Tsunami survivor tells her experience

Note - This is a personal note, which Vatham Pandian of Singapore sent to friends. It was forwarded to me. It is unedited; posted exactly as received.

Dearest Friends,
New Year greetings.
I attended the wedding of my niece in Sri Lanka. One of my sisters lives there. We also formed part of the retinue escorting the bride and groom to India, where the groom lives.
We returned to Sri Lanka
After lunch on Christmas Day a large group of us, including close family and friends, traveled to a beach hotel, in the north eastern sector of the island.
Next morning, while most of us were at the breakfast buffet, a raging sound of wind and a massive wall size wave hit us. It was about 8:45 am.
I was swept away as more of the gigantic waves began to pound on everything. I do not know how to swim. I kept repeating a Bible verse "I will not die but live and declare the works of the Lord."
I was being dragged down to the bottom, and had a lot of salt water in the belly.
I asked God 'tell me what to do?'
An angel thought said to me 'CYCLE....PADDLE...use your legs.
And so I did even while furniture around was hitting me and sandwiching me.
I kept bobbing up and down. The pounding went on. I remembered the scientific statement of being in its essence and declared in my thoughts the omnipotence of God is greater with me than with the elements.
I claimed the Omnipresence of God and the Omniscience of God.
I noticed an iron bar and held on with head and chin up.
I held the mental image of Jesus calming the storm. There was a storm and rain poured down as well.
The wounds on the left side of my head and right thigh seemed to take over.
I lost consciousness for awhile but my grip on the iron bar stayed.
When I regained consciousness the water was at waist level.
I realized my blouse was not on me.
I kept on believing that the God Omnipresent will cover me. When the water receded further, I noticed my tattered but still wearable blouse was stuck to a broken piece of furniture. With joy and gratitude I retrieved it.
My spectacles were missing and I said 'God is my vision... my sight.'
I walked towards the sound of voices and spotted fisher boys, who
graciously held me, helped me until I was on safer ground. It was past 10 am. Three people in our group had died. All survivors were injured.
We walked bare footed. It was 6 pm or so by the time we had transport to make the 3-4 hour journey to my sister's place in hilly Kandy. Later we were told that the tremors of the earthquake were even felt in the hilly Kandy district.
During the night drive a huge wild elephant monopolized the road at one point. We all kept calm. No more of the heard came along and eventually the driver overtook the majestic jungle kind.
A German couple ,working in Sri Lanka and good friends of my sister, were in our company. They had minimum injuries. They helped me through the German embassy to return to Singapore on a wheel chair. I had to be x-rayed.
There are no broken bones, just muscle tear and swellings on head, thigh, legs, bruises and open wounds here and there.
I still need a walker to support my walking when using the stairs.
I salute the country folks of Sri Lanka.
Muslim ladies gave their scarves to cloth the naked and semi naked.
A Muslim lady gave a long sleeve shirt to wear and t-shirts and shirts to 2 young Russian girls who joined our walking group. These 2 girls were in bikini as they had intended to go swimming.
Nothing is left of the hotel, which was just a one story building.
Someone passed a bottle of water and we took a tiny sip as we did not want to take advantage of their kindness.
A lot of salt water began dripping down my nose and I slapped my own spine from time to time to get out more of that from my lungs. Later the doctor told me my lungs were clear.
Join me and let us celebrate life together. CHEERS.
MUCH...MUCH...MUCH...LOVE
Vatham