OSI - Wattegama
Mount
Lavinia and
Excel
World! Below are a few photos to share the day with you. Enjoy!
3 December 2006
Our
Wattegama children live in a jungle environment on the outskirts of a
remote village, so one of their greatest needs is for an occasional day
out. This was provided to them by the remarkable generosity and
efforts of Sharmila Cassim, an OSI sponsor and donor right here in Sri
Lanka. We chartered a bus for the 5-hour ride from Wattegama to
Colombo, where the children first visited Mt. Lavinia Beach. Coming
from the interior of the island, it's a rare treat for these kids to run
on the beach and see the ocean. Carefully cuffing up their pants and
holding up their dresses, they waded meekly into the water only to
be knocked over by the first wave, followed by two hours of
unbounded frolicking and joy. The kids then changed into dry clothes
and enjoyed a fantastic, huge sea-food lunch followed by ice-cream,
coordinated by Ms. Cassim at a wonderful restaurant right on the
beach. We then transferred the kids to Excel World amusement park in
central Colombo, where they spent the entire afternoon. A rare
overcast day, the weather was perfect for an entire day outdoors,
protected from the heat of the Sri Lankan sun.
Click on the photo for a larger image...
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Arrival
at Mount Lavinia Beach
First gaze at the sea, with famous colonial-era Mt. Lavinia Hotel in the background... |
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Wading
in a little too far Thakshila, Sanduni, Dilani, Harshani... |
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Aruni,
Jayamini, Anusha, Chamalika Fallen Deepthi and Shanika failed to outrun the wave... |
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Not
Yet Wet
Dilhani and Senani... |
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Sand
Castles Chaturika and Thilini... |
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Thoroughly
Soaked Shanika, Aruni, Madushika... |
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All
Smiles Madushika, Sandareka, Shanika... |
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Huge
Seafood Lunch & Ice-Cream Anusha, Chamalika, Aruni, Sandareka... |
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Arrival
at Excel World Kids, staff, and chaperones posing in front of our bus... |
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First
Ride Malkanthi and Sherine... |
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Thilini And her pink elephant... |
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Elevated
Cars Aruni, Thilini, Dilani... |
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Taking
a Break Niluka, Upekshika, Chamalika, Anusha, Senani, Susima... |
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Orphanage
Staff With so much kind-heartedness and patience! |
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Everyone's
Favourite Ride "Scrambler" - Malkanthi, Sherine, Anoja, Nimali, Harshani, Thakshila, Harshani, Nilanthika... |
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Going
Home Exhausted (they all fell asleep seconds after this photo)... |
OSI-Wattegama Site Page - With more photos, maps, and information about OSI-Wattegama...
A huge, huge thank-you to Sharmila Cassim for all of your time and expense in providing this fantastic day and memory for our Wattegama children! Thanks also for accompanying them for the entire day and for all of the warmth you show them.
A very special thank-you also to our own Sharmila Senanayake, OSI-Wattegama liaison, for coordinating the bus/transport and all arrangements with the home and children, for supervising the children, and for enduring the tortuous 10-hours on the bus, all with your usual smile!
Thanks to Ms. Faiza Ismail for chaperoning and for providing snacks and drinks for all of the kids; -to Sharmila's mother for chaperoning, and finally to the remarkable patience and kindness of the Wattegama orphanage matron and her staff!
Thanks to all of you for creating this fantastic memory for these very deserving children!
If you are interested in funding a similar project for OSI children, please contact OSI
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