I first prepared this email earlier, and was comfortably thinking about a evening of watching football. But just got news that in a few hours Danang is going to be a direct hit from a new typhoon. Below is a short clip from accuweather.
"Destructive winds and an inundating storm surge at the coast will be greatest threats near the site of storm landfall. Hue, Da Nang and Quong Ngai could be in the direct path of Nari.
Flooding rainfall, potentially exceeding 12 inches, will fall between the central coast and the highlands as Nari heads inland. Landslides will be possible."
I'm fighting back my emotions as I type. Maybe it is because of the recent flooding in Cambodia and what the people are going through or is it that Danang is my home! I really think it is the latter!
I hate to think about all our staff, their families and our kids who live in our homes. Tam is here for our Gala but has been on the phone making sure our kids will be safe and prepared in our homes. By the time you read this this latest typhoon will have hit. Look for another update tomorrow.
Today is a note from our partner and Cambodian homes administrator Sam!
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| Our partner Sam delivering a bag of rice |
"Today, Oct 13, we will continue our Relief Operations... Yesterday was our rearming day. We packed another 150 relief goods and today we are ready to go and find those people who are in need. We are heading to Kamping Pouy Dam and 2 teams are heading to Poipet area.
As of today, the water level still the same. Roads are impassable and houses are still submerged. It may take a while for the water to really recede. One thing that is complicating things is that floodwaters from Thailand are still coming into Cambodia.
One resident spoke with me and said, "many of our adults do not have anything to eat... some of them came here at the evacuation centre with just a piece of clothes without mat, food or whatever... we have to live with other people and sleep with them in their tents. " He begged us to help them. They feel very hopeless as they reiterated that no one has come to help them yet.
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| Sphoun from Marlene's home delivering relief |
The other day, I was complaining to myself... "Why do I have to stay in a house underwater with toilets not flushing?" 3 days of underwater and I was getting so stressed out... yet, I came to see these... No toilet, no place to stay, their house is submerged underwater but it seemed they were ok.
One thing that shocked and made me so angry.... One older woman said, "People from some other organizations came made lists our names, two or three times but after taking our names, they have not come back." All they get were names and number of families and they do not come back.
I was even told by our van driver that many are angry with the government and local officials. Donations are given are not reaching the recipients.... Corruption is creeping here. They take information about the evacuees but no help, no relief goods are being given.
Realizing that the victims are feeling exploited... we changed our strategy. We distributed the relief goods house to house. Making sure that the relief goods reached those are really affected by the flood. It is so hard to believe, some appear to be taking advantage of the situation.
 Family of six getting much needed help |
One woman, a mother of six children was in tears... her husband went to work when the flood came... flood came and she cannot do anything, she had a hard time evacuating her children... she was so thankful that we brought the relief goods to her house. They did not have anything to eat... they went to a relief distribution centre and all they received were 5 packs of noodles.... I was startled, 5 packs of noodles... it is just a one meal thing. It is a shame! They waited for many hours to receive relief goods and all they got was 5 packs of noodles.... I felt proud with GITBK... we don't give 5 packs of noodles only... we give 25 packs of noodles, 10 canned goods and 12.5 kilos of rice plus water and some sweets and balloons for the kids.....
We will continue making a difference in the lives of the affected ones. We share that what they receive is from Jesus... a gift from Jesus! And they are very thankful! Today we have distributed relief goods to another 154 families in Battambang and Poipet, 30 of them are widows, and 1 mute old man; and 521 children. "
donat safely online www.gibtk.org
Giving It Back To Kids
