The flow of tears:

Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani were not able to contain the loss of their three sweet children. Paramesvaran was crying almost all the time. One sister who spent a few days with them said that tears were rolling from his eyes all the time.

Visitors came in many. From the neighborhood, Churches, organizations, Rotarians, YMCAens, Government Officers including the Collector, Superintendent of Police, and others. Many came and just sat with them to listen to the tragedy repeated by Paramesvaran. They tried to console, but it was beyond them.

The tragedy was so great. In his own words, Paramesvaran said, "When I read that Job lost everything on the same day, I used to wonder, how it was possible. But, now I understand that it is true because it has happened to me." So, like the friends of Job, many came and simply sat with them.

Property Loss:

The beautiful house of Paramesvarans is just facing the sea. It is more than 500 meters away from the beach. But, the water came so forcibly that the strong compound walls on all the sides of the house collapsed and gone beyond recognition. The water struck the huge front door and it fell down. The beautiful lawn and the garden plants all wiped away.

Water entered all the rooms in the ground floor. In the force of the water, even gadgets like refrigerator and washing machine were carried away in the flood. The furniture, utensils, almost all the kitchen things were out. The TV and the laptop completely damaged. The worst loss is the precious photographs and videos of the family, especially that of the children. Only one film role, which was taken on 23rd December, escaped. The photographs in the website are from that role. Altogether the loss of property can be to the worth of Rs.4, 00,000. But, Paramesvaran laments that far more greater loss is the lives of the children and the relatives.

Questions from outside and from within:

Some Christian visitors almost openly spoke that if Paramesvarans would have gone early to the Church, the tragedy could have been averted. (As stated earlier, they wanted to go to the Church after a short visit to the beach with their relatives who have never seen sea in their lives).
Their relatives from other faith sarcastically said why the Jesus whom they believed was not able to save them. They accused that this happened because they have followed Christ.

More than others, Paramesvaran and Choodamani were asking each other and to themselves numerous questions.

• What sin have we committed that the Lord has to punish us like this?
• What sin have our dear children committed that they had such a tragic death?
• We have been saying to all that the Lord Jesus raised us from the dust and have brought us to a Castle. How are we going to explain to people such a loss?
• Why on earth the Lord has to focus on me and my family to face this problem?
• Why? Why? Why?

There was no end of such questions.

The Divine Visitation:

Hear the way the Lord wonderfully brought out Paramesvarans from this situation in his own words:

Dear praying friends,

Loving greetings to you in the matchless name of our Lord and God Jesus Christ. I had a mysterious time in the past 6 months after the Tsunami. Only by the grace of God and the prayers of all of you for me and my wife, we are able to stand as we are now.

After the Tsunami, we were in trauma and we had big questions about the tragedy. After three days of weeping and weeping, I was sitting in the children’s room and was mourning. Choodamani was in the other room. She came to me and said, ‘ The Lord spoke to me. I was sitting and weeping. Suddenly I heard a whisper. It was a very crystal clear voice from God. He said,

"When I saved your husband, do you think I can’t save your children? I have a purpose on you”

Initially I did not believe this. I said that Choodamani is saying something just to console me. But, she was firm to say that she heard God’s whisper with this message. Yet, I had a big question. Why God did not speak to me? Choodamani replied that God would speak, if we read God’s Word. So, we decided to read the Bible for the first time after the Tsunami. She read Colossians 1st Chapter. When she read verse 27, I asked Choodamani to read it again and again in English and Tamil. It said,
"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)

This verse spoke forcefully to both of us. God spoke that Jesus Christ is within us who is our total hope. We are called to proclaim this hope to others by joining with Paul to say, "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.

Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God." Col. 1: 24,25.
Then we started to praise God. Now we both realized that the Lord has allowed this terrible tragedy in our family with a greater purpose of making us channels of God’s consolation and comfort to many many people. From this I learnt that God has chosen us as a couple in this 21st Century to glorify the Lord.

We both got a very good hope that our children are with the Lord Jesus Christ in His safe hands and we are going to meet them soon. From this realization we got tremendous peace. Through this, God led us to the formation of the "Nambikkai" – ‘Hands of Hope’.

Through the movement, "Nambikkai" we will be able to help thousands of people to get out of their trauma. My wife and myself began our ministry to enable them to lead a normal life by counseling them. Many of them accepted our Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. So many people wrote to me testifying that they were touched through our web site: www.elijakiruba.com

We were not interested in any publicity. But people watched our activities. We do counseling. We supply food, fishing nets and livelihoods. My wife and myself take care of school children, specially the orphans. We have dedicated our house for the orphan children. These are all the amazing works done the couple who are worst affected in the Tsunami in Nagapatinam. The people around us, Government Authorities and all other public were amazed to see such kind of activities. So the Media People, Dailies and Magazines brought our story. To name a few, India Today, Junior Vikatan, Aval Vikatan, Kumutham, Thinamanikathir, Enadu (Telugu), etc. Televisions like NDTV and BBC Radio telecast out our story in a moving way.

A team of fifteen - 11 students and 4 staff of IVCF from three cities of United States of America came down to India and stayed at our home for 5 days in March 05. So many leaders are visiting us and listening patiently to our testimony and story. They are all encouraged by us. Many of the churches invite us as guest preachers. We are sharing the word of God along with my Tsunami Story. As a result, many people were lifted up in their spiritual lives. Most of them are in tears as we narrate the event of 26th December 2004.

Now 16 children are staying with us at our home. "Nambikkai" is looking after them for their food, clothes and School needs. We take care of them like our own children. Please pray for "Nambikkai".

Please pray for this a very humble beginning of the ministry.
With Love and Prayer

K.Paramesvaran
P.Choodamani