Love
in Action |
Relief Report on Hurricane Victims in Jamaica
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By the Florida News Team, USA (Originally in English)
After wreaking havoc on the island of Grenada and destroying about 90% of its homes, hurricane Ivan moved on, threatening to unleash its tremendous 165-mile-per-hour winds on Jamaica. Fortunately, however, the threat never fully materialized as the hurricane suddenly changed course and moved west, thus avoiding a direct strike on the island. However, the storm did do damage along Jamaica's southern shore.
Responding to Master's prompt instructions, Florida initiates formed a relief team that immediately traveled to Montego Bay in northwestern Jamaica about eighty kilometers from the area hardest hit by the hurricane. There they assessed the situation based on data from the Internet and from local residents, and then headed quickly for Negrill, one of the most heavily damaged towns. As the team drove up a hill to survey the area, they encountered a village girl when their car stalled in flood water. She provided the initiates with valuable information on the condition of the disaster victims, telling them of the urgent need for water, food, shelter and financial aid. Many of the evacuees had had to move to safer territory and live with family members, and many businesses had been ruined by the storm.
After their initial appraisal, the team returned to Montego Bay to join a second group of initiate volunteers. The brothers and sisters then began the rescue work by buying flour, sugar, salt, condensed milk and other items. Next, while on the road back to the disaster area, they met a man who assisted them in changing a flat tire, and later another man came to help with the tire as well. These kind acts deeply touched the initiates, making them realize the pure love that exists among humans, and bearing witness to Master's infinite compassion.
The villagers in the first area where the team arrived were happily surprised to receive Master's loving aid. In fact, one old woman was so thrilled with Master's generous gift of food and money that she literally jumped for joy! Her exuberant display alerted the other villagers to what was happening, and the team soon finished the first stage of the distribution project before heading back to Montego Bay for more supplies.
During the second distribution effort, it seemed that word had spread about the initiates' work. For in the next village they visited they were quickly surrounded by a large group of relief recipients, and this time the distribution was completed much more quickly. On the trip back to Montego Bay, the team stopped at a roadside store where several poor villagers worked. Immediately after receiving Master's gift of love, they each read Her sample booklet with deep interest. The initiates also gave Master's gifts to two homeless men, one of whom had been sleeping on a roadside under a plastic sheet. As the relief team drove by the roadside the next day, they saw the man still lying there celebrating his newfound wealth with a bottle of soda!
After completing the disaster relief project on the beautiful tropical island of Jamaica, the Florida initiates realized that their work had been wonderfully blessed by Master, giving them all a sense of joy and comfort in knowing that they had conveyed Her great love. Thank You, Master for Your boundless compassion, blessings and arrangements, which made the effort smooth and successful.
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
