Eapen, who originates from Southern India, was horrified at the initial broadcast of the tragedy more than a week ago. He was scared, not only because his homeland was virtually washed away, but because he did not know the fate of several of his relatives who lived in the path of the tsunami's destruction.
On a map of India, Eapen points out the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, located off the East Coast of India, separated by the Bay of Bengal.
"This area is all gone," he said with a sigh. "[The islands], they were all washed away."
Eapen has family and friends who lived on the islands, including one of four brothers. For one painfully long week, Eapen waited to hear from his brother. The phone call came this past Sunday.
"He said all the family is safe. We are all very close. We were all so happy," he said. "It was good news for us but still, we are not celebrating because [of the thousands who died]."
The phone call from Eapen's brother also brought some frightening details.
"He said the tsunami was 18-feet high. He said people are jammed into the relief areas [on the east coast of India] and they are not getting enough food. He said there are at least 200 people dead from my [hometown]," Eapen said.
Although Eapen has breathed a sigh of relief because of the safety of his family, he has still not heard from several friends who lived on the islands. And he knows that home will never be the same.
"I can still remember walking on [the beach in Southern India] with my friends. We would take flowers and put them in the church. Now everything's gone. I never thought it would affect my [home]," he said. Eapen, who is from an area located on the West Coast of the southern tip of India, speaks of home proudly, boasting its agriculture and rich spices that grow on the land.
Eapen talked of a prayer group from a neighboring town in India predicting a disaster several months before the tsunami occurred.
"They said they were going to pray for us but we didn't believe them," he said.
Despite their predictions, Eapen said much of his home area affected by the tsunami had "no system, no escape plan" in response to a disaster. "The people don't know tsunami."
Eapen still remains glued to the television to see the progress of the relief efforts in India as well as the other regions swallowed up by the disaster. He has started a relief fund to benefit the Vellore Christian Medical College Board, which has efforts already underway in the affected areas of Southern India, delivering shots to survivors to prevent infection and attending to the poor or homeless.
"People are scared that disease can spread," Eapen said.
Donations can be sent directly to the board at: Vellore Christian Medical College Board, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 243, New York, NY, 10115 or by calling 1-800-875-6370. The board's Web site is www.vellorecmc.org. Contributions can also be brought to Café Bombay at 233 Mill Street in the borough. Twenty-five percent of every dinner purchased at the restaurant will be donated to the board for relief efforts. Eapen said once the restaurant gains more profit, he will donate more money to the fund.
"I want to be part of this and help these people," he said. "I feel sad, losing a lot of families. I've never seen anything like this, [where], in just a few minutes, everything is washed away. It's unbelievable."
Eapen added that he is trying to plan a reunion among his family members sometime in the near future.
Café Bombay is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, the restaurant is open until 10 p.m. and from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. The phone number is 215-788-4239.