Nonprofit remembers 2004 tsunami

Orange County residents are commemorating the fifth anniversary of the south Asian earthquake and tsunami by raising awareness about the continued need of those who were impacted.

Resplended Hope is a nonprofit that was formed by members from Mariners Church in Irvine. On relief trips, they saw the devastation the tsunami caused to the people of Sri Lanka.

“The needs were so great,” said Kristi Kirkpatrick of Corona del Mar. “We started to share the stories of the people in Sri Lanka, we formed a 501(c)3 and started helping by raising funds and awareness.”

Today marks the fifth year since the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami hit, killing hundreds of thousands and leaving millions without homes or food.

Since then, Resplended Hope has directed its efforts to helping the people in Sri Lanka.

It was the pictures on every television that made Kirkpatrick aware of the country’s need.

“I had never even heard of Sri Lanka,” she said. “I just thought I needed to help in some way and at the time, I had the flexibility to take some time off and go over and help.”

Thanks to the group’s efforts, a groundbreaking of a clinic in Sri Lanka is scheduled to take place in January.

The clinic is planned to take shape in two phases: The first will be a medical center and the second a counseling facility.

The centers will be staffed with volunteer doctors from Sri Lanka, said David Sprowl, president of Resplended Hope.

“We hope to have the counseling center supervised by a PhD candidate from the U.S.,” Sprowl said.

Kirkpatrick and Sprowl have so far made more than a dozen trips to Sri Lanka in the past five years.

Both travel with many volunteers, including doctors and nurses.

The group works with Kithu Savana Church in Sri Lanka to identify the medical needs and provide services, Kirkpatrick said.

“I think it’s better to give than receive,” Kirkpatrick said. “Each time I go over, I’m more blessed. You go over there to help, but you come back just so blessed because the people’s kindness and goodness and I do it because I’ve fallen in love with the Sri Lankan people.”

Sprowl, who lives in Newport Beach, echoed Kirkpatrick’s sentiment saying he helps because, “It’s just what I believe in. I’m Christian and I think sometimes Christians do a lot of talking when it’s better to model the characters of God and show love to people.”