The Supreme Master Ching Hai
By Zhejiang Province, China Relief Team (Originally in Chinese)
The 13th typhoon of 2015, Typhoon Soudelor, landed in Putian County, Fujian Province on August 8, also causing serious damage to the neighboring Zhejiang Province. In the Wenzhou City area, the heavy rainfall triggered floods and landslides which led to traffic disruptions. Pingyang County in Wenzhou experienced the worst floods in 80 years, with the water rising as high as 4.3 meters. According to officials in China, the storm claimed 14 lives, left four missing in Zhejiang Province, and affected more than 1.58 million people. In total, Typhoon Soudelor caused the loss of at least 38 lives.
Following Supreme Master Ching Hai’s compassionate instruction to provide aid, our Association members assessed the disaster situation in the most severely affected places of Shuitou Town and Shunxi Town in Pingyang County, Wenzhou City.
On August 14, we arrived at the Weixin Village office in Shuitou Town, where about two-thirds of the households were affected. The government had prepared relief supplies such as bottled water, flour, rice, juice and other food. We met one family that lost three loved ones to the flood. We tried to comfort them for their loss while offering RMB 3,000 for any needs they may have. We also visited another family in need and gave them RMB 1,500. People were very grateful for the help.
Since there were no local accommodations available, our rescue team was led by the kindhearted villagers to the shelter for the victims. They not only prepared vegan meals for us, but also let us stay in the school overnight. The next morning, the villagers gave each of us two glutinous rice balls when we left. We came here to help, but instead we received help and loving care from the villagers. Our hearts were deeply touched.
On August 15, we went to the Shizhu Village in Shunxi Town by rented car, since there was no bus available due to the collapse of the road. After driving an hour and half, we came across a closed road, so we walked up to the mountain. When we arrived, we found out that a flood victim’s family was absent due to the funeral, so we gave RMB 2,000 to a staff member of the village office and asked him to give the fund to the family. Previously, on August 13, one of our team members who was there to evaluate the situation gave a RMB 2,000 relief fund to the village chief. Overall, our team visited four families in Shuitou Town and Shunxi Town and contributed a total of RMB 8,500.
We are so grateful for Master’s blessings guiding this relief effort. We pray that as our world grows in love, and more adopt the compassionate vegan diet, disasters such as these will cease to happen.
Expenditures by The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association for Flood Relief Work in Zhejiang Province, China
| Description | Amount (RMB) | Receipt |
|---|---|---|
| Cash contributions | 8,500 | A |
| Total | RMB 8,500 (US$1,325) |
Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodations.
