Love In Action

Upon receiving Master's instruction to help the flood victims in northern California, fellow practitioners in Los Angeles quickly prepared a big truck and a van loaded with a lot of relief supplies and headed for Sacramento. These fellow practitioners were from a second group which consisted of international disciples from Los Angeles, Formosa, Australia, South Africa, Chile, Ireland and England, who had not yet returned home after the International 5-Day Retreat at Long Beach, California.

It was a freezing cold morning when the group arrived to join forces with fellow practitioners in northern California who had spent a sleepless night assembling gift bags for distribution to flood victims. Brothers and sisters were much encouraged when seeing the fresh group of workers arrive.

During the phone call to the American Red Cross officials to gather the most update information on the flood and shelters, Master arrived to give Her inspiring words and blessing. She then gestured to everyone to get ready for the trip. After the first group of vehicles headed to the affected areas, the remaining group hurriedly got to work by taking the relief supplies to the American Red Cross warehouse for large scale distribution to flood victims and their families. Additional relief supplies worth many thousand of dollars were also purchased on the same day and quickly packaged into thousands of gift bags ready for another distribution trip the next morning.

Our group's first call to action came that evening when we received news of victims in need of relief supplies at an American Red Cross shelter in Yuba City County, about one hour's drive from Sacramento. We arrived in the early hours of the morning while the victims were still sleeping. The supplies were given to the shelter manager who was overwhelmed with Master's gesture of kindness and support.

Our next stop was Modesto, a city located about one hour's drive south of Sacramento, also another area hit hard by the flood. Our convoy consisting of two large trucks, cars and mini vans set off for Modesto at sun rise. While driving along the freeway, we saw evidence of the recent flood in the form of mud-covered trees and grass. Some areas still remained submerged under flood water which kept people away and businesses closed.

Upon consulting with the American Red Cross Office Manager, we were quickly dispatched to four active shelters in Modesto, Red Shield and Water Ford where we could deliver relief supplies directly to the flood victims. Although many had left the shelters the night before to go back home, hundreds more were still in the shelters when we came.

The working staff gave the victims the aid supplies and in some cases, Master gave from Her purse personally to the sick, the elderly, the hard hit families, etc., and cash donations. We were deeply touched by their reactions. After accepting our monetary gifts, we asked one lady if she needed more. She politely refused, explaining that she could not be greedy. It was very touching to know that even though people had lost so much of what they had in the flood, they were still able to maintain their integrity. It was also a pleasant surprise for them to have found that such a private charitable organization like ours existed to help people in need.

Thousands of gift bags of emergency supplies such as personal toiletries, socks, nutritious food, blankets, towels, bottled water, juices of all kinds, cleaning supplies, baby food and toys were distributed to many flood victims and their families. All these people felt Master's loving care. They also appreciated the good quality and usefulness of the relief supplies for their immediate use, and were surprised it came from as far away as Los Angeles. The expression of happiness and gratefulness on their faces were a clear reflection of Master's boundless love for them in a time of difficulty.

As the sun set on the horizon, our cars and trucks began leaving the last shelter for the next stop, which was the main warehouse operated by the Salvation Army. With the help of our fellow practitioners who worked with them to unload two fully loaded trucks in the windy, cold evening, all relief supplies were quickly put into the warehouse along with thousands of gift bags. Those gifts of love would be distributed to the flood victims and their families over the following week.¡¹

According to one of its latest report the Flood Damage Rehabilitation Committee (FDRC) announced that 2,000 mt rice and 5,000 cans of milk powder contributed by Supreme Master Ching Hai has arrived at Port Nampo on August 22nd, 1996.

With the assistance of Mrs. Nam Yong Ae, director of the Ministry of Food Administration of DPRK, and Mr. Robert Hauser, Country Director, a.i. of WFP in Pyongyang, the supplies successfully reached the hands of those in need. A total of 148,139 persons in eleven counties of North Pyonyang and three counties in Changang benefitted from the 2,000 mt rice. Meanwhile, 5,000 cans of milk powder have also been distributed in three counties in Changang Province, one can per child. (Attached is a record of the rice and milk powder's distribution.)¡¹