Australia

In early January, continuous heavy rains caused flooding in northern News South Wales, Australia, leaving countless people stranded or cut off from communications for at least a week.

The Australian emergency services responded quickly to assist those in the affected areas. However, when people experience such devastation and loss in their lives, they often feel destitute and helpless. Concerned for their situation, our beloved Master instructed Australian initiates to help the flood victims and lovingly contributed US$10,000 toward the relief efforts.

In Brisbane, initiates bought supplies to take to the flooded areas and that evening packed 200 boxes of fresh and dry foods, medicines and Master’s literature. On the following day, January 12, practitioners from the Brisbane region and mid-north coast NSW traveled to Byron Bay. When they arrived, a local initiate in Byron Bay let them know that the towns of Kyogle and Coraki seemed to be the worst hit by the floods.

Over the following two days, the team distributed the much-needed gift boxes. Many wonderful heartwarming stories emerged from the relief work. In Kyogle, an elderly gentleman named Rex, whose home had been ruined by the floods and who had lost all his possessions, was still high-spirited and happily accepted the box of relief items. Another lady was very grateful to Master, not just for the cash contribution she received to help her replace lost items, but more so for thinking of and caring for the flood victims.

The relief crew also met up with a saintly man named Darcy Goodwin, who left a lasting impression on them. He is an elderly gentleman who has been providing vegetarian food to surrounding communities from his van almost every single day for the past 17 years. The initiates were deeply touched by his humble and selfless attitude. With Darcy’s detailed local knowledge of the area, he became the team’s guide and took them exactly to the worst-hit regions to distribute the relief items. (For more about Darcy, please refer to “Darcy Goodwin – A Truly Inspirational Being,” News #195)

With Master’s blessings, all the gift boxes were distributed within two days to approximately 200 affected families.

From the initiates’ perspective, the relief work was a very rewarding experience. It turned out to be more than just providing material necessities to the flood victims; it was about connecting with others through love, and communicating and responding selflessly with love.