"The city submerged in a vast expanse of water, homes already reduced to a muddy mess, the floodwaters rushing in with relentless force. The people had no time to salvage their belongings, their helplessness and despair were written all over their faces." Those affected gazed at the vastness with a sigh – these residents of Chile had just endured a prolonged drought and then witnessed their homes destroyed by wildfires, only to be followed by torrential rains.

Since June 21, 2023, a series of heavy rains have caused severe flooding in the central region of Chile, submerging many villages and large areas of farmland. It is considered the worst weather disaster of the past decade, with many areas declaring a state of emergency. In the midst of this storm, a group of three Tzu Chi volunteers from Taiwan arrived in Las Cabras on June 29 to provide disaster relief. With limited manpower, they showed boundless compassion.

Raging Floodwaters: Principal's Urgent Plea for Assistance

"Over there is where the river used to be, but now this whole area is submerged by floodwaters. What was once a street has become indistinguishable from a river, and the fear in our hearts is beyond words." Residents pointed at the landscape, now transformed into a vast ocean of turbulent floodwaters; they were unable to contain their fear.

In the southern hemisphere, Chile experiences harsh winters as the northern hemisphere enters summer. After June 21, consecutive days of heavy rainfall triggered floods and landslides in many areas of the central region. As of the 24th, over 400 people were left homeless, around 37,000 residents experienced power outages, and parts of the capital city, Santiago, faced water shortages and school closures.

The main river of Santiago, the Mapocho, overflowed due to heavy rain, causing a significant rise in water levels. Coastal towns turned into isolated islands, with entire houses being washed away. The lives of the local residents were not only threatened, but their properties were also severely damaged.

Climate change has exacerbated extreme weather conditions, with recent months witnessing droughts and wildfires, followed by flooding disasters. Despite President Boric personally visiting the affected areas and making promises, the relentless series of extreme weather events has made it difficult to mitigate the impact of climate change.

"The severe weather conditions have brought about a situation that we have not seen in Chile since 1993. Starting tomorrow (6/25), water supply will be cut off from 2 PM," urgently announced Minister of the Interior, Carolina. Drinking water was contaminated and became undrinkable, posing a challenge for residents’ basic living needs.

In Las Cabras, many rivers experienced rising water levels over a few days, keeping most areas on high alert. In the midnight hours, the rapidly rising river posed a constant risk of breaching its banks, prompting the evacuation of the Agua Santa and El Huique areas.

Las Cabras, its roads submerged by rainwater, could only be reached by large machinery or boats to transport people to temporary shelters. Firefighters fearlessly braved the strong winds and heavy rains, making trips through the heavy rain to rescue both humans and animals.

Within the city, students of the Republic of Greece School (Escuela República de Grecia) were among the seventeen families in the disaster zone desperately in need of assistance. At that critical moment, Principal Jorge thought of the Tzu Chi volunteers who had always shown unwavering care for the school; he urgently sought their help.

Great Love with Limited Manpower

On June 27, on receiving the principal's plea for help, volunteers Liao Qing-jiu (廖欽久) and his wife, Fernanda Wu (吳惠蘭), promptly went to a supermarket to purchase essential supplies for the seventeen affected households. They promised the principal that they would distribute the supplies at the school on June 29, to help the flood victims overcome this difficult time.

Liao Qing-jiu, in his seventies, took charge of purchasing cooking oil. Each box weighed eleven kilograms; with seventeen boxes to be carried, it was indeed a test of his physical strength. However, he embraced the task with joy.

Beside him, Fernanda Wu carefully compared prices, saving every penny of their hard-earned love. She selected two hundred packets of quality tea bags for each household --  a cup of hot tea in the cold winter would warm not only the stomach but also the heart.

They filled their shopping carts with all the necessary daily supplies and food, amounting to a total weight of four hundred kilograms. They packed everything into Liao Qing-jiu's car, filling every inch of space with goods and love.

On the distribution day, the couple, along with another volunteer, Yang Ying-ling(楊櫻玲), set off from Santiago at 9:25 in the morning, aiming to arrive in Las Cabras by 11:30. Fernanda Wu drove the car, with seats only for the three of them, as the rest of the space was filled with supplies. With their limited manpower but abundant love, they headed straight to the disaster-stricken area.

After a bumpy journey of over two hours, they finally reached the school. Driven by their compassion for those who were suffering, the three volunteers busied themselves unloading the supplies. Yang had already forgotten the recent pain caused by her frozen shoulder. Even the school's security guard did not fall behind in showing his love, tirelessly transporting heavy items to the staff cafeteria.

"The torrential rain caused lakes and rivers to swell, submerging nearby houses. The affected families lost everything," the security guard shared the horrifying extent of the disaster with the volunteers. He expressed deep concern for the school's children and the families affected.

