In mid-August, Tropical Storm Fay, with winds of about 45 mph, moved from the Dominican Republic across Haiti to the central part of Cuba, causing floods, damaging houses and costing lives along the way. To extend help and comfort to the victims, our Association members from Costa Rica and Florida, USA, formed relief teams and went to these three Caribbean countries, bringing with them Master’s love and Her monetary assistance of US$50,000.

Dominican Republic

On August 21, the relief team from USA and Costa Rica visited the Paso del Medio district in San Pedro de Macoris and delivered food supplies to the families displaced by the floods. The people were very relieved to see the team because this was the second time that they had the chance to meet members of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association. (In 2004, our Association members participated in the Hurricane Jeanne relief work; please refer to News #154 for details.) On this day, the Director of the East Region, Pablo Polanco, presented us with a Certificate of Appreciation for our beloved Master for Her compassion and love for the people of the Dominican Republic. In the next two days, the relief team visited El Rosario, Santo Domingo Oeste and Palamara de Pedro Brand. Many people gave thanks to Master, saying that a person like Her with such a special heart is not easy to find. On August 24, the team visited the last municipality, Bajo Yuna in San Francisco de Macoris, where people received help for the first time since Tropical Storm Fay struck. They kept clapping and thanking God for having heard their prayers.

Thank you letter

The beautiful heart of the Dominican people was really inspiring. Whatever they have, they share with others. From the day the relief team arrived at the airport and phoned the Sub-director of the National Emergency Commission, who put them in touch with the mayors of the affected areas, until the day they finished the relief mission, the Civil Defense always helped them, guiding them to the shopping places, helping them to pack the food supplies, and also assisting in organizing the communities. They even accompanied the team when they visited the families to deliver the relief items.

Cuba

On August 26, the Costa Rican relief team arrived in Cuba and with no rest traveled for eight hours to reach one of the most devastated provinces. There, without the invaluable help of the local people, it would have been impossible to reach the families affected by the storm. After assessing the situation, the team purchased the food supplies and started distributing the sorted relief packages on August 30. Most people in these communities were very happy, saying, “God has come, materializing our prayers into food.” Some of them were deeply touched and shed tears, expressing how incredible it was that God had finally come to them through the relief team―Hiers “humble tools.” 

Haiti

The relief team from Florida, USA, arrived in Haiti on August 27. They met with many different organizations to provide emergency supplies to eight or more different disaster regions. More than 3,000 families received food such as rice, beans, pasta and oil. The congress and mayor from these districts conveyed their sincere thanks to Master for the love and support She has provided to the people in Haiti. Those who received the relief materials were also very grateful for the help and unconditional love from Supreme Master Ching Hai. In Delmas Shaa, food was given to the blind and the disabled, and the people sang prayers thanking and blessing Master with all their love. It was a very touching moment. The relief team members felt privileged to bring God’s love to the flood victims and were deeply touched to see that these families kept their faith, despite their living conditions and recent predicament resulting from the hurricane. Their faith and trust in God is so strong that they had no doubt that it was Hirm sending them these food supplies, through Master. This deep inner connection that they have with the Almighty strengthened the relief team members and showed them that they all shared an inner communion of joy and blessings.

Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai
and Her International Association for the Flood Relief Work
in Cuba, Dominican Republic and Haiti

* Throughout the relief operation, fellow initiates paid for their own transportation expenses.

To view the Humanitarian Relief Activities by the Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association, please visit: http://www.GodsDirectContact.org.tw/humanitarian
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