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Before starting this journal, I want to thank our donors and our friends who support us to do a relief trip to Hoanh Vinh village, An Ninh commune, Quang Ninh district, Quang Binh province. Your generosity made this trip happened to provide food to 195 families. Thank you so much. I also want to thank GIBTK's team for their hard work. I am also proud of GIBTK and my team for all we do.
Growing up in a yearly flooded area in Dien Ban district, Quang Nam province but I haven't seen any historical flood like the one in Quang Binh this year. It was way more than what I could imagine. The biggest flood that I ever experienced at my parents' house was up to 1.2 meter from the house's floor. But the one that happened in Quang Binh few days ago was up to 2.0 meter or 2.5 meters from the house's floor at several families. It was over my head. So many people were evacuated out of the low flooded area. Normally, you can see a nice paddy field in front of their house, but you would never imagine one day, the entire area was like an ocean of water.
Hearing the situation from Hieu - one of our team leaders, we had a quick team meeting to discuss on what we should do and then made a decision to do the relief next day. All of us worked on gathering things together during the night so that we could leave next day. Unloading stuff on truck at 3 am in the morning on Oct 22nd to get ready to leave. It took us 7,5 hours to get to where we wanted to reach. We chose the location that no one has been able to come to do relief because of deep water. We came with our own truck and van to keep things go smoothly. Unloading stuff from the truck real quick, half of our team started the delivery. We could reach some groups of families by walking in low water but to another group, we had to use a boat. The boat was not big enough so we could contain goods for 25 families each time and two people, so Tin and our local guide had to be in water to lead the boat.
It was so worth to see people and share with them about their loss. They have nothing left. This flood has swept away everything and caused other damages. When we talked to the families, they told us that we were the first group reaching out to them and give them relief because in the past few days the water level was so high so other groups could not come. Tears is on my eyes when I think of their loss and what they have gone through during this flood. The leftover after flood at one family we visited was just few pieces of clothes and nothing else.
The thing I notice is that many families dont own a boat! They put banana trees together by attaching them through a stick and strings and put a piece of wood on top to be able to sit or stand. They use this "handmade boat" to go out in case they have to. I and GIBTK team are so happy that we could help 195 families. The food we brought will be enough for some days.
Here is a note from Hieu:
Arriving Hoanh Vinh village when water level is 6.5 feet lower, we reached an area where couple days ago people stoodon the roof top crying and praying for help! When we got there, the water is still above adults' chest on road. Other reliefgroups couldn't know or approach this area, so people in this area haven't got anything yet. Many people cut the banana trees to make rafts to move in the area to find food.
Our team put relief bags on a boat paddling and a rickshaw pulling to every home where people haven't got help yet. Many of them are children and older people. I got to the house of an older couple names Yung Yung. The wife is 70 years old blinded, the husband is 77 years old and he is paralyzed. Their children are doing hiring jobs and staying far from home. When water got into their house, the wife carried her husband to put on top of a 5 feet high rice container but water kept rising and rising. They were about to die until a small boat saved and moved them to a higher place. Then they came back home with no food. No one was able to give them any food. They strived to survive by eating anything they still found in their house. "Oh gosh, we are still surviving to wait for you! When people called us to receive food, I'm blinded - my husband is paralyzed so we couldn't go. None of them came to our home delivering food like what you're doing. Thank you and Thank you! I cant see you but I heard you, I feel your heart"- shared by the wife.
Sincerely,
Tam Tong
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