coming at me on the left side of the road.
On Sunday I met a guy who is working with immigrants from Maldives, another nation of small islands to the West of the Indian subcontinent. Unfortunately, the country is in self-denial about a huge heroine problem the young people are having. It's estimated that 80% of the young adult males are heroine addicts. So this guy is working with young men in a rehab program for Maldivian immigrants. But he is discouraged right now as there aren't many making progress.
Yesterday I had lunch with a lecturer who was quite interested in my project, and he introduced me to another US student who is doing a similar project about seeing how the traditional Sri Lankan drum can be re-integrated into worship services. It is played quite lively, but is associated with budhist rituals and so hasn't been embraced by the church previously. Very interesting...
On Sunday I met a guy who is working with immigrants from Maldives, another nation of small islands to the West of the Indian subcontinent. Unfortunately, the country is in self-denial about a huge heroine problem the young people are having. It's estimated that 80% of the young adult males are heroine addicts. So this guy is working with young men in a rehab program for Maldivian immigrants. But he is discouraged right now as there aren't many making progress.
Yesterday I had lunch with a lecturer who was quite interested in my project, and he introduced me to another US student who is doing a similar project about seeing how the traditional Sri Lankan drum can be re-integrated into worship services. It is played quite lively, but is associated with budhist rituals and so hasn't been embraced by the church previously. Very interesting...
This is a picture of a man named Dyonis, who is the care taker of the school and basically looks after me. He is quite sweet although only speaks in single word sentences in English. We've had some fun though still.
This afternoon (tuesday) I leave the heat of the coast and go up to the higher inland section of Sri Lanka, to Kandy. There are some famous temples up there and a Bible School I will stay at over night.
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