"Our Sweet Children Swept by the Tsunami!" cries a servant of God from India
 
Dearly beloved in Christ Jesus,

I present below a heart-rending incident that happened in the town of Nagapattinam, South India, during December, 2004, concerning a dear servant of God, namely Karibeeran Paramesvaran, who continues to serve the Lord faithfully. Will you please take time to read this message along with his testimony prayerfully? He has lost all his three sweet children during the Psunami disaster. After losing all his children, he testifies, "We want to live to continue to serve Him with fervour in the remainder of our days on earth. We don't have questions to ask God. Why me Lord? God gave us three sweet children and God took them to be with Him. All glory be to God. We hope to meet our children someday at Jesus' feet."

Will you please send him a message of comfort to his email id given below? Will you please view the photographs of his lost children and of his ministry amongst the college students in the web-site given below? In fact, we need servants of God like Karibeeran Paramesvaran to serve the Lord in the Body of Christ.



( Job Anbalagan)



TESTIMONY

It was
26th December 2004. I woke up and my last son wished me 'Happy Birthday'. My second daughter said 'Wishing you many more happy returns of the day' and the eldest daughter came with a cup of boost and said 'Wishing you many more birthdays'.

As we live very close to the shore, the children and the relatives who came home for Christmas wanted to go to the beach. We went to the beach deciding to get back soon since Karunya insisted we go to church. The sea was like any other day - very calm and pleasant.

Walking and playing on the beach is part of our daily routine, in the mornings and evenings… We were playing with a flying disc for about 10 minutes against the background of the sea.

My son Kirubasan (5) suddenly called out - "Daddy, Daddy, look at the sea!". I saw the sea rise to a height of about 50 feet in less than a second… Something very unusual… We began running in fear. My son was holding my hands as we ran. We couldn't match the speed of the water that travelled at 500 km/hr. In seconds it threw us and I found myself and my son go up and come down. I could hear my son cry "Daddy, Daddy" as he was drowning.

The second wave threw us apart. My son probably thought that I would save him but I was helpless. I found myself about 750 metres from the shore. I tried my level best to get hold of the palm trees, but the waves didn't let me to do so. Finally, I got hold of a tree after I saw a wall crumble and took a long deep breath. I climbed up the tree as the water level rose. I survived.

I came down from the tree and went to search for my children and relatives. I found my eldest daughter on the railway track, Rakshanya(12) lying dead. I took her body and brought her home. I found the bodies of three of my relations. While I was still searching someone told me that there was a little boy 2 kms away. I went there and found my son lying dead.

I returned to search for my other daughter and found another relation. After about three hours of searching I heard of a girl lying in a bush. That was my daughter Karunya (9). By that time there was a second Tsunami wave. I along with my nephew carrying the body of my daughter ran home… We barely made it.

It was evening. My day went in searching for the bodies. I found seven out of ten. By then, the city was gripped with fear and almost 75% of the inhabitants left the city.

We gave them a bath and dressed them up. I sent my nephew to get a few wreaths of flowers. There was no shop open. So I couldn't even put some flowers for them. We couldn't find a single person to dig a grave or attend the funeral.

As a father, I dug the grave myself and placed my children inside and closed the grave with sand.


Please see some photos taken before Christmas this year with my whole family at -

http://www.elijakiruba.com

MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY

I, Karibeeran Paramesvaran, was born in
Vellore district. I belong to the tribal community there. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour on 27th April 1982 when I was 18 yrs old. I was a high school student then. God blessed me abundantly and lifted me up in a good position. In 1987 after I completed my technical course in the ITI. I got my first job. In 1991 I married P.Choodamani. My loving wife and I started our very simple family life in Nagapattinam. We were the best couple in the city. God blessed us with three beautiful children.

We were serving the Lord in and around Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu,
India) especially in the fishing villages and among the college students, counselling the families. God was using us for His work on earth and we were happy.

We have adopted about 14 children and we are giving them education, clothes and are meeting out their expenses. Some friends are helping us with this work. My children used to teach them songs, put up skits and entertain the audience in our ministry in all those villages.

Before Christmas we invited about 400 college students from various colleges. We organised a programme 'Dhool Christmas 2004' for them. About 50 students accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour. Many wanted to know more about Him.

Please pray that God would strengthen us as we walk through this valley of 'the Shadow of death…' We want to live to continue to serve Him with fervour in the remainder of our days on earth. We don't have questions to ask God. Why me Lord? God gave us three sweet children and God took them to be with Him. All glory be to God. We hope to meet our children someday at Jesus' feet.

K. Paramesvaran,
810/9, New
Beach Road,
Kadambadi,
Nagappattinam-611 001,
South India.

Phone No: + 91 (4365) 248643, 248220

Email : elijakiruba@yahoo.co.in