The Flood Relief Mission
Central Vietnam under water

Sister Thi Dien and monk Dieu Tue distribute money to families at Thua Thien, Dec 3rd 1999

Report from the Flood Relief trip, December 1999

Arrive at the distributing location

I arrived in Saigon more than a week before the rest of the volunteer team and immediately helped to get some paperwork done. At Tan Son Nhat Airport, the customs officers had seized one of my two boxes of medicine, claiming that it was illegal. A thought rushed through my mind that such confiscation of medicine could prevent the survival of flood victims, the healing of open wounds, and the relief of diarrhea for babies. Finally, the whole team, including Thinh Nguyen, Kirk Evans, Mai-Khanh Tran, and Chau Nguyen arrived, going through the customs check without incidence. Immediately after checking in our hotel in Saigon, we began sorting out the medicines, finalizing our plans, and getting ready for the next day’s flight to Hue.

Dr. Chau talks to Mr. Hoanh

Our team comprised of five enthusiastic and dedicated people. Thinh, our cameraman, was never without a smile on his face. Wherever he went, Thinh would carry about 50 lbs. of camera equipment on his back. He called Kirk Evans “the white guy” and “the white guy” became the center of attention to lighten up our spirits whenever we needed some laughs. Mai Khanh never seemed to run out of energy regardless of how long and hard she worked–as long as there was some good food around. Her philosophy was: eat well, stay healthy, and work hard. When we needed more energy and good food we looked to her. Chau, with her serious and determined personality, was put in every meeting with the locals. She looked over us like a mother hen and protective guardian angel–her caring spirit always gave us a sense of togetherness. I became famous for bargaining for a truck-load of school supplies in the middle of Quang Tri market center.

Flooding on the road to Hue

After our simple breakfast in Saigon, we boarded the plane for Hue. From the plane, I could see evidence of the destructive water. Most of the remote villages and countryside was still submerged in water. The gloomy atmosphere created by the dark sky seemed like the wrath of God constantly bearing down on the exhausted people. The road that led to our hotel from Phu Yen airport was once a rushing river brought on by the flood. I could see water-marks on the roof of houses and trash stuck on top of bamboo trees and power lines. Along the road, people had started rebuilding their houses and cleaning up their yards. On my right, as our van passed by, an old man bundled in a torn jacket was shoveling mud out of his house. The weak sound of a crying baby mixed with a distant pounding of hammers created a somber atmosphere. Instinctively, I knew that in every direction, there was someone grieving the dead, worrying about the future, or suffering from hunger.

Mr. Cuc gives monetary aid to families that lost loved ones in the flood.

We checked into our hotel by late afternoon and immediately went out to survey the surrounding areas. Before we got a chance to catch our breath, the team was divided into two to meet with our local representatives. Thinh and I went to Quang Tri with two local friends. The rest stayed in Hue. Our job was to distribute 1 million Vietnamese dong to families that suffered a death in the family or had their homes destroyed by the flood. The province authorities welcomed us and tried to persuade us to leave the money with them so they could hand out the funds for us. We convinced them that we were determined to directly hand the money to the people on the list ourselves, otherwise, the money would go back to the U.S. or to other provinces. Finally, they made arrangements for us to see the victims.

An old villager coming for help

We started very early the next day. The recipients had been waiting for us when we arrived in the village centers. Seeing our van approach, they gazed out to us as though we were their salvation. I could see and feel the pain that they were going through. Some of them “dde^? tang”, wore white headbands, armbands, and outfits showing that they were mourning the dead. The hopeless ongoing battle with Mother Nature was evident in the ghostly signs of exhaust on their faces. Most of them looked mal-nourished. Some did not even have sandals or warm clothes. Others brought their young children with them. Everywhere we went, we heard horrible stories.

