To all the people, who helped Little Smile helping in a very difficult time
There are moments of speechlessness also for somebody who normally knows very well to express himself – and I usually belong to this group of people. But how can words express the dimension of the catastrophe, which brought death to more than 200.000 people at the coasts of India, Indonesia, Thailand and especially Sri Lanka in the morning hours of the 2nd Christmas Holiday 2004. Nearly nobody knew about Tsunami before, today it is a symbol for the elemental force of sea, for devastation and death, but also for a symbol of a worldwide solidarity with the victims, which had been unknown before. And also I don’t find words to express my gratitude for all the helpfulness, which I have met during the 12 past months since that death wave. I have faced together with the Little Smile team this gift and the obligation on one hand and the misery as well as the chaos on the other hand; day by day, hour by hour.
 Sitting beside this seriously ill boy, who could hardly be treated, because the biggest hospital in Kalmunai had been destroyed, I vowed that I would not stop before I did everything I could to reduce the misery of these children. We still have not reached the end of the way and there are still many things to do. We will also help many people with your support in future, by building a children’s hospital, a school, children’s homes, training centres, houses for Tsunami widows and their children or by helping to help yourself by supplying people with boats or a qualified education.
I also sincerely ask you for your patience. It is not good to hurry in a country that makes it very difficult to offer sustainable help. I promise you that Little Smile will also in 2006 do its best to help the poorest in this country and to give back a smile to them. Although the horrible wave has disappeared from the news, we will be here where we are needed and where we can help, with your help, people in big need, especially children. Yours, Michael Kreitmeir and the Little Smile team |