Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update from South Korea. On the eve of the traditional Chuseok Harvest Festival in late September, when the weather is normally clear and sunny, a heavy downpour caused flooding in the northeastern city of Seoul. More than 7,000 homes, roads, and subway lines were inundated, hindering travel and holiday family reunions. The South Korean government stated that aid would be made available for flood-related losses. Expressing her concern for the situation, Supreme Master Ching Hai requested our nearby Association members to please ask the government if any more help was necessary, and to go if possible to assist the flood-afflicted, saying that funds were available for emergency needs. After finding that adequate financial aid was being provided by the government, our nearby Association’s relief team went to help restore the home of one 81-year-old elderly gentleman who they discovered was living alone.

(In Korean)
Relief recipient (M): The day before the Harvest Festival, I came back to a flooded house. So as not to make [my children] worry, I made an excuse and said I had to do something and couldn’t go over. Up to here.

SMTV (F): The water rose up to there?) Yes. I’ve been sleeping in a senior citizen center for three days.

VOICE: Fortunately, in this case, the local community center had supplied new household items to replace damaged ones, while our Association’s relief team was able to provide the needed manpower to clean and restore order in the house.

Our Association’s relief team member (F): We visited the affected area to help wash the dishes and do the laundry. And I thought this could happen to me and that it’s something linked to global warming where you never know when it will strike, which made my heart ache badly.
Relief recipient (M): I’m so grateful to the community center staff and people who provided a helping hand as well as (financial) aid to me.

VOICE: With appreciation for the South Korean government and communities’ prompt response to the affected, we also thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for her loving support as well as our Association’s relief team. May the storm-afflicted residents swiftly regain the regularity of their day-to-day lives as we pray that weather extremities like these subside through our collective eco-conscious efforts.