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Activities
 Humanitarian
Work
Turkey,
August 1999 |
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Aid for Earthquake Victims in Turkey Report from Formosa [Taipei and Taoyuan] Upon receiving Master's urgent instructions to help the earthquake victims in Turkey, fellow practitioners in Formosa collected generous contributions of emergency provisions within a couple of days. The contributions included 2,475 tents, 2,168 sleeping bags, 433 sleeping pads, and 258 quilts, which together weighed over 14,000 kilograms and filled 828 large crates. The emergency supplies were presented in a ceremony presided over by the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of China, Ou Hung-lien, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Representative Teoman Surenkok of the Turkish Trade Office in Taipei accepted the items on behalf of the earthquake victims. The relief supplies were airlifted to the affected areas by China Airlines and the Turkish Airlines through an arrangement by the Department of International Organizations of the Foreign Ministry.
In his address during the presentation ceremony, Deputy Minister Ou expressed his sympathy for the disaster victims in Turkey, as we are all members of the world community. He hoped that the relief provisions representing the warm concern of his government and people would soon be delivered to the victims. Deputy Minister Ou strongly commended Formosa's charitable organizations, whose acts of love and compassion have earned the country great respect and a strong friendship with the international community.
The
Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association also presented
certificates of appreciation to Manager James Liu of China Airlines'
Formosa Air Cargo Center, Chairman Jean Chang and Vice President Stanley
Chang of the Golden Foundation Tours, and Vice President Simon Wang
of the Golden Formosa Travel Services, for their assistance in delivering
the relief materials to the earthquake victims in Turkey.
Report from Hong Kong
[Hong Kong] When Turkey was hit recently by an unexpectedly severe earthquake that caused heavy casualties, the Hong Kong Center immediately convened a seven-day "around-the-clock meditation session" so that fellow initiates could meditate and pray for God's blessings on the world. During the session, Hong Kong was struck by a series of disasters, including sudden bad weather, typhoons, floods, and an airplane crash. Fellow practitioners, some of whom had to remain at the Center because of the bad weather, could feel the deep anguish of their brothers and sisters who had suffered mishaps thousands of miles away. Thus, they meditated more diligently, hoping that it would help alleviate the suffering of humankind. Upon
receiving Master's instructions to dispatch tents to the disaster
stricken areas in Turkey, the responsible person at the Center immediately
thought of finding a wholesale dealer of camping equipment. By God's
incredible arrangement, as soon as he had hung up the phone, he noticed
that a sister who operated a sporting goods outlet had just arrived
at the center to meditate and pray for God's grace. The sister promptly
contacted her suppliers and purchased fifty tents big enough for eight
to ten persons. To support the relief operation, fellow practitioners
also offered another fifty of their own tents and packed them throughout
the night. The relief materials were then delivered to the airport
and later airlifted to the affected areas to help solve some of the
shelter problems of the victims.
Report from Singapore [Singapore] Just as fellow initiates were shocked by the news of the earthquake that devastated Turkey, our merciful Master promptly instructed disciples to render all possible aid to the victims. Despite the fact that most fellow initiates in Singapore were attending a two-day retreat and praying for the alleviation of world suffering, the relief work was launched anyway. We quickly called the Turkish Embassy in Singapore to find out how we could render the best help. The First Secretary of the Turkish Embassy, Ms Deniz Cakar, was deeply touched by our eagerness and sincerity in helping the earthquake victims. She mentioned that up to that time, the death toll had already reached 10,000 with countless people injured, another 35,000 estimated buried under the debris, and innumerous people sleeping on the streets due to fear of further tremors. As it was a very critical situation, the Turkish government preferred material aid instead of monetary contributions. The most urgently needed items were medical supplies, tents, sleeping bags and corpse bags. The Turkish government had waived all customs formalities for relief materials and instructed Turkish Airlines to provide free airlifts. After assessing the situation, we decided that time was the most important factor, as the victims, struggling for survival, were desperately in need of the relief materials. A group of fellow initiates began to seek sources of medical supplies while another group called on initiates to contribute their personal tents and sleeping bags. Since many fellow initiates had brought their sleeping bags to the retreat, they willingly offered them on the spot. Also, within one day, we managed to find two big suppliers of medical supplies. Knowing that the purchase was to be contributed to victims of the Turkish earthquake, the suppliers offered very low prices and also their professional advice on which items were the most necessary in such a situation. Moreover, as we worked together, they began to voluntarily contribute more and more items to the earthquake victims.
In view of the urgency and disastrous conditions in Turkey, we decided that all aid items should be dispatched by the first available flight, which was scheduled to leave on Monday night. On Sunday, after the end of the retreat, all the initiates rushed home to bring their tents and sleeping bags to the collection and packing center, and then re-packed everything to make sure that all the items were in useable and clean condition. The packing work was completed around three o'clock in the morning. Although it was very late and most of the initiates needed to work the next day, none of us felt tired, but instead cherished very much the chance to work for such a noble cause.
Since the medical suppliers were not open on Sunday, they could only start packing the medical materials on Monday morning. To ensure that the relief materials would be dispatched on time on the Monday evening flight, some initiates went to help the suppliers pack the cargo. The weather was emotionally charged, as it rained quite heavily on and off the whole day, as if the sky were crying for the pitiful earthquake victims. Despite the unfavorable conditions, all the relief materials, including medical supplies, tents, sleeping bags and other items, were eventually packed and delivered to the airport just on time to catch the flight. Ms.
Deniz Cakar commented that she had never seen a group that was so
efficient in arranging everything so well and so quickly. She was
deeply impressed and thankful for the efforts of our group. Being
very interested in Master's teachings, she said that after the situation
in Turkey improved, she would like to visit our Center to learn more
about Master and the Quan Yin Method.
(originally
in English)
News 107, Love in Action
Relief Provisions Report from Formosa After
a severe earthquake devastated Turkey on August 17, 1999, The Supreme
Master Ching Hai International Association immediately contributed
tents, sleeping bags, quilts, sleeping pads, and other items to help
the needy victims. The relief provisions were airlifted to the affected
areas without delay. At the main hall of the ROC Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Mr. Teoman Surenkok, representative of the Turkish Trade
Office in Taipei, accepted the relief supplies in a ceremony presided
over by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of China, Mr. Ou Hung-lien.
Relief Provisions for Turkish Earthquake Victims (August 1999)
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