Send Hope

Write to: Children in Sri Lanka

Easter Sunday began as a happy morning in Zion Church, Batticaloa. The children in Sunday school ate breakfast together, then sang and celebrated Jesus’ resurrection. One of their teachers asked: “How many of you want to be witnesses for Christ?” Five or six children raised their hands and made their first prayer of commitment. A few minutes later, however, there was chaos as a bomb exploded in the church. Among the 29 believers who died, 14 of them were children.

Image: The Sunday school at Zion Church

In addition, 17 children were injured, as well as many more adults. In total, over a hundred children were in church that day. Those that weren’t physically hurt, lost friends and were traumatised by the event.

Since then, Open Doors teams have been working to provide the church and bereaved families with long-term trauma care and counselling, and livelihood support. Sunday school teachers at Zion Church have also been faithfully supporting their children. Could you help by sending a message of encouragement to the children who were traumatised by the blast?

Send messages to the children of Zion Church

Messages will be delivered around Christmas time so they can be Christmas-themed.

Please send letters and cards addressed to ‘Children of Zion Church’ to Open Doors UK, PO Box 6, Witney, OX29 6WG.

Digital messages should be sent with the subject line ‘Children of Zion Church’ to: messagestosrilanka@opendoorsuk.org

The closing date is 31 October 2019.

Important guidelines

• Do not mention Open Doors in any messages.
• Do not include political, anti-Buddhist, or anti-Islam messages.
• Please be sensitive to the children’s losses and avoid mentioning how good life is in your country.
• Kindly avoid using your full name (first name will do) and do not include proposals or promises to help.
• Many children in Zion Church may not understand English. Most of the believers in Zion Church use the Tamil language. If possible, please use Tamil phrases to make your message easy to understand.

Tamil phrases for you to use…

My name is
En peyar

I am praying for you
Nan unkalukkaka jepikkirenṟēṉ

God loves you
Katavul unnai necikkirar

You are in my prayers
Ninkal en jepattil irukkirirkalḷ

Stay strong!
Valuvaka irunkalḷ

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Yocuva 1:9 Palamakavum tairiyamakavum irunkal; payappatatirkal, kalankatirkal, enenral ninkal enku cenralum unkal tevanakiya karttar unkalutan irukkirar.

A prayer for children in Sri Lanka

Lord Jesus, please heal Your children. Take the painful memories away. Let them know that You are God and You have them safely in Your care. Amen.

Where is Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka is an island country in the Indian Ocean, to the south east of Tamil Nadu in southern India.

Send in your cards and messages…

Please put all your letters and cards in one envelope and send to Open Doors UK, PO Box 6, Witney, OX29 6WG.

Back to letter-writing page…