By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 5/26/05)

After the Dec. 26 tsunamis hit, many from this diocese and this country rallied behind the victims with support. For most people, this meant offering a monetary donation, but for a few people, this meant leaving home and traveling to help those in need.

Kristin Geers, a second-year medical student at Virginia Tech University and a member of St. Mary Church in Blacksburg, Va., is one such person. Dr. Joe Cacioppo, an ER physician in Blacksburg and professor, organized the mission trip sponsored by International Christian Resources.

The group had originally planned a trip to Central America, but after the tsunami, they changed their plans. Geers accompanied 22 fellow medical students and three physicians on a 10-day trip to India to care for the victims.

With $145,000 from donations and $9,000 the group raised, they were able to purchase supplies including infant formula, antibiotics, Tylenol, Ibuprofen and stomach medicines.

After several long flights and a six-hour drive, they arrived in Cudalore, India. According to Geers, the tsunami’s path of destruction was easily seen throughout the area. While locals informed the group of the grass huts that were completely washed away, they could see the single-wall remains from brick homes.

"It’s hard to believe that water can do that much damage," Geers said. One teenager explained that when the water receded, people ran to pick up fish that were flopping on the beach before they realized what was happening and started to run.

One village lost over 300 people to the wave. Many of the people who died were children and elderly who weren’t able to swim. The survivors were the ones able to swim to safety on top of trees and tall buildings.

The pressure from the water left trees slanted. Remnants of scattered lives remained on the ground — things like broken bricks, a single sandal, a broken plate and a boat board.

"It was like walking through a graveyard at times," Geers said. Far away from the beach, women collected sea shells to make jewelry to sell.

The group of medical students offered five days of medical clinics in fishing villages along the southeastern coast. Each day, the students split into three different groups to cover more ground.

"As soon as we started setting up the clinic, people would line up," said Geers. The team treated more than 3,000 people in five days.

The Indian government provided initial medical care, but not any follow up services.

"In some villages, people seemed desperate and fearful that no one would come back to help them," Geers said. Several fights broke out while people waited in line. One day, Geers’ group was prevented from reaching their destination by a road block protesting government distribution of relief funds.

"Many people had ruptured ear drums from the impact of the tsunami wave," she said. The clinicians gave antibiotics that will help the ear drum grow back. They also treated eye problems and replaced eye glasses that were lost in the wave.

One girl Geers helped had two infected ulcers on her leg from the tsunami. The skin infections meant that the first injury was not treated. If the girl took the antibiotics from the clinic correctly, the infection would heal.

"One fisherman I saw got his leg stuck between two trees when the wave washed over him," Geers said. He was saved by several onlookers who freed his leg and swam with him to safety. When they were rescued, he went to the hospital. The X-ray revealed that it wasn’t broken, so they sent him home.

Six weeks later, his knee was still swollen, and he found walking difficult, Geers said. The fisherman was most upset about not being able to pull in his fishing nets.

It was uncertain whether or not the patients would recover. Some of the medical problems needed hospital care, but many of the people could not afford to go.

"Giving people kindness, love and compassion … seemed to affect them more than the medicine," Geers said. "So much of our work was trying to show people in our actions that they do matter and that they are loved by us and by God."

The healing touch of a doctor also went a long way. Geers explained that one lady who came to see her had arthritis in her back and joints. There is not much a doctor can do for arthritis except give pain relief medicine. But Geers spent five minutes with the lady anyway and checked her out.

"I didn’t think much of it," she said, but before the lady walked out, she raised her arm in an Indian blessing. The look on her face said she hadn’t received kindness for a long time.

"It’s so easy to give love," Geers said. "Even if there is no follow up for these people, a little love is better than no love."