By Denny Chou | Supervisor, International Mktg Resource Centre
Dear friends,
Thank you for your generous support. I am writing to share an update on our project’s progress following the devastating earthquake that struck Hualien on April 3, 2024.
On that fateful morning, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake shook Hualien County, causing widespread destruction and disrupting countless lives. The Mustard Seed Mission swiftly activated its disaster response mechanism, transforming the Hualien Vocational Training Center into a temporary shelter for displaced residents. Our teams worked tirelessly to deliver emergency relief kits, bottled water, and essential supplies to remote villages, while offering psychological support to alleviate the trauma experienced by both young and elderly residents. By mid-April, we had provided shelter and assistance to more than 600 people, mobilised 200 staff members, and served over 1000 individuals.
As we transitioned from immediate relief to recovery, our efforts expanded to include the "Cash for Work" program, which enabled affected residents to earn an income by participating in community recovery projects. This initiative helped them rebuild their lives with dignity and hope. The Mustard Seed Mission remains dedicated to restoring normalcy and fostering long-term recovery in Hualien, continually assessing and addressing the evolving needs of the community to ensure that no one is left behind in this time of crisis.
Service Spotlight - Grandma Fuzi's Journey to Recovery
On the morning of April 3, 84-year-old Grandma Fuzi was washing her face in the bathroom when a violent tremor struck, causing her to lose her balance and fall. Unable to get up, she sat in pain until her daughter-in-law returned home and helped her. Despite the pain, Grandma Fuzi resisted going to the hospital to avoid financial burden on her family. It wasn't until her pain became unbearable that she agreed to go, only to find out she had broken two bones. Upon hearing her story, our team visited her in the hospital, bringing comfort funds and offering prayers at her request. Grandma Fuzi, a regular at our Long-term Care Station, is known for her cheerful personality and willingness to help. Her friends at the station eagerly await her recovery and return.
Service Spotlight - Restoring Hope for Lan's Family
Following the Hualien earthquake, over 816 aftershocks left many homes in a precarious state, requiring urgent repairs. Lan, living in Xiulin Township with her family of seven, faced significant challenges as her husband could only do odd jobs due to his health. Our community support team contacted her immediately after the earthquake and provided comfort funds and care packages during their visit. Seeing the repaired ceiling and lighting brought a long-lost smile to Lan’s face as she expressed relief at being able to sleep safely again. Our global disaster relief and reduction team, experienced in handling major disasters, is actively assessing and reinforcing homes to prevent further injuries and ensure the safety of the residents.
These accounts of strength and renewal illustrate how The Mustard Seed Mission is dedicated to aiding Hualien's recovery from the earthquake.
Your generous contributions enable us to deliver the necessary care, resources, and encouragement for these individuals to rebuild their lives.
We sincerely appreciate your continued support in fostering hope and resilience within these communities.
Sincerely,
The Mustard Seed Mission Team
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
