Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update from Haiti.
Two weeks after the devastating January 12 earthquake brought tragedy to the Haitian people, aftershocks continue to strike, causing further casualties and damage to the region.

In fact, another tremor occurred as our correspondent spoke with Mr. David Canther, President and Founder of Active Community Teams Serving (ACTS) World Relief.

Mr. David Canther, President and Founder of Active Community Teams Serving (ACTS) World Relief (M): Here comes a little earthquake right now, we can feel it below our feet. And these tremors have been happening, are usually about every two days. Because of these continued earth tremors, the people live in a constant state of fear. And they don’t want to sleep in their building even if it were standing up, because they tried that and many more died. So, most of the people are sleeping outside, like they’re in this hospital.

VOICE: Moreover, according to officials from the United Nations and other organizations, victims are in dire need of food, with hunger adding more tension to already desperate situations.

Seeing reports of the Haitian people’s suffering and pain, Supreme Master Ching Hai on January 28 immediately offered another US$20,000 to the initial US$40,000 donation, asking that our Association’s relief team buy good quality pain medicine in addition to providing urgent medical and surgical care.

Combined with increasing contributions from our Association members worldwide, contributions now total over US$237,000, an amount that could acquire US$8.5 million in urgent supplies if purchased in the United States, based on Haiti’s cost of living.

Covering most of their own travel expenses, our Association’s relief team members who have arrived from places across the globe have been collaborating to provide necessary humanitarian, medical and food assistance.

The relief teams have begun working from the Diquini Seventh Day Adventist Hospital in Carrefour near Port-au-Prince, which, according to United Nations officials, is one of the largest standing facilities. Several assessment teams have also said it is one of the most secure.

There, the medical team, including a doctor who is one of the only wound specialists at the facility, have been providing much-needed treatment for patients. In seeing to the increasing need for post-operative wound care, they are also treating many other ailments including dehydration, lung conditions and gastrointestinal infections.

In addition, our Association’s cooking team has been preparing nutritious vegan dishes for hundreds of doctors and patients, who have gratefully commented on their delicious nourishment.

The team will also be showing the local people how to prepare vegan foods for themselves. Meanwhile, another team from our Association is bringing food supplies to provide vegan meals for all 1,200 people at the hospital, as well as victims in another hospital and more remote areas.

Our Association’s relief team also went to an isolated mountainous region where some 2,000 residents have not received any care since the January 12 temblor, and is collaborating with other groups and the Red Cross to alleviate their suffering.

Our Association’s relief team leader (F): We went and bought food to bring from the Dominican Republic to Haiti. We bought rice, potatoes, carrots and many things that they don’t have in Haiti now, also some equipment for the kitchen. It’s not easy to go to that place, because the road is not good. They need food, water, medical supplies. We checked if they have food or not. They had only hot water, and they wanted to boil something like some flour there, and drink that like tea. Because they had nothing more: no rice, no bread, nothing.

Mr. David Canther, President and Founder of Active Community Teams Serving (ACTS) World Relief (M): As we work on many different deployments together, it’s a joy, because you understand how to love people and that’s our whole theme here is to love people. Not just to give them a meal, but actually to serve them and love them and develop relationship together.

VOICE: Throughout our Association’s relief endeavors, the Haitian people have expressed their sincere appreciation for Supreme Master Ching Hai’s loving support.

Mr. David Canther, President and Founder of Active Community Teams Serving (ACTS) World Relief (M): Even in spite of how much these people are hurting and lacking, they have very loving, kind hearts. And they’re very thankful and appreciative for your sacrifice that you can be able to unite with them.

VOICE: We are grateful to all governments, organizations, and caring persons who have come together to help the Haitian people. We also thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for her comforting assistance, as well as our Association’s relief teams for their devoted efforts. As we pray for the swift recuperation of the quake-stricken,
may our world soon be protected from such tragic circumstances as humanity’s conscientious actions foster a more stable ecosphere.