ASEZ WAO Conducts Volunteer Relief Efforts for Flood in Gurye-Gun, Jeonnam, and Gwangju Metropolitan City
“All the flood victims, please cheer up!”
On August 16, 2020, over 240 ASEZ WAO members from the Church of God Young Adult Worker Volunteer Group carried out flood relief efforts in Gurye-Gun, Jeonnam, and Gwangju Metropolitan City, using a holiday.
The rainy season lasted over 50 days in Korea during the summer of 2020, which marked the longest period of rain since Korea Meteorological Administration [KMA] began taking observations. Heavy downpours were followed by typhoons, which resulted in huge damage all over Korea; houses were flooded and much livestock was lost. Particularly, Gurye-gun Jeonnam, and Gwangju Metropolitan City were deadly hit and degisnated as special disaster areas.
Having heard of the news of the damage, about 100 ASEZ WAO members in Gwangju Metropolitan City headed towards Dokja village in Gurye-eup, Gurye-gun. In the village located nearby the Seomjingang River, a record breaking heavy rain tore down the embankment of the river, and the water surged onto the farmland, destroying the crops. The members first collected trash that had come in with the flood, and got rid of the hanging particles from trees. They sawed the rotten or bent branches of trees that collapsed, and moved them to outside the farmland. It was sizzling hot, and heat wave warnings were issued. Yet the members shed beads of sweat, hoping that the flood victims would be relieved of worry even a little bit. The local residents expressed gratitude, cheering them up.
On the same day, about 140 members in Gwangju Metropolitan visited Seobong-dong in Gwangsan-gu, and participated in relief efforts. When the members arrived at the site, residential houses and shopping centers were covered with earth and sand. The members went in and out of houses to shovel earth and sand out, and moved household goods that were covered with dirt to the outside garden.
Lee Yeong-hun, the Chairman of Gwangsan-gu Council, visited the disaster recovery site, and said, “I’m so thankful to the young adults for participating in the flood relief efforts although you could have spent your time, enjoying your hobbies.” Choi Eun-ji, who participated in the volunteer service as a member of ASEZ WAO, said, “I hope that the flood victims will take comfort and strength, remembering that there are neighbors who share in their hardship together.”
The more we share joy with others, the joy doubles; and the more we share sorrow with others, the sorrow lessens. ASEZ WAO will continue to give a helping hand to our neighbors who are hurt by floods as well as COVID-19 pandemic until they regain peace in their daily life.
