Relief news update from Hunan,China - 21 May 2010  
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Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update from Hunan,China.
Relentless rains have been continuously wreaking havoc in central Hunan province,where most recently cave-ins, or land collapses were set off across a 500,000-square-meter area near a Ningxiang County mine.

The county government relocated 28 families as land collapsing to depths of 15 meters damaged homes as well as buildings and bridges, affecting nearly 7,000 people.

The rains had also triggered mountain floods in the Xinhua County of Loudi City, with four people who perished and 15,000 who were affected in the worst-hit town of Fengjia alone, where more than 100 homes collapsed and electricity, communications and transportation were paralyzed. Upon hearing of these disasters, Supreme Master Ching Hai donated an initial US$10,000, conveying her sorrow and prayers as she asked that our nearby Association members please go as soon as possible to render emergency aid.

Combined with our Association member’s contributions, the total US$12,200 donation could purchase US$87,000 in urgent supplies obtained in the United States, based on China’s cost of living.

As per Supreme Master Ching Hai’s request for updates,the following is our Chinese Association relief team’s report.

May 18, 2010
Re: Disaster Relief in Hunan Province Most Beloved Master,Early on May 11, we set out to Shuanglin District of Fengjia Town.

On the way, we saw collapsed homes,bridges,and structures everywhere, including the historically significant 2,000-year-old Ziquejie Terrace, which had been a governmental nature and cultural heritage site. Upon arriving at Shuanglin, we found that 12 out of 15 kilometers of the mountain road to Fengjia Town was destroyed, stranding victims whose food supplies were dwindling.

So we rushed back to Xinhua County overnight and immediately purchased 8 tons of rice that filled a truck, which the warehouse leader generously arranged for us.

The roads back to Shuanglin were treacherous  amidst the pouring rain and dangerous conditions. With prayer, we safely arrived and, assisted by the local government,we distributed the rice to the victims. Upon receiving the supplies, the villagers gratefully said, 『Now we have no problems with food.』 Still, most of the farmlands were destroyed, so we went back again to Xinhua County to pack another 10 tons of rice overnight.

Unfortunately, heavy rain of over 100 millimeters fell that night, causing a lot of landslides, and the fully loaded trucks could not pass through.

We thus entrusted the supplies to the warehouse leader to send to local officials in Fengjia to distribute to victims once the roads were cleared.

Meanwhile, we traveled by foot on a muddy mountain road to visit four bereaved families, giving each monetary aid and encouraging them to adopt the vegan diet to help ensure a stabilized future. We also met a disabled lady whose house had collapsed, and gave her some relief money.

They all expressed their immense gratitude. We also gave informative flyers and books on the eco-stabilizing vegan lifestyle for local officials to distribute, and they expressed their appreciation on behalf of the victims. During the relief work, we were touched by the locals’ selfless help to one another. We were also glad to see how Master’s love brought both material and spiritual comfort to the victims.
Chinese Relief Team

VOICE: Our thankfulness goes to Supreme Master Ching Hai for allowing us to share these updates with our viewers and to our Association’s Foreign Group for providing this report.

We earnestly appreciate the help of the Chinese government and officials in assisting the disaster-stricken. We also thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for her unconditional support to the vulnerable,
as well as our Association’s relief team for their altruistic diligence.

May Heaven bless the Chinese people to soon resume lives of comforting regularity as we pray for such conditions to ease through humanity’s greater consideration of all beings.