That Easter Sunday

A Story of Resilience, Friendship, and Hope 100% of profits will benefit the victims of the Easter Sunday Attacks who are still in need of assistance. Follow in the footsteps of Vibhu, a little church mouse, as he remembers a difficult time in his life. Vibhu and his friends are caught in the Easter Sunday bomb attack in Sri Lanka as they observe the Mass from their mouse hole. Amid the chaos, Vibhu realizes that his best friend, Seha, is missing. He makes his way through the debris and faces many obstacles in his search for his friend. The story recalls the events of that tragic day and the aftermath of the attacks through the eyes of these little mice. We follow Vibhu as he learns to deal with tragedy, loss, and grief. We see how some step forward to assist their fellow-creatures while others hide away in fear. On 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday, three churches in Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital, Colombo, were targeted in a series of coordinated Islamic terrorist suicide bombings. 259 people were killed, including at least 45 foreign nationals and three police officers, and at least 500 were injured. This book is written in memory of that horrifying day, when we awoke to celebrate the Ressurection of Jesus Christ, only to realize that hundreds had died while celebrating Holy Mass. I remember the absolute shock we all experienced as the news reports rolled in that day. My main aim in writing this book is to ensure that those who lost their lives will never be forgotten. I also hope that this story will give both children and adults who read it a sense of catharsis and strengthen their faith in humanity and God. I know the story has strong Christian overtones, but I feel it can be read by anyone of any ethnicity or religion. The days following the bombings were dark and desperate, and I hope we never return to such a juncture as a nation ever again. "The linguistic style is simple yet expressive of the fear and sadness that gripped everyone on that occasion, and the sentiments of sorrow and sharing that animated their minds and hearts. Yet, the author shows how this saddest experience challenged everyone to aspire for the noblest of goals in life: the resolve to rise from the ashes of tragedy to true fraternity, care, and concern for others." His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith (Cardinal of the Catholic Church, Sri Lanka)