Report From El Salvador: Three-day
Distribution to Provide One Month of Food for Disaster Victims
Great love News
El Salvador Associated Press
The contents above are taken directly from news broadcast scripts.
The text may be intermixed with broadcast terminology. Forgiveness
of the reader is requested.
(Translated by Mike Lee, Northern California)
The El Salvador Disaster Relief Team began
three consecutive days of large-scale distribution activities
in the disaster areas. A total of 18,000 units of food will
be given out, providing survivors with enough food for one month.
Today is the second day of the distribution, which began in
the severely hit region of Verapaz. Taiwanese businessmen and
Mainland Chinese have all joined in.
At the shelters in the devastated areas,
disaster victims carry on a life similar to that of refugees.
They wait in long lines just for a single warm, nourishing meal.
With one bedcover and one simple mattress, children drift into
slumber. Here, there is no anxiety about aftershocks. However,
their young mothers confront the future with a vast uncertainty.
Following the distribution yesterday at Tepetitan,
the Tzu Chi El Salvador Disaster Survey Team conducted relief
distribution today in Verapaz. Tzu Chi Religion Department Director
Huang Szu-hsien stated: "We gave out 6,700 units of food,
which can sustain the survivors for a month. Within a few hours,
the flood victims returned joyfully as Tzu Chi volunteers helped
them carry their food supply. Everyone was thankful. Many quake
victims shed tears and embraced us as we took our leave."
The food supplies included cornstarch, rice,
sugar, red beans, salt and milk. The assistance efforts made
by Tzu Chi in over a month not only received the affirmation
of the El Salvador government, but also demonstrated the spirit
of cooperation amongst local Chinese from both Taiwan and the
mainland.
"They even brought along their next
generation to participate," Huang Szu-hsien observed. "Furthermore,
some Taiwanese businessmen from Australia, who came to set up
factories here, are willing to supply building materials when
we construct Great Love Houses later on." Tomorrow, Tzu
Chi shall head for another calamity-stricken area, Guadalupe,
to initiate distribution. Thus in a total of three days, this
large-scale distribution will have provided 18,000 units of
food. Their basic livelihood thus assured, the quake victims
will embark on the path of restoration.
