Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update from China.
On May 5, a severe storm system with rain, hail, winds, and a fierce, rare tornado tore across six provinces in southwest China, resulting in at least 70 casualties.
More than 2.5 million residents were affected with nearly 10,000 homes collapsed and tens of thousands of hectares of farmlands damaged.
Deeply concerned, Supreme Master Ching Hai conveyed her sympathies for the lives lost and asked our nearbyAssociation members to render any necessary help to the most vulnerable, donating US$8,772 in aid.
Combined with contributions from our local Chinese Association members, the total US$10,735 could obtain about US$77,000 in emergency supplies if bought in the United States, based on China’s cost of living. Per Supreme Master Ching Hai’s request for updates, the following is a report from our Association's relief team in one of the most affected provinces, Guangdong, China.
May 19, 2010
Re: Floods in Guangdong Province, China Most Compassionate Master, Upon receiving Master’s loving instruction, we immediately investigated and found Ongyuan County of Shaoguan City was the largest and most affected area, with needs for grains, clothes and quilts.
On May 15, our relief team went to this area and its most affected villages, Xinjiang, Longxian and Sanhua, containing a total of 673 residents.
Our relief team brought rice, cooking oil, and clothes, distributing them smoothly thanks to the assistance of village leaders.
We also went to comfort the families and elderly facing the most hardship.
When we heard the news that another town in Shaoguan was also seriously affected, we traveled overnight to bring the same materials to the 75 afflicted families there.
We also spent time to visit the elderly at a nursing home, who along with the village leaders exclaimed, “We are so happy to meet your loving people.
Thank you very much!” We, too, are grateful to Master for giving us this opportunity, and pray that all may soon awaken and live in peace and happiness.
China Relief Team
VOICE: Our thankfulness to Supreme Master Ching Hai for allowing us to bring these details to our viewers, and to our Association’s Foreign Group for sharing this report.
Our gratefulness, all officials and personnel of China, for your caring response to the flood victims. We also thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for her unconditional and timely support, and our Association’s relief team for their dedicated work. Our prayers for the residents’ steady recovery as we strive to ease such turbulent events through our improved stewardship of the ecosphere.