Love is the Best Medicine
By the Singapore News Group (Originally in English)
Wednesday, September 1, 2004 was supposed to be a normal first day of school at Middle School Number One in Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia, but it turned into a horrendous one for many children, their parents, other family members and the staff when a group of extremists stormed into the school's grounds and forced approximately 1,200 people into its tiny gymnasium. More than 300 deaths and numerous casualties resulted from this unfortunate tragedy.In response to the disaster, our merciful Supreme Master Ching Hai instructed fellow initiates to comfort the victims, and so a relief team of brothers and sisters from Germany and Singapore was formed to travel to Russia. After arriving in Moscow, the team, along with two Russian initiates, met with members of the North Ossetia Crisis Committee, which was coordinating help from their fellow countrymen and others around the world.
After the incident, hundreds of wounded were admitted to hospitals in Beslan, Vladikavkaz (the capital of North Ossetia) and Moscow. The Committee provided the initiates with a list of wounded in twenty-five Moscow hospitals, and with this information in hand the relief team set out to visit the patients.
As soon as the initiates discovered that the patients at the first hospital, the Institute of Serbskogo, needed clothing, they quickly purchased the items and delivered them in gift bags. The sisters and brothers also spent time with the victims listening to their stories and expressing words of comfort. The patients consisted of children, their parents, the Middle School principal and teachers and police officers injured in the line of duty. Besides physical injuries such as skin burns and shrapnel lodged in various parts of their bodies, all the victims had suffered mental scars that needed to be healed. Among them was a woman named Kokoeva Liana, who had rescued five children, ended up being operated on twice and was still in serious condition. The initiates gave additional financial aid to survivors such as Ms. Liana who had more serious physical problems.
A total of 145 gift envelopes were distributed to the Beslan patients in Moscow hospitals, and another twenty-three were given to a North Ossetia representative to deliver to other victims not visited by the initiates.
The relief team also flew to Vladikavkaz and visited hospitalized victims in that city and in Beslan, as well as other survivors in their homes. At the Beslan hospital, the relief team met a man who had lost six family members in the tragedy -- his wife, his children, his sister and her children. He said that the only thing keeping him alive was his strong faith in God. The initiates shared the man's sorrow, comforted him with loving words and gave him a gift envelope and some spiritual information, all filled with Master's love.
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After their hospital visit, the initiates were taken to the site of the Beslan tragedy. With the roof still open to the sky, the charred ruins of the Middle School gymnasium were packed with rows of flowers, written messages from Russia and around the world, candles, plush toys, photographs, open boxes of candy and water bottles.
Next, the team proceeded to the Administrative Center in Beslan and was allowed to visit approximately eighty families living near the Middle School. Eighty-eight gift envelopes and several sample booklets were distributed.
The following day, in a drizzling rain, the relief team members continued their visits to affected families and were assisted by three survivors of the tragedy who were also Beslan Middle School staff members. Many families extended their warmest greetings to the initiates and invited them to share food and tea.
Almost 200 gift envelopes were delivered personally into the hands of the victims, along with numerous sample booklets. In addition, many people inquired about Master's appearance so the initiates displayed and distributed small photos of Her. Some were in awe of the beautiful woman in the photos and could not believe that She was the one providing them with the gifts.
A total of 297 gift envelopes were distributed in Vladikavkaz and Beslan, while the remaining thirteen envelopes were passed on to the Moscow contact person to continue providing assistance to the victims.
After the relief team's Moscow hospital visit, a Beslan patient called the Moscow Center and indicated her interest in learning the Convenient Method. Since she had been discharged from the hospital and was about to go back to Beslan, the relief team arranged for her to learn the Convenient form of practice before she returned home.
While on their mission in Russia, the initiates heard many stories about the Middle School hostage crisis. For example, a teacher who had helped shield a child from the explosions that occurred during the crisis said that she was grateful for both the moral and financial support the initiates provided. Like her, many were touched that people around the world cared for them and shared their grief, and deeply appreciated the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association's personal presence in Russia. To the victims, it was of great significance and comfort, and they conveyed their sincere gratitude to our Master for Her help and concern.
Formosa | Mainland China | India | Russia | Grenada | Jamaica | the Domincan Republic | Florida, USA | Panama | Japan | Expenditures for Global Disaster Relief Aid by The Supreme Master Ching Hai, September and October, 2004