Rice for families

In Trieu Phong, we visited families living near an aqueduct and when the levee broke, the dreadful current wiped away everything in its path. Within a few minutes, villagers surrounded us, telling us different stories about the deadly waters. In Hai Lang, a young mother carrying a months-old baby told us about how her husband died while rescuing a neighbor. The angry currents washed him away and they could not find his body. Because life there is very hard, people in the remote villages value their few possessions as matters of life and death. Many people died while trying to recover their few belongings under the merciless flood waters. There was one incident in which a man died trying to rescue a pig. It was all his family had invested for the coming Tet (Vietnamese New Year). For many families, all their lifesavings were invested in a cow, water buffalo, or a pig, but is now swept away by the muddy water.

Among the dreadful stories, we also witnessed inspiring developments such as the cooperation among various local and overseas individuals and groups doing flood relief work. We heard wonderful stories of human courage during the flood. The Buddhist nuns who worked side by side with us had not had a single day of rest since the flooding. When the water was still high, they had only 3-4 hours of sleep every night. The older nuns cooked and packed rice into small plastic bags; the younger nuns carried the food on foot to remote and stranded villages–crossing dangerous waters–though some of the nuns did not know how to swim. When asked what if you slip into a deep hole of water, a young nun looked at me with a gentle smile. Immediately, I understood and quietly admired her sacrifices.

Flooded courtyard of the school

Besides the religious organizations, once in a while we passed by a truck loaded with goods for flood victims. Various groups from around the country rushed in with rice, blankets, and necessities. What we saw and heard encouraged us to keep going. After a long tiring day with much traveling, we returned to Hue to rejoin the team. We checked into a lovely hotel which stood peacefully along Song Huong River near Trang Tien Bridge. We discussed and reported our work to each other during dinner in the third floor dining room.

Dr. Chau surveys the flooding

Looking out the hotel window, I could see enchanting and glimmering lights on the other side of the calmly flowing river. It started drizzling and once in a while a gentle wind brushed across and swept away the tiny drizzles under the street lights. It was very quiet at night. The city was beautiful and appeared to be very peaceful. I got carried away by its beauty and tranquillity. Suddenly, I was awakened by the realization that under such beauty and peace lies a painful agony that the native people were enduring. Just a few weeks before, the same peaceful river turned its wrath on these helpless people. Behind those captivating lights on the other side, in a little shed somewhere, a wife mourns her husband, a little girl grieves for her mother, and a grandmother suffers from hunger. I also knew that many mothers and fathers tossed and turned worrying about how to rebuild their sheds again and how to feed their young children in the days to come. The pain and unfairness of the situation brought tears to my eyes as I was lying on a comfortable hotel bed.

Class held despite the water

The third day we continued our work in Hue and planned to head toward Da Nang in the late afternoon when the second flood hit. Hai Van Pass was blocked and the train stopped. We were stranded in Hue. The roads we traveled to remote villages became rivers once again after we had passed. By nightfall, the whole city was completely submerged in water. The first floor of our hotel was flooded with Song Huong’s water. This central area was once again hit by a deadly storm. Looking down from the third floor of our hotel, the rising muddy water was very frightening to witness. Fortunately, we all were able to leave Hue for Da Nang the next day. We were one day late to ask our local representatives to distribute the money to qualified families in Da Nang. On the fifth day Chau and I flew back to Saigon while Thinh, Kirk, and Mai-Khanh flew to Ha Noi for a medical mission.

Damaged rice field

We left Central Vietnam on a stormy day carrying in our hearts a haunting feeling that more suffering will come to these already-unfortunate people. Altogether we disbursed more than $30,000 USD (raised in the U.S.) to the unfortunate people in central Vietnam. Much of it went directly to families that either suffered a death in the family or had their homes destroyed by the flood. Some went to two medical clinics, one run by Catholic nuns, and the other by Buddhist monks. We also helped out four grade schools that were heavily damaged by the flood.

Rising water under the bridge

Realizing that our financial assistance was minimal compared to the total damage by the floods, we shared with them our love and care. They knew that in their agonizing struggle and gloomy prospects, there were kind people who remembered and cared about them. I commend all of those who poured out their love, care, and money to help our fellow people. There will be much suffering bearing down on the people of the central highlands in the days to come; however, with our helping hand and love, we’ve helped ease some of their pain.

Ho^.i Vu~
Garland, TX
December 1999