SourceST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, December 28, 2004: Homeschooling is on the rise in the U.S.A. According to this news release, the National Home Education Research Institute, based in Salem, Oregon, estimates that 1.7 million to 2.1 million children were home taught during the 2002-2003 school year, up as much as 13 percent from 2000-2001. Parents decide to homeschool for various reasons…
SourceCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, January 7, 2004: Chinmaya Mission Chicago reports: “You are all aware of the unspeakable tragedy of death and destruction caused by the deadly Tsunami in the Asian region. In the face of such extensive human suffering, the least we can do is to open our hearts and offer support to reach the victims. Our earnest efforts are under…
SourceKAPAA, KAUAI, HAWAII, January 6, 2004: (HPI note: The following article appeared in the Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaii’s main newspaper. Kauai’s Hindu monastery is home of Hinduism Today and HPI.) Sri Lankan orphans with ties to a Hindu monastery on Kaua’i ran from the onrushing water of the December 26 tsunami, but many did not run fast enough. Before the tsunami,…
SourceNAGAPATTINAM, TAMIL NADU, INDIA, Januayr 4, 2005: Barefooted Maria Selvan, 63, walks aimlessly along the shores sobbing and recollecting the moments before and after the gigantic wall of water came crashing down over him. At times he beats his chest in despair and then goes silent. Then he points a finger to a piece of flattened land where his house…
Religion Today SummariesCANADA, January 7, 2004: HPI note: The following item appeared in today’s Religion Today Summaries published by Crosswalk.com, a Christian evangelical organization. It reads: “The president of Gospel for Asia says the devastating earthquake and tidal wave that hit South Asian countries should make every true believer focus on evangelism. Indonesia was hardest hit, reporting nearly 100,000 deaths.…
SourceCHIDAMBARAM, TAMIL NADU, INDIA, January 7, 2004: While thousands lost their lives in the Cuddalore coast to Tsunami, close to 4,000 fishermen belonging to some 20 villages like Killai, Pichavaram, Kavarapattu neighboring the Chidambaram region escaped. They had left their villages to attend the annual ritual of “Ardra Darshan” at the world famous Siva Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram. As has…
SourceBATTICALOA, SRI LANKA, January 6, 2004: Patrick Harrigan of the Kataragama Pada Yatra organization in Sri Lanka has posted photos of the devastation in Batticaloa. He writes, “Just now I am uploading files to the Kataragama Pada Yatra web site (“source”) taken today south of Batticaloa. I was anxious to see the condition of the Kalladi Tiruchendur Murugan Temple. The…
SourceKAUAI, HAWAII, January 6, 2004: The Wikipedia is a free on-line encyclopedia that anyone can add to or edit. It carries what is probably the most information-rich web page on the tsunami at “source” above. It includes sites to view astounding video footage of the tsunami.
SourceWASHINGTON, D.C., January 6, 2004: American taxpayers making donations this month to aid the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami will be able to claim deductions on their 2004 tax returns under legislation passed by Congress Thursday. The bill sent to President Bush was aimed at encouraging private donations to the tsunami relief effort. Under current law, taxpayers would have…
SourceMUMBAI, INDIA, January 5, 2005: In the 17th Century, 14 Indian women from Daman, Surat and Pondicherry set foot on a speck in the Indian Ocean called Reunion. Four centuries later, their descendants have returned to India to trace their roots before they participate at the third annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas for non-resident Indians. A tiny island in the Indian…