God Answers the Prayers of the Flood Affected

In April 2011, unprecedented heavy rains caused the worst flooding in Colombia’s history. According to Colombian officials, 93 people perished and 69,000 became homeless as of April 25 due to floods, landslides and mudslides, which paralyzed infrastructure and caused massive damage throughout the nation. Visiting the severely affected region of Rio Negro, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos pledged funds for the rebuilding of 300 homes and announced that the government would provide 20 tons of humanitarian aid.

In the first week of May, a relief team formed by our Costa Rican and Colombian Association members arrived in the flood-ravaged city of Yopal. With Master’s generous contribution of US$15,000, the team visited local supermarkets and purchased enough food to feed 700 families for a week. Together with the secretary of the local government and the Yopal police, they delivered the food to 17 communities in the municipalities of San Luis de Palenque, Mani, Nunchia and Pore. The households with many children and elderly members were especially appreciative because heavy crop losses had wiped out local food supplies.

Travelling by car for many hours on bad roads, our relief team was also able to bring aid to other remote areas. Upon the team’s arrival, some people cried, because they had been praying to God for help in their critical situation, and knew that their prayers had been answered. They said that Master was an angel from Heaven who had come to Earth to help those in need.

In the first week of November 2011, our Costa Rican and Colombian relief team flew to Sincelejo, the capital of the Department of Sucre, to help those severely affected by heavy flooding. After consulting with government officials, they arranged for a car and small boat to bring them to the areas most in need of help.

With Master’s loving contribution of US$15,000, the team went to a local store and purchased enough food to feed 800 families for a week. With the assistance of the kind store owner, they delivered the provisions to several remote communities in the municipalities of Sucre, San Benito Abad and Caimito.

The villagers who had lost their homes and crops to the floods were deeply grateful to Master as they had been short of food and had been praying for help. They felt Master’s sincere love and comfort, which brought much joy to their hearts and faces.

With more landslides and floods bringing greater distress to the lives of local people, Master provided another US$10,000 in relief funds and our Association members from Costa Rica and Colombia flew to the Department of Choco in early January 2012 to help the devastated families.

Thanks to the loving assistance of the Director of the Red Cross of Choco, Mr. Vitalino Panesso, and Mr. Rafael Bolaños, an official for the Regional Committee for Disaster Prevention and Response, as well as several volunteers, the team visited many remote communities by car and boat and delivered food to 860 families. All the households, especially those with children and elderly members, expressed deep appreciation for the timely gifts. The relief team was touched to see the people’s faces transformed by Master’s love.

As we pray for the steady recovery of the people of Colombia, may weather extremes such as the floods they experienced soon dissipate through humanity’s more thoughtful stewardship of the ecosphere.

Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Flood-Relief Work in Colombia

Description	Amount (COP)	Receipt
Flood relief in May 2011: food (rice, beans, lentils, cooking oil, wheat flour, cornmeal and sugar), travel and other miscellaneous expenses	30,940,750	A
Flood relief in November 2011: food (rice, beans, sugar, cooking oil, spaghetti, salt, lentils and flour); travel expenses	29,752,140	B
Flood relief in January 2012: food (rice, beans, lentils, sugar, salt, spaghetti, cooking oil, wheat flour and cornmeal); travel expenses	30,309,700	C
Total	91,002,590 (US$50,677)