Returned to my hotel room exhausted. The noise and heat in the braille labeler workshop drains me at the end of the day. Its my second week in Vellore (Tamil Nadu), I'm here to help Ted Moallem build braille labelers with a team of blind workers. There isn't much to do in this town, expect watch television until I can't keep my eyes open. While channel surfing I found The Third Wave playing on Sony Pix. Its a movie you shouldn't miss, it will move you to tears.
The documentary tells the story after the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka. A group of four volunteers come together to rebuild the village of Peraliya. They are not part of any non-profit organization, they are people who just want to help and meet each other by chance. Some had sort help of friends to buy tickets to Sri Lanka. They arrive with few hundred dollars in their pockets. The story follows Alison, Oscar, Bruce, Donny and countless volunteers who fight against odds to bring medical care, relief and supplies. They start a medical aid station in the village school and take care of a relief camp.
Children are the most affected by the Tsunami, many lost their family right before eyes. The volunteers work with children and take them to beach. The children are nervous, its their first time in the sea after the 40 foot wave wiped out their village. Soon the children overcome their fears and have a gala time until they stumble upon a dead body half buried in sand. The reality of life aftermath the tsunami is capture vivid in this movie. The volunteers fight exhaustion, frustration to regain the piece of paradise lost.
