Nargis Relief Trip (2009/01/24)

Our third charity trip to the villages nearby Dedaye was successfully completed around 0230 am in the morning of Sunday, 25 January 2009. Actually it started at 0400 am on Saturday, 24 January 2009.

As planned, MinnMinn and Matt arrived at the office to load the stuff on the vehicle (the first Canter) at about 4 am. Unfortunately the car we arranged was not big enough to fit all the goods. Matt contacted Francis to find one more car for the staff and the remaining items. Matt had abandon our first plan to load the stuff and pickup Linda, Latt Latt and friend, and Thin Thin had directly come to Mya’s house. Kyaw Soe Thein was picked up at Maharmyaing Bus-stop on the way. At that time, Francis and Pyone (Francis’ partner) were heading to Mya’s house to meet the other group, Saede, Htet Min Soe, Mya and Min Thant (Mya’s husband). As soon as we got the message from Matt, Francis and Min Thant drove to Bayint Naung Bus Stand to find another car. In a few minutes later Matt and Kyaw Soe Thein had arrived Mya’s house with loaded canter.

Here we had to wake Sally and Pa Pa up to contact Linda, Latt Latt and Thin Thin to ask them to come to Mya’s house by their own arrangement. While we were trying to contact them, Francis and Min Thant came back with a decision to drive down to Dedaye with Min Thant’s sunny pickup. Fortunately, we’ve found that the canter truck (the second one) which we had hired for our very first trip was available. The owner’s house is not so far from Mya’s house. So we hired it again. The driver and the helper were very appreciated to be participated in our trip again too.

We unloaded the first Canter to carry the remaining items at the office and pick up May Kyel and her lunch boxes for all of us. Linda, Thin Thin, Wah Wah (Thin Thin’s cousin), Latt Latt and Ei Khine (Latt Latt’s friend) arrived to our gathering point separately by their own arrangements. Once the first Canter came back from its second way to the Embassy, we transferred the goods to second Canter. It was very nice to see May Kyel with her lunch boxes full of warm rice and lovely smell curries.

We eventually left Yangon at about 0830 am. Thin Thin, Francis, Pyone, Wah Wah, Latt Latt, Ei, Linda, May Kyel and Mya were on the first one and Saede, Htet Min Soe, Matt, Min Thant, Kyaw Soe Thein were on the second one. The group from the first one had to moved to the second one due to terrible galloping condition. We changed our plan at this point and let the first one’s driver free.

Travelling to Dedaye by Canter on Myanmar’s very famous roads to delta region on piles of cooking oil bottles, soap bars was really remarkable. We stopped near Twantay for about 15 minutes and didn’t stop again until we reached Dedaye jetty.

A very small number of boats were parking there and were already booked. We were so surprised that there were plenty of boats when we arrived there last time. The people around there explained that due to the lesser donation groups, the boats moved to other places to solve their living problems.

Our boat trip could start at about 1430 with the great help of Ms Thin Thin Yi (Kaykhine’s cousin). We could visit 3 places but could distribute goods to 6 villages (about 373 families). The villagers down there have been able to rebuild their houses and business but not 100% completed yet. They said they could make some income from rice plantation that would enable them to restart their lives. They thanked us for the goods and requested us to pass their regards to other donors who were unable to participate in this trip.


A small mis-harp occurred in this trip which was a boat engine problem in the middle of Ake’ River near Taw Hla village. Our captain said the problem was in the gear-box. The boat had travelled with the flow as the captain was unable to fix the problem. It was a really scary moment and we all were very nervous. Matt joked we should bring our passports as the boat would go to Australia like 2 Myanmar fishing boat workers few weeks ago. The captain left us with the boat full of donated items after he tied the boat with old, dirty, long rope to an old tree root beside the corner of the river. It helped us from drifting along the river anyway.

