FORT BELVOIR, Va., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- When Defense National Stockpile
Center contractor Norma Yoosuf received a 3 a.m. long-distance telephone call
from her brother, she never imagined at the heart of the news was a tsunami
that rushed over her hometown of Moratowa, Sri Lanka.
"My extended family lives in Sri Lanka still and said many of the people
had no idea what tsunamis were," Yoosuf explained. "They had no chance. They
thought the water was pouring from the sky, like it was raining."
With a wall of water described to be as tall as a coconut tree, or 30 feet
high, many of Yoosuf's relatives and old classmates and neighbors were washed
away before they had a chance to move farther inland.
Others nevertheless, according to Yoosuf, did learn of the tsunami when it
hit the southeastern tip of the island and were able to get to higher ground.
The shock continues to set in as individuals clean up the damaged shores
that once were known for their lovely beaches and hotels. Many stare at the
ocean waiting for their loved ones to return from the waves; others wake from
nightmares replaying the events from Dec. 26. "We are grateful for those who
have survived," Yoosuf said. "Homes can be rebuilt; people cannot be brought
back."
After living in Sri Lanka for 25 years, Yoosuf has only been able to
return to the country a handful of times since living in the United States.
She has found solace in the fact that America and the Defense Logistics Agency
are providing so much help with the relief efforts.
"The people here at DLA and DNSC have been so amazing," Yoosuf said.
"Everyone in this department, including my director and assistant director,
all flocked to me to give me comfort and give me things to send over to my
family. I am so pleased with how I have been treated in this Agency."
With two other children to care for, Yoosuf was not able to leave her job
at DNSC and her part-time job with the Virginia state government. Ironically,
Yoosuf's husband, Hilmy, a math teacher with the Fairfax County, Va., school
system, planned to visit Sri Lanka in December, but cancelled his plans.
However, as soon as Yoosef's family heard the news, Hilmy and their 16-
year-old son embarked on the trip anyway. They got on a plane Dec. 28 with
suitcases full of supplies, money and clothes to make the flight to Moratowa
to lend a hand in whatever way possible.
"My husband's school was wonderful," Yoosuf said. "The school supervisor
helped out and set up drives in the school to collect money for my husband to
bring with him on his trip. It is so much better when you know exactly where
your money or your supplies are going." The devastation when they arrived was
more than anyone could bear, according to Yoosuf, who said the mental stress
has been so hard on many that people are committing suicide in the aftermath.
"The community is very small there," Yoosuf explained, "so they are all
working to help each other. But it is so sad because so many people have lost.
My husband tells me sad stories every day. One of my old neighbors, who I grew
up with, lost everyone in his family. One child lost her parents. The
fisheries industry is in disrepair. Many bodies are buried under the sand and
will never be recovered."
Even with so much despair in the tales, her husband, who had heart surgery
three years ago, said he has been different ever since he arrived in Sri
Lanka. "He said he gained so much energy and strength because he understood
how much work needed to be done."
For her son, who only visited Sri Lanka when he was 2, gained a lifetime
worth of lessons trying to pray for and console people he had never met. With
no concept of the language and customs, her son was opened to a world that he
may have never known if it were not for the tsunami.
"My family was very happy to see my son," Yoosuf explained. "If it weren't
for the catastrophe, it may have been many years before he would have gone. He
has never seen this way of life and the scarcity of food. It is a lifetime
lesson for him."
Staying in country for more than a month, Yoosuf's husband and son began
what is now a projected one- to two-year clean up to revitalize the land known
for its tea, rubber, cotton and fisheries. With damaged phone lines, broken
bridges and shattered homes, anything one can do to patch up the holes in
people's lives is a start, according to Yoosuf.
"I hope there will be a better future," Yoosuf said. "I hope that things
go the right way so it is a beautiful island again.
"I think there needs to be more trauma centers for the all of the people
enduring such stress," Yoosuf explained. "They are always around the tragedy;
there is nowhere to escape. It is a lot to take in all at once. I would say to
the people to accept the situation because it is not going away, and try to
look forward to tomorrow. This was no one's fault. There is no guarantee for
tomorrow, so we must do what we can to make today the best. We need to do
whatever we can to lift them up."
Yoosuf works as a program assistant in the environmental unit of DNSC, a
field activity of the Defense Logistics Agency, which provides supply support,
and technical and logistics services to the U.S. military services and several
federal civilian agencies. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., the agency is
the one source for nearly every consumable item, whether for combat readiness,
emergency preparedness or day-to-day operations.
SOURCE Defense Logistics Agency
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Related links:
http://www.dla.mil
CONTACT:
Dawn Dearden of Defense Logistics Agency,
+1-703-767-6310, or Dawn.dearden@dla.mil
NOTE TO EDITORS: This story was written by Joy Kress with the
Defense Logistics Agency Public Affairs office. Accompanying
photos can be found here: http://www.dla.mil/newsphotos.asp
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