Missing: Ajith Priyantha in Sri Lanka

Name: Ajith Priyantha Age: 31
Home: Unawatuna (Near Galle)
(The rocks that fell through God’s Fingers)

If I had to pick a moment I was very happy I would undoubtedly choose Sri
Lanka. The sun, constant. The scenery, lovely. The country,
although poor, had a dignity that persevered through every corner of
its landscape, people and environment. Once out of the city, Sri Lanka
was never dirty, the people always laughing and kind, and those who dealt with
tourists, did not see us as an income to be mined but people
they would get to know.

When I think of Sri Lanka, I think of
my friend Anna, and the people we befriended. Our friend Ajith, and his friends: the guesthouse family by the water, the Tangallen surfer dudes who sat with us to wait
for turtles until sunrise. I think of standing next to sleeping crocodiles
in national parks. The elephant trekking and off road driving. Auntie
and her daughters who taught me to make curry.  Anna and I convinced our trekking guides that we could drive and
they brought us to a small river, within hours the whole village had heard of the two crazy girls who
took hold of the four-wheel drive and plunged it in and then out of the
stream. Ajith laughing and shaking his head telling us in all the years, the boys have never given up the wheel to any one. They all loved Bob Marley, every single one of them.

I would like to think the people in
Unawatuna and Tangalla had something special within them, a
will, a strength, and luck to pass unharmed. I hope Ajith was working
in the highlands. The Dive Center owner and my fellow divemasters, out at sea,
on their boats, washed ashore alive. The
river which ran on the outskirts of the "Holiday Inn" Resort broke the
powerful waves channeling the water elsewhere and
the people at Banana Garden simply safe by miracle. That is what I hope.
I don’t think I will know.

It’s been a over a week and I have not
heard from Ajith. I tell myself that in this time, he would be busy
driving his van to help those injured and supplies to those in need. His friend Sana with him. He
knew everyone, and was liked by all and would not be
interested in checking his email right now. I
understand why people put photos up on the web, on walls, pass out
flyers asking if people have seen their loved ones. It’s not a waste of
time, it’s not putting off accepting the inevitable. Who am I to say
they are gone? Who am I to assume mourning of a friend before I am
sure.

I believe Ajith to be a good person, a strong person,
someone who can live through tragedies. At bad times there are heroes
and those who come through. As his friend I must believe that he is a
candidate for those positions. I expect an email in a month, when I can
cross off “Missing” and replace it with “Found.”

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