Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news from China.
In June, torrential rains led to destructive flooding across southern China, claiming at least 175 lives, with 1.6 million people who were displaced and over 36 million affected.
Among the hardest hit was Anhui province, where levees, irrigation facility sites, drinking water projects, and hydropower stations were damaged as more than 660 reservoirs overflowed.
Upon hearing of the devastations, Supreme Master Ching Hai immediately offered US$20,000 with all her love and sorrowful prayers, asking that our nearby Association members go if possible to help those in most urgent need.
This amount could acquire US$128,000 in relief items if purchased in the United States, based on China’s cost of living. Checking with local officials, our Association members found that the items needed for this relief operation could be obtained for just over US$6,000, which our Association members wished to contribute, so they set aside Supreme Master Ching Hai’s loving donation for other relief works.
In accordance with Supreme Master Ching Hai’s requests for updates, the following is a report from our Association’s relief team in China.
June 29, 2011
Re: Disaster relief work in Xiuning County, Anhui Province
Most Compassionate Master,
Accompanied by the local government leaders, we went to the most serious disaster area, Senxi Village of Xiuning County, on the rainy morning of June 25, with Master’s heartfelt love.
The houses there were all collapsed, with some farmland destroyed permanently.
As transportation and communication links were blocked, the government urgently repaired a lifeline so that we could finally arrive at the small village in the mountains.
We delivered cash assistance to each of the 15 affected families, while encouraging them to bravely face the temporary difficulties.
One 76-year-old partially sighted victim had barely escaped to the hills in the dark when floodwaters toppled his home.
Now, he had only a small kitchen to take shelter in. Receiving the relief money and our well-wishes, he repeatedly expressed his gratitude and silently saw us off until we were far away from the village.
On the way back, we visited a nursing home for the elderly in the disaster-struck region and also provided cash assistance for each of the 30 residents there as we prayed that they could overcome the difficulties peacefully and soon have their joy restored.
Throughout the relief mission, we all felt abundant love from Master, and we are so thankful for your unconditional support.
Thank you, Master!
China Relief Team
VOICE: Our gratefulness to Supreme Master Ching Hai for permitting us to share these details, and to our Association’s Foreign Group for providing this report.
With gratefulness for the assistance of the local government officials, we also thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for her wholehearted aid to those in need, and our Association’s relief team for their help to the disaster-afflicted.
Our prayers for the smooth recuperation of all in the region as we strive to lessen conditions such as these through our kinder stewardship of the Earth.