Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update from Chile.
On Monday, March 15, electricity was restored after 90% of the nation was thrown into a blackout the day before. The utility failures come as Chile continues to reel from the intense 8.8-magnitude earthquake just two weeks before that triggered a tsunami and took more than 500 lives, also affecting two million residents.

Relief recipient, Constitución, Chile (M): After the immense earthquake arrived, came the tsunami, which dried up all the rivers. The wave was 22 meters. It passed over the eucalyptus, and then we realized that there was a tsunami coming. Something terrible a noise that cannot be compared with anything.

VOICE: Expressing her heartfelt sorrow and prayers, Supreme Master Ching Hai had donated US$20,000 in emergency aid, requesting that our local Association members please go as soon as conditions allowed to help the worst afflicted. This amount could acquire US$63,000 in materials purchased in the United States,
based on the cost of living in Chile.

Covering their own travel expenses of approximately US$720 and sleeping in cars, our native Association members quickly went to the areas most in need.

After their initial relief work in the San Antonio area, the provincial newspaper “El Líder” published an article by journalist Darwin Benavides, with an excerpt as follows: “Having experienced earthquake and tsunami, the province slowly begins to rise thanks to contributions of food and clothing that have come from different places.
An example of this is the work that has been done by a group of young members of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, who came with a donation of more than US$20,000 in merchandise for victims of the earthquake.”

VOICE: Returning to the quake-affected regions, the relief team prepared more than six tons of urgent goods including rice, pasta, oil, salt, water, sugar, tea herbs, matches, personal hygiene items,diapers, blankets, and chlorine within hours.

They then delivered the aid packages in the village of Putú and other neighborhoods in Constitución, especially rural and coastal areas.

The relief recipients were overjoyed for Supreme Master Ching Hai’s help, even inviting our Association members to share what little food they had.

Relief recipient, Lost her child, Constitución, Chile (F): We thank the International Association of Supreme Master Ching Hai, who has come to help at this time. We are grateful to everyone who has come here.
Relief recipient, Constitución, Chile (M): From the city of Constitución we give you many thanks.
Relief recipient, Constitución, Chile (F): Thanks to Supreme Master Ching Hai, for the contributions here in the city Constitución.

VOICE: We send our gratefulness to all governments, organizations, and individuals for their continued assistance in Chile. We are also thankful for Supreme Master Ching Hai’s wholehearted support of the vulnerable, as well as our Association relief team’s diligent endeavors.

May Heaven bless the Chilean people with a smooth path to a full recovery, as we pray that such devastations may be avoided through humanity’s kinder, more eco-conscious lifestyles.