An hour (0530 pm – 0630 pm) on the helpless boat was so frustrating. We waved our hands to the passing boats for a few talks to check whether we could hire their boat. Most of the boats passed by our boat came from very far villages and we’ve passed some chickpea bags, detergent powders and soap bars, cooking oils and some sweet things for the kids there. They were appreciated and thanked for the goods. They encouraged us not to worry and to swim in the river. We would like to do as they said but couldn’t think anything except how to distribute the remaining items and get back to Dedaye as quickly as possible. Finally, Ms Thin Thin Yi, May Kyel and Htet Min Soe could manage to hire another boat. We tied two boats together and went on our journey to Ma-ka-nan village to send the goods for two villages, Makanan and Kayin-ni-su villages and then drove back to Dedaye. We arrived Dedaye back around 0930 pm safely.

We heard cholera disease outbreak in Bogalay Township but we didn’t notice any signs and around the villages we have visited. It was good news but we worried as the way they build the toilets could cause and spread the dangerous infectious diseases quickly. The government and other non-government organisations who have enough manpower, financial support have to educate the villagers and should provide necessary assistances to prevent the diseases. They looked happy and satisfy with the way they are right now but we could see the sadness shadowed in their eyes. We are so sure they will never forget the nightmare they had faced.

We found out they will require drinking water in summer time as the lakes which they collected water in raining season will be dried out. We couldn’t donate money for tube wells this time. The kids will need accessories for school such as exercise books, text books, pens, pencils and other necessities.

They said they have sufficient rice for next year, clothes to wear and boats to travel and equipments for rice plantation. They are very strong indeed. They could come back from zero level. We don’t see any angry, greedy nor sorrow appearances on their faces. We see only strength in their eyes. They are amazing people. They are contented to breathe the air that sweeps across the river and over the paddy fields.

Looking up the countless sparkling multi-sized stars in the dark and scene of the trees filled with fire flies were amazing. We couldn’t talk to each other except lying on the boats, fighting cold breeze and trying to get a little nap. We all were so exhausted but we believed our trip was successful. It really was.


List of the villages we visited

Dar Ma Lane - 66 Households
Awk Kwin - 48 Households
Chaung Wa - 91 Households
Ake’ Chaung Wa - 52 Households
Kayin-ni-su - 65 Households
Ma-ka-nan - 51 Households


List of the items we donated

Chickpeas Bags - 750 Viss
Cooking Oils - 209 Viss
Detergent Powder Packets - 200 Packets
Blankets - 100 Nos
Condensed Milk - 816 Cans
Soap Bars - 800 Bars
Onion - 370 Viss
Jelly and Candy - 40 Packets
Biscuits (Big) - 48 Packets
Juice - 318 Bottles


Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the officers at the office and their families for the great support and encouragement that helped us make our trips smoothly from the starts to the ends.

Special thanks to Thin Thin and Ko Myo, Francis and Pyone, Sally and Ko Htun Lin, Minn Minn and family, Linda and Ma Pont, Latt Latt and Ei Khine, May Kyel and Matt, Mya and Min Thant, Debra and party, Saede, Kyaw Soe Thein, Htet Min Soe, Kay Khine and Ko Aung Moe Kyaw, Khawn Ja, Ko Tint Aung, Pa Pa, Myat Thet, Myint Thwin and all locally engaged staff members for their amazing contribution on this trip.

Thanks Teresa Renny and family and their friends, Kevin & Robyn Rodgers, their colleagues, family and friends in Brisbane for their thoughtful contribution. We are sure they will be as happy as we are to participate in this trip.

And a few people we couldn’t leave out of our charity theme, they are; Chris and Trevor Wilson, Ms Thin Thin Yi and party, Htin Lin Kyaw and our ex-colleagues – kyaw Min, Muyar & Ko Hpone for their continuous support. We won’t be able to do this trip without their thoughtful help.

We would like to share our happiness with Drivers and helpers from Canter one & two, 4 boat captains and helpers, 2 trishaw men, the people from the snack shop near Dedaye Jetty and the people on the way to Dedaye who provided precious advice upon our trip.

And thanks very much to our families and friends for their invaluable support that could help us accomplish our third trip.