The principal had gathered the teachers, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the volunteers. to assist in packing the seventeen bags of relief supplies. Each bag weighed a hefty twenty-two kilograms, filled with love. Everyone hoped to quickly address the urgent needs of their fellow villagers.

Personal Visits to Community Shelters

In addition to distributing supplies at the school, the volunteers used their free time to visit the temporary shelters set up in the community. They wanted to provide companionship and support to Delia, a single mother from Bolivia.

"The community activity center used to be a small school, but now it serves as a venue for various activities and has been temporarily converted into a shelter for the affected residents in the community and nearby areas," explained the compassionate community volunteer, Ana, to the volunteers.

Ana, a kind-hearted and loving person, has a child with special needs, so she can empathize with Delia's struggles.

"This mother and son used to live in an empty space near the river, where they built a makeshift wooden house. However, their house was washed away by the flooding, leaving their beds and clothes soaked," Ana slowly described Delia's pitiful situation. The heavy rain had caused both Delia and her five-year-old son to fall ill, exacerbating their already dire circumstances. Delia used to work as a temporary fruit packer but is currently unemployed and without income. The community association decided to temporarily accommodate the mother and son in the shelter.

The temporary shelter consisted of just one bed, a kitchen, and a dining table. During their conversation, Fernanda discovered that the child had hearing issues; he was unable to hear from his right ear. Since he relies solely on his left ear to explore the world, Fernanda could not help but feel immense compassion. She and the volunteers played with the five-year-old child, deeply grateful to Ana's social welfare organization for providing timely support.

"First of all, I want to thank you for your visit today. I am grateful for the assistance of the community association, and I am thankful for your help," Fernanda respectfully presented the supplies. Delia sincerely expressed her gratitude; after several days of tension and anxiety, she finally found an outlet for her emotions. With heartfelt appreciation and emotions, she said, "I am very happy and blessed because of your companionship." The volunteers became even more concerned about her sense of loneliness and helplessness, hoping that their abundant love could bring her more warmth.

Love Flows, Care Endures

With a mixture of reluctance and well wishes, the group bid farewell to Delia and returned to the school to continue their distribution.

"We have assessed the disaster-affected households and vulnerable families who cannot work due to the disaster. Today, the Tzu Chi Foundation has come here to donate these bags of supplies to help everyone get through this difficult time," explained the school social worker, Catalina, introducing the volunteers to the locals. She expressed immense gratitude for the continuous cooperation of the volunteers with the school and their assistance to the affected families. Catalina sincerely hoped that these supplies would truly make a difference for everyone.

Love flowed between the volunteers and the residents as they all expressed their heartfelt gratitude, saying, "Thank you!" Fernanda took the opportunity to introduce Tzu Chi and explained that love originates from the teachings of Master Cheng Yen. With deep reverence, she offered prayers for everyone's safety during this challenging time.

"We are so grateful! Thank you for coming to help this severely affected area," an elderly person expressed their gratitude.

"All forms of assistance are wonderful, just like that gentleman said, everything is very difficult right now. I feel fortunate that we can receive assistance from the foundation. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts," said one resident.

Another added: "We are very grateful for the assistance from the school and the foundation. Apart from the disaster, we are facing now, the economy is also struggling. Thank you for your help." Another resident said: "Thank you very much for your help. I am currently unemployed as well, and these supplies are a tremendous help for us." Gratitude, respect, and love were shared, and the residents' sincere feedback touched the hearts of the volunteers, anchoring love within them.

"We have made different types of cookies, such as coconut and oatmeal cookies. We have also made homemade bread and cupcakes, and the students have shown great interest in them," said Barbara, the cooking teacher; she was grateful for the support the volunteers had previously provided to the school's studio and the donation of ingredients for the extracurricular activity of the health-conscious vegetarian cooking workshop.

With the support of the volunteers, Barbara wholeheartedly taught the children about the concept of healthy eating and instilled in them the idea of vegetarianism from a young age. When she saw the volunteers' arrival, her joy overflowed. She eagerly shared with everyone: "The children are very interested in learning!"

Faced with the crises caused by extreme weather, everyone feels as if they are standing on the edge of a cliff. The volunteers understand the urgency of vegetarianism and environmental conservation. In addition to assisting with the immediate challenges, they also hope to deeply instill the concept of loving and protecting all life at its core, so that the nightmare of environmental collapse can be prevented.

A Jing Si Aphorism says: “A plant-based diet promotes physical and mental well-being while also preserving the planet.”

Join Tzu Chi. Let us show our love for the Earth through our actions.

Story by Wu Xiu-ling and Fernanda Wu from South America