Sri Lanka

Spirituality and Peacemaking through Community

Engagement

It is rare to be given the opportunity to engage in rural life and truly experience a culture 3,000 years in the making. Sri Lanka offers the visual splendor of tropical beauty and beaches, contrasted with a mushrooming urban economy experiencing all the challenges of exponential growth. Meanwhile the rural villages seem to live in the world of a century ago.

During your journey you will participate with Via International’s partner Sarvodaya in Shramadana (share the work) experiences working side by side with village residents in community-defined projects to support resettlement, reconciliation, and reconstruction efforts in areas recovering from the effects of war. Discussions will center around consensus building and inner work.

You will learn about a nation-wide effort to support human and village development that has, against all odds, survived and thrived for 50 years. In order to place yourself in this unique context, visits will be made to specific sites that will enhance your understanding of the history, Gandhian principles, and culture of Sri Lanka.

After sufficient rest to accommodate for the time change, a presentation is provided by the leadership of Sarvodaya, Via’s partner organization. Sarvodaya works in 15,000 of Sri Lanka’s rural villages organizing communities in a process of self-development that now spans the entire country. This community development methodology has global implications and can be adapted for implementation in any location in the world.

We will then visit Sarvodaya in action in a rural village setting. It is in this context you will participate in a community-defined project such as improving a school or community health center. Here you will have the opportunity to engage in a homestay experience. In the months before your arrival, a specific village and host families will be identified to facilitate your stay, providing for a safe and immersive experience.

You may be staying with one family and some may not have running water or speak English. These are the moments when we are all pushed beyond what is familiar, and when we need our mindfulness practices the most! Alternatively, modest Sarvodaya regional centers or local hotels will provide accommodation.

Sufficient time will be provided to reflect and assimilate the village experience before heading on to visit several UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the Temple of the Tooth, Sigiriya Rock, and Dambulla Cave. Also incorporated into the itinerary will be visits to the Elephant Orphanage and the beautiful beaches of southeast Asia.

Prior to departure, an overnight at the Sarvodaya Peace Center is a tradition, in order to steep in the meditative space and incorporate the learning from the journey.

A journey to Sri Lanka is also a journey of cuisine. You will experience local curries in their multiple varieties accompanied by rice, lots of fresh fruit, and coconut. Sri Lankans eat with their hands, scooping the rice and curry together. You are welcome to try this! At every visit and multiple times during the day, a delicious chai tea is served either with small savory snacks or sweets. The sweets of Sri Lanka are known for incorporating sesame and jaggery (raw cane sugar) and have a very distinctive taste. For those with very sensitive palates and/or food allergies, accommodations are made to create mild dishes and offer more Western alternatives. Most meals are prepared by chefs of the local partner organization who have considerable experience hosting foreign guests.

When in Colombo, comfortable accommodations are provided at either the Vishna Niketan Guest House Peace Center or the Bandargama Educational Center of our local partner Sarvodaya. Simple rooms are surrounded by gardens and a meditation center. In the rural area, local hotels provide comfortable double accommodation, single is available upon request at an additional cost. Groups interested in village immersion are afforded the opportunity for a homestay in the homes of families participating in the programs of our local partner. This offers the chance to connect directly with the culture, and the daily life of rural Sri Lanka. Whether in the tea country or the rice paddy production area, the people of Sri Lanka are welcoming and interested to learn from you.

Flights departing from Los Angeles take about 24 hours to reach Colombo, Sri Lanka. Depending upon the booking, flights go through Hong Kong or Singapore, or Dubai. The time difference is 13.5 hours ahead of Pacific time. Traveling as a group from either a US east coast or west coast point of departure makes for ease of arrival and coordination. Ground transportation is included from the time of arrival until departure to and from Colombo airport.

Upon arrival and after resting from the flight, an orientation will be provided including an introduction to the country including facts about local customs and culture, safety, rules, and expectations. Volunteers will also learn about Sarvodaya and some history of the community development work. The local team will provide an overview of activities for the week and background on the projects, people, and places where we will engage.
Via International is also prepared to offer a curriculum in support of this journey. This includes reading lists, pre-trip seminars and post-trip reflection modules.

Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement is the largest people’s organization in Sri Lanka. Sarvodaya is Sanskrit for ‘Awakening of All’ and Shramadana means to donate effort. It began over 50 years ago in one village and has grown to more than 15,000. In addition to the island-wide integrated community development program implemented in those villages, the organization is currently involved in resettlement, reconstruction, and reconciliation activities in the war-affected North and East of Sri Lanka, and “Deshodaya”, a National Reawakening program which aims to promote good governance and democracy.

Sarvodaya is clearly rooted in Gandhian and Buddhist traditions, but actively engages people of all religions and ethnic backgrounds. Events at the village, district, and national levels often begin with non-denominational meditation and invocations from the perspectives of all religions represented. Sarvodaya builds houses side by side for Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and Hindus. Peace teams are led by Muslim, Christian, and Hindu Sarvodaya personnel. The Movement consciously directs its efforts to people of all religious persuasions. Its purpose is not to proselytize but to help participants see their common humanity.

Loyola University Maryland

"l highly recommend Via International as a great host agency for meaningful immersion programs, both domestic and international. They are rooted in the community with years of experience and relationships, organized and offer great educational input for the participants. They have everything you need fora comprehensive experience.

Andrea Coicochea, Assistant Director International Immersions

The Impact

The experience of an immersion program impacts post-travel

Discover the political, religious, and cultural constructions of community and develop a global lens for comparison.

Analyze the community and spiritual aspects of social movement in order to identify areas of support and challenge.

Participate in community-defined service projects supporting education facilities and health centers.

Learn effective leadership approaches for creating mindful social movements to mobilize community change.

Understand how leadership is exercised within Sarvodaya in alignment with Gandhian and Buddhist thought.

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