Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church – On September 11, 2024, as the Cầu River flood rose after Typhoon Yagi, the Community Development Ministry team set out on Thái Nguyên flood relief. The team delivered about 72 boxes of essentials, worth 13,300,000 dong in total, to residents of Huống Thượng commune, Đồng Hỷ district.
See photos: photos of the Thái Nguyên relief trip on the Community Development Ministry fanpage
Urgent Messages in the Night
On the evening of September 9, 2024, reading urgent pleas for help from Thái Nguyên, the ministry team was heartbroken. The Cầu River flood was forecast to reach historic levels, many districts were deeply flooded and thousands of households along the river were affected. Some people only hoped for a flashlight or a life jacket to survive the floodwaters.
Those images reminded the ministry of the days it walked with people in Central Việt Nam during the historic floods of 2020. The ministry called on brothers and sisters to pray for the people of Thái Nguyên and to join hands to help.
Gathering Supplies Amid Shortages
By noon on September 10, the ministry had finished preparing relief supplies. Because of a surge in demand from many volunteer groups, buying goods was difficult. In the end, the team gathered 10 cases of sausages, 10 cases of soy milk, 20 cases of bottled water, 10 cases of cakes, 2 cases of dry rations and 20 cases of noodles. Before setting out, the team prayed together for the flood victims and for the trip.
Finding a Way to Where Help Was Most Needed
About 75 km from Hà Nội, the team reached Thái Nguyên city and was directed by locals to the Mỏ Bạch bridge area. Many charity teams were already there. A police officer suggested the team go to Đồng Hỷ district, where many areas still needed help.
Almost every road into Đồng Hỷ was deeply flooded. With locals showing the way, the team found a route to Huống Thượng commune. Everyone agreed to keep going until the vehicles could go no further. Thank God, the high-clearance vehicles brought the team close to the deeply flooded area of the commune.
Just as the goods were moved into the commune People’s Committee office, heavy rain began, but the team eagerly handed over all the supplies for the authorities to distribute to hard-to-reach areas. The commune chairman welcomed the team, shared the locality’s difficulties and thanked them for good-quality goods of clear origin. The team then quickly returned to Hà Nội, worried the water would keep rising.
Faith Shown Through Action
Before the trip, the team reflected together on the Letter of James: when our fellow citizens are suffering so much, we cannot simply stand by.
“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.” (James 2:15–17)
Collecting Clothes for Flood Areas
Alongside the trip, the ministry collected used clothing to send to flood-hit families. Those who wish to contribute are asked to wash, fold and sort clothes by age and gender, and pack them in plastic bags so they stay dry in transit (no dresses, underwear or sleepwear).
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
Let Us Pray Together
- For the people of Thái Nguyên to recover from their losses and rebuild their lives soon.
- For rescue teams and local authorities to be safe and wise.
- For the church’s relief teams to be kept safe by God on every road.
Read more in Community Development and Church News. Contact the church office: 0942 248 688 (Zalo available).
