- J
- D
- E
As you all know, we moved to Sri Lanka last year to pursue a unique job opportunity. It was scary, leaving all our friends and family behind for a place we'd never been and barely even know about. But we quickly made a friend here, a best friend, really, in the unlikeliest of places.
Ismail was the security guard of our apartment building. He was 76, about five feet tall, and Muslim. English was his third language. But somehow, through small exchanges at first, we formed a close friendship. Every morning we'd come down with a cup of coffee for him and he'd tell us about what had happened in the night, where he slept on the floor manning the apartment gate. Every day after work we'd come home and sit for an hour, telling life stories and jokes, telling him about America and listening about his adventures working odd jobs through Sri Lanka and Dubai. We'd share our dinner, some of which he always saved for the clan of stray cats that came through, and then after dinner talk some more before going to bed and doing it all again the next day. On Sundays, his wife, daughter, and grandchildren would bring us a huge lunch feast, and we'd play tag in the parking garage with the kids until they went home in the evening. He was one of the kindest, funniest, most generous people we had ever met.
When Ismail passed away in January, it was a heartbreak for us. Not only did we lose our best friend, and our lifeline in this country, we knew the affect his death had on his family. At 76 he was still working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (literally) to provide for his family, to pay the education costs for his grandchildren and the electricity in the tiny home he'd bought with his life savings. He lived on $20 a month so he could give his family the rest - about 175 $USD.
We've stayed very close with his family, going to meals at their home on the weekends to play with the kids and spend time with his wife and daughter. We give some money every month because we know losing Ismail was not only an emotional blow to them, but a financial one. As we prepare to leave Sri Lanka at the end of June, we'd like to leave them with the equivalent of a few months of his salary to help ease the stress as they continue to figure out how to support the family of 8 grandchildren on a smaller income.
Due to your already generous support, we've raised the goal to $1,750, but any amount you are willing and able to give actually goes a long way. We will hand over your donation to them at the end of the month, saying it's from our family to theirs.
Thank you so much for your time and thoughts.
-Walter and Judy
Ismail was the security guard of our apartment building. He was 76, about five feet tall, and Muslim. English was his third language. But somehow, through small exchanges at first, we formed a close friendship. Every morning we'd come down with a cup of coffee for him and he'd tell us about what had happened in the night, where he slept on the floor manning the apartment gate. Every day after work we'd come home and sit for an hour, telling life stories and jokes, telling him about America and listening about his adventures working odd jobs through Sri Lanka and Dubai. We'd share our dinner, some of which he always saved for the clan of stray cats that came through, and then after dinner talk some more before going to bed and doing it all again the next day. On Sundays, his wife, daughter, and grandchildren would bring us a huge lunch feast, and we'd play tag in the parking garage with the kids until they went home in the evening. He was one of the kindest, funniest, most generous people we had ever met.
When Ismail passed away in January, it was a heartbreak for us. Not only did we lose our best friend, and our lifeline in this country, we knew the affect his death had on his family. At 76 he was still working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (literally) to provide for his family, to pay the education costs for his grandchildren and the electricity in the tiny home he'd bought with his life savings. He lived on $20 a month so he could give his family the rest - about 175 $USD.
We've stayed very close with his family, going to meals at their home on the weekends to play with the kids and spend time with his wife and daughter. We give some money every month because we know losing Ismail was not only an emotional blow to them, but a financial one. As we prepare to leave Sri Lanka at the end of June, we'd like to leave them with the equivalent of a few months of his salary to help ease the stress as they continue to figure out how to support the family of 8 grandchildren on a smaller income.
Due to your already generous support, we've raised the goal to $1,750, but any amount you are willing and able to give actually goes a long way. We will hand over your donation to them at the end of the month, saying it's from our family to theirs.
Thank you so much for your time and thoughts.
-Walter and Judy