Cardinal Murhoy-O'Connor hands over the first keys to the head of a houshold of family which had lost everything in the December 2005 Tsunami.

The Buddhist monk of the Payagala Temple, who assisted the Christian survivors of the Tsunami, chants a pali blessing over the keys to the newly built houses. In a short speach he recalled how shortly after the Tsunami hit their small coastal community he met Fr Ivan Peters, the parish priest, who'd come looking for the Buddhist monks in their Temple buildings to ensure that they had survived the waves lethal force. In the small coastal village of Payagala, 30 miles south of Colombo, the families of small Catholic parish and the majority Buddhist community had worked hand in hand to help each other.

Cardinal Murphy O'Connor addresses the crowd before assisting in handing over keys of the permanent houses for the Tsunami survivors of Payagala. The Cardinal arrived in Sri Lanka at 3am on 26th, on the morning of this ceremony, the anniversary of the devastating Tsunami. He described how he came in solidarity for those who had lost so much from the UK where so many people had given generously to assist the Tsunami survivors.

The ceremony of handing over the house keys, in the hot afternoon sun, is attended by the surrounding villagers and project workers as well as the familes receiving keys to their permanent housing.

Buddhist make up about 75% of the population of Sri Lanka and a large proportion of the families receiving permanent housing in this Payagala project are Buddhist. 

Chris Bain, CAFOD's Director, and the Sri Lankan Government Minister of Communications, sit alongside Archbishop Gomes of Colombo, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor and the senior Buddhist monks of the region at the 2 hour long key handover ceremony. 

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor watches a passing fly past of Sri Lankan air force marking the 12 month anniversary of the Tsunami. 

An estate of houses in Payagala, Western Sri Lanka, built by Caritas Sri Lanka with the aid of the international Caritas Federation of which CAFOD is a major contributor. This is only one of many housing projects being undertaken by Caritas Internationalis. CAFOD's own major contribution is to the Diocese of Batticalao in the Eastern Province where it is planned to buld 15,000 permanent houses.

The senior Buddhist monks from the region attend the key handover ceremony in Payagala. 

A typical temporary shelter for a Tsunami surivor family in the small village of Payagala. Many Tsunami survivors still live in such temporary shelters awaiting permant re-housing.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor is the honoured guest at the Tsunami anniversary memorial ceremony at Payagala. 

26th December 2005 - the first year anniversary of the Tsunami which hit Sri Lanka in December 2004 killing almost 40,000 people. 

These small 2 storey houses are part of a project to build 200 permanent houses for Tsunami survivors in Payagala, 30 miles south of Colombo.

Cardinal Cormack Murphy-O'Connor is led by a group of Sri Lankan Dancers to a housing project for Tsunami Survivors. Payagoda, Sri Lanka 26th December 2005 

Cardinal Cormack Murphy-O'Connor is led by a group of Sri Lankan Dancers to a housing project for Tsunami Survivors. Payagoda, Sri Lanka 26th December 2005 

Cardinal Cormack Murphy-O'Connor is led by a group of Sri Lankan Dancers to a housing project for Tsunami Survivors. Payagoda, Sri Lanka 26th December 2005 

Cardinal Cormack Murphy-O'Connor is led by a group of Sri Lankan Dancers to a housing project for Tsunami Survivors. Payagoda, Sri Lanka 26th December 2005 

Cardinal Cormack Murphy-O'Connor is led by a group of Sri Lankan Dancers to a housing project for Tsunami Survivors. Payagoda, Sri Lanka 26th December 2005. 

A few days before Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor's visit to Sri Lanka the Papal Nuncio to Sri Lanka attended a national ceremony of rememberance, at the BMICH for those killed in the December 2004 Tsunami.

Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor visiting the SEDEC Offices, Caritas Sri Lanka, to thank them for their hard work and dedication in the Tsunami rehabilitation work and the other ways they express the mission of the Church to assist the poor and to fight against injustice.