Rashmi check-in? Hoping her family was not near tsunami

[octmom]

I've been out of town and offline for about a week. Scanning the boards today, I don't see any posts from Rashmi. I am hoping that maybe she is visitng family in the U.S. for the holidays, but I don't know where in India her family lives and I am worried that they may be in the area that was devastated by the tsunami. Someone please let me know if she is just offline for the holidays so I can stop worrying about her. The whole situation is just so awful.

Thanks.

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[Saartje]

She's been posting on the retreat-planning Yahoo group, so I think all are well. Her family has been visiting her, I believe, not the other way around.

[octmom]

Thanks for letting me know!

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[jamsmu]

I know there are others with family from Asia in that area. Anyone know about them?

[aliceinwonderland]

Rashmi said her family is away from the coastline.

[papal]

Hey Jerilyn,
I just saw this.. i have family visiting and they are driving me nuts, so no time to check the boards.
Thanks for thinking of me and my family. Fortunately, they do not stay near the coastal regions. There is such widespread devastation in the state that I am from. My mom, who is in India, is busy organizing clothes, water, blankets to send there. It is so sad because the poorest of the poor are the ones who are worst affected by this disaster... it will take years to recover. Right now they are just trying to contain contagious diseases. Apparently, measles, typhoid and cholera have already broekn out. The death toll is only going to rise.
There are these islands called the Andaman Nicobar islands off the coast of India... huge naval base. Almost half the officers and the families are dead. It is really awful.

[pixelprincess]

Rashmi,
Good to hear that all is well with your family in India. I am off to India in a couple weeks. I have some online friends that have donated $$ to me for the victims. I am trying to find trustworthy organizations in India to send funds/supplies to. Would your mom be able to help with that? Please email me if you have any ideas.

[octmom]

Glad that both of your families are OK. My mom has some families from that region of the world in her school (NY suburban elementary school principal) and she is checking with them next week to see if they know of any way to help get $$ and supplies to the people who need them. My OB is from Sri Lanka and I have my annual exam next week, so I intend to ask him if he knows any way to get donations through quickly. I just want to do something to help and I have heard that bureaucracy may hold things up. If I can't find a connection, I think I'll give through the Red Cross.

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[suribear]

This is a good organization, working at the grassroots level. I know someone who used to work for them and I recently got an email indicating their exact plan IRT this disaster.

http://www.aidindia.org/CMS/

If you donate through this website, they match your donation:
http://www.sulekha.com/aidtsunami/?ref=hpimage

It sounds like a $500 donation is required for matching funds.

Other great organizations include Doctors without Borders, UNICEF and Americares. Just to name a few.

It's truly awful, to think of the suffering and loss.

Kris