Bolivia

Flood and Landslide Relief

Due to continuous, torrential rains across much of Bolivia from January through March 2011, a national emergency was declared by the government. The resultant floods and associated landslides affected approximately 70,000 people in six of the nation’s departments. Many lost their homes, along with all their belongings and crops.

On March 10, a relief team formed by our Association members from the United States, Chile and Peru arrived in Bolivia with Supreme Master Ching Hai’s US$18,000 loving contribution. Using the funds, the team purchased relief supplies and visited many shelters in one of the most devastated departments, La Paz, providing emergency aid to 1,191 families. Besides food and personal hygiene ítems for the households, school supplies and cookies were given to the children, who jumped around happily upon receiving the gifts. The grateful recipients clapped, shed tears of happiness, and hugged one another, while thanking Master and saying that She was an angel sent by God to help Bolivia.The relief team members felt privileged to have been given the chance to learn a valuable lesson in selfless love.

Cold and Snow Relief

In July 2011, the normally dry highlands of Potosí in southwestern Bolivia were struck by the heaviest snowstorm in two decades, stranding thousands and destroying crops in rural communities.

Upon hearing of the extreme cold and snow conditions in the area, Supreme Master Ching Hai lovingly sent US$20,000 to help the families in need. A relief team of our Association members from Costa Rica accepted the funds and left for Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, where they undertook a ten-hour journey by bus to Potosí.

There the team learned from local officials that 5,800 families had been affected, but the government only had the capacity to help a quarter of the households. Arrangements were then made to purchase food for 1,140 families in the indigenous communities of Colcha K and San Antonio de Esmoruco.

With the assistance of staff members from the Office of the First Lady of Potosí and with transportation provided by the government, the team traveled to remote villages widely scattered along the borders of Argentina and Chile, some of which were six to seven hours traveling distance from each other. Thanks to the translators that accompanied them, the team members were able to communicate with the predominantly Quechua-speaking villagers, who were greatly surprised by the support, the first they had ever received from an outside organization.

With joy and gratitude that was deeply touching, the people sent hugs and their most sincere love to Master, along with the message that She is “the best person in the world.”

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