Sending Love to Flood-Affected Residents of Southern Brazil

By Brazil Relief Team (Originally in Chinese)

In July 2015, torrential rainfall in Southern Brazil resulted in the severe flooding of 184 cities in the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, affecting more than 109,740 people.

Responding to Supreme Master Ching Hai’s caring instruction, our Association members formed a relief team and arrived at Alvorada, which was one of the most severely affected cities in Rio Grande do Sul. For the relief effort, we used US$11,000 (BRL 37,000) from Master’s relief fund and BRL 2,767 contributed by our Association members.

On August 11, city officials took us to the flooded areas. Since the victims had received relief packages from the government, we went to visit four families whose members were elderly, unemployed or had disabilities. Apart from conveying Master’s condolences and love, we gave every household 100 BRL. In addition, we gave 500 BRL to one family that still lived in the school stadium because the flood had swept their home away. The wife, saying she had no more tears to cry, repeatedly thanked Master. We also searched and found a man who saved more than 100 dogs. We gave him 1,000 BRL to help him and thanked him for his loving deeds.

There were thousands of families affected by the floods in the city. At the time of our relief work, the water had receded and some people had received assistance. After discussing the situation with government officials, we purchased and assembled 351 food parcels, each containing five pounds of rice, two bottles of oil, three pounds of beans, five kilograms of flour, coffee, sugar, tomato sauce, green beans, chocolate powder and biscuits. We spent two days visiting all the families one by one and delivering the parcels to the people most in need. In each packet, we placed the Alternative Living flyer, showing the way to avoid future calamities by following a healthy, Earth-protecting, vegan diet.

Next, we learned that the city of Eldorado do Sul was also severely affected and many people had not yet received relief assistance. After discussions with the local secretary-general and social workers when we arrived, we prepared 280 food parcels, similar to the ones we made for the affected residents of Alvorada. The municipal government dispatched a truck to help us deliver the food over the next two days. The remaining 59 food parcels were given to the Municipal Civil Defense Bureau to deliver to those most in need.

With deep gratitude for Master’s kindness and generosity, we were able to carry out the relief mission and convey Her love to Brazil.

Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and

Her International Association for Flood Relief Work in Brazil

The relief teams paid for their own accommodations, food and transportation, which totaled BRL 4,903.

  Receipts