Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update from Bolivia.
Rains since January 2010 pelted Bolivia relentlessly, taking 10 lives and triggering catastrophic floods in almost all sectors of the country.

As 70 homes collapsed in mudslides, some 28,000 families were severely affected. Expressing her heartfelt sorrow and prayers, Supreme Master Ching Hai donated US$18,000 and requested that our Association members go to assist the most vulnerable.

This amount could acquire US$1.8 million in supplies bought in the United States, based on the cost of living in Bolivia. Our Association’s relief team from the United States and Costa Rica traveled to the affected Santa Cruz department.

After consulting with the local Emergency Operations Center, they prepared some 15,000 kilos of supplies such as beans, flour, rice, oil, salt, sugar, and noodles and also purchased US$3,000 in medical supplies.

The relief team then traveled nearly 60 hours by boat, eventually arriving in areas that had not yet received assistance. With the help of local government officials and indigenous leaders, our Association members delivered the relief items to approximately 400 families, while the relief team’s medical doctor treated the ill.
The Bolivian recipients, who had been toiling in very difficult conditions, showed great joy and gratitude upon seeing our Association members.

Relief recipient (M): I’m grateful for your help, the first international help that we receive in the area.
We thank Master Ching Hai for the great help she is giving us.

Relief recipient (M): I thank you very much. May God bless you.

VOICE: We send our appreciation for the assistance of the Bolivian officials and indigenous leaders and our gratitude also for Supreme Master Ching Hai’s loving care.

May Heaven bless the affected residents with a smooth restoration of their productive day-to-day lives, as such weather extremities are curbed through
humanity’s kinder actions.