The Children: Orphaned by the Ocean

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Those who still want to help have options. Both the French and Italian governments have set up programs that will allow people to sponsor tsunami orphans. In the U.S., the Christian mission Gospel for Asia, based in Carrollton, Texas, is raising funds to build 10 "transition homes" in Sri Lanka alone. But there's also the risk that with so many bereft children, local governments won't be able to find new homes for all of them, which could make thousands of orphans permanent wards of their respective states. Perhaps then their adoption by foreigners will not seem such a bad idea. --By Unmesh Kher. Reported by Aravind Adiga/Colombo, Maryann Bird/London, Zamira Loebis/Jakarta, Andrew Marshall/Khao Lak, Adam Pitluk/Dallas and Jonathan Shenfield/Paris