Beginning
on Sept. 18, the Jiayi and Yunlin areas in the south were also engulfed
by the encircling typhoon. Braving storm and rain, fellow practitioners
from Jiayi went to explore the affected area. The dam in Bei-gang Stream
was damaged; fellow practitioners nearby waded through the flood and
joined the affected residents to heap up sandbags. Fortunately, the
heavy rain stopped not long after, and a catastrophe was averted. At
the Golden World residential area in Jiayi, the situation was most serious
because the stream bank had given way. After the flood receded the next
day, houses were left covered by mud, and the streets by garbage. Fellow
practitioners quickly went to help the victims to tidy up their homesteads.
The
love, concern and help rendered by fellow practitioners in the aftermath
of Typhoon Nari warmed the hearts of many victims struggling in the
rain and storm in many places. However, witnessing catastrophes occurring
all over the world, with many people losing their lives, property and
homes overnight, fellow practitioners are in a state of sober reflection,
realizing that, as Master says, "The world is ephemeral; only spiritual
practice is most important. Monetary or physical aid on the outside
is only a temporary means."
(Remark:
The relief work is still going on. Itemized details of relief materials
and expenditures will be published later in our magazine.)
Upon
receiving news of Typhoon Nari, Master was deeply concerned about the
situation,
and immediately faxed the following message of consolation to Formosan
disciples: