Blog #1: My First Medical Mission
I strolled out from the ‘white Tower’ by chance to see a different world and did what I wanted to do. I guessed it’s similar for other volunteers— joining TRMPC to dedicate themselves for altruistic reasons.
The relief mission was the first Taiwan Root mission that I joined. Typhoon Morakot devastated southern Taiwan. TV news ceaselessly covered the miseries of the victims, taking the whole country to a torment with their scary reports. I could not repress my urge to go to the disaster areas to help those fellow people any longer.
When the September 21st Earthquake happened 10 years ago, I was only a residence doctor. I found myself tangled by my shifts in the hospital when I felt the same urge. After that, I had been busy studying my specialty or preparing for exams, which literally wore out my ideal and urge. The Morakot flood had given me a chance to act it out. I asked another doctor to be my substitute and signed in the Pingtung relief mission.
During the mission, many teammates asked me how I know the Taiwan Root. A year ago, there was a friend leaving a message in my blog, inviting me to participate in Taiwan Root medical missions. I suppose the name of the organization had been branded on my brain since then. After the flood happened, I contacted the south disaster control center and left my name to them, but I failed to receive any reply probably because there were too many medical volunteers or a few district hospitals had adopted the disaster areas.
My heart was restless for several days and the name of Taiwan Root popped out. I googled on the Web and found out they had just returned from a relief mission to Nantou, yet they didn’t post any news about the next mission. I made an inquiry call asking them if there’s another relief mission. One of their staff—Ms. Tseng if I remembered it right—wrote down my contact information and asked me to wait for further notification. A déjà vu maybe, I thought.
However, the next day, on my way to work, I received a phone call from Taiwan Root, saying the second relief mission was already scheduled and would be set out to Pingtung. I signed in at once. Few days later, I stepped on the road to the mission with my newly-bought bag pack, sleeping bag and wellies.
Thanks to the Taiwan High Rail. Their relief program, which transported over 70 volunteers to southern Taiwan with no charge, had been a great help. The jeeps of the R.O.C. Rescue Association picked us up and fled to our gathering spot, the Wentzu Elementary School. From these drivers conversation, I was moved by the fact that these drivers had been to the disaster areas in Tainan for over 10 days.
Although the Typhoon had passed for more than 10 days, we were shocked to see the still severe silting. The military were all over the place, trucks that carried mud were agitated on the streets. Fall semester will begin in one week, yet the Wentzu Elementary School was surrounded by mires and mud and the smell of rotten fish filled the air. We were there to help, I hoped with volunteers’ devotion, the place will be back to how it had been soon.
The military, volunteers and victims fought with the water and mud all day long. Large diggers were indispensible—they cleaned the roads to lead into more people to help, while they were too big to enter small alleys. Bulldozers, which were rented by the Taiwan Root, were perfect for cleaning alleys. Some of the medical volunteers went into the alleys with the bulldozers to help, some stayed at the medical station that we set up. It was such a distinct experience which is very worth-while even you got yourself all covered with mud.
I got to know lots of people from various backgrounds and discovered that many, just like me, joined the Taiwan Root mission for the first time. Then I realized that Taiwan Root had already been a cross-region organization, which is capable of summoning volunteers from everywhere without any relation to any hospital or religion. A Taiwan root mission is put together by assorted professions of volunteers, namely drivers, kitchen volunteers, administration volunteers and of course medical volunteers. I guessed these people were assembled by the faith of President Liu, founder of the Taiwan Root.
A nurse volunteer once asked me if there was any change this mission had brought me. I was speechless then, the question never came to me probably because years of working in hospitals had made me used to the course of life, the birth and mortality of human so to speak. Treating and helping patients were a doctor’s calling. I just strolled out from the ‘white Tower’ by chance to see a different world and did what I wanted to do. I guessed it’s similar for other volunteers— joining TRMPC to dedicate themselves for altruistic reasons. I was very pleased to become a member of this big Taiwan Root family. I hope in the future we will go to another place to help others together.
Blog #2: Boohoo, Give me my water heater
It was a bit earlier than my own plan for me to do voluntary work for the Typhoon Morakot victims. I planned to go to the disaster areas till the disaster was about to be forgotten, for the road to rehabilitation is long on one hand, and the intention of reminding myself and others the relief work is not fully finished. Yet when I got the letter of recruiting volunteers from the Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps, I decided to join at once, even though I thought I might become the very garbage which needed to be moved away. I just couldn’t get the TV news report out of my head, I must SEE the disaster with my own eyes.
Of course I saw it and was frightened by the mud from 2-feet to over 2-meter deep. It’s not the mud that frightened me. It was already two weeks after the typhoon; the flood still hovered. That’s what frightened me. I was assigned to help the medical workers. One morning, I was transported by a bulldozer to help clean a duck farm. Under the relentless sun, not after long, I panted heavily like a dog. The driver of the bulldozer said I’d better just stick to the photographing work, yet I could hardly lift my camera. Watching those stubborn mud made me feel helpless. However, the bulldozer kept rotating like an un-nimble robot removing piles and piles of dirt. Two soldiers who were thinner than me had no choice but to endlessly shovel the mud.
A small troop of navy soldiers were cleaning a place named “Flamingo Park.” The mud was outrageous, the eyes of the soldiers seem hollow. I guessed they must have thought of the ocean. The drains surround us were filled with filthy tan water which just wouldn’t go away as the swamps on the tar roads. The aquaculture-noted township exhibited its products with belly-up fishes. Even people were about to turn their bellies up. I wondered when will the mud be removed and drains be clear, so that all the pain and heart-breaking will be drained.
Some of the medical workers also helped cleaning homes. They just couldn’t stand by feeling useless. They scrubbed the floor and swept out the water. With the water flowing out of the house, a grandma’s tears shed ceaselessly at the mud-stuffed sofa. The volunteers spoke nothing and resumed their cleaning job, letting the grandma gushing out her emotions. The other two volunteers couldn’t stand there watching the grandpa, grandma’s husband, sob. They pat on the grandpa’s shoulder with muddy hands while scrubbing. The 70-year-old grandpa swept at the back of his house, telling the volunteers the heater was a gift from his son. The floods had destroyed it as if his son’s filial affection had also been ruined. The volunteers and soldiers couldn’t comfort the grandpa. The only thing they could do was to keep moving the furniture and mopping. Once a piece of furniture was moved out of the house, the diligent bulldozer came pick it up and carried it away or it would obstruct the cleaning work on the street. The grandma stared at her bed being taken away, which she had cherished for decades, she blamed the grandpa for letting the bulldozer. The grandpa started weeping again, they wept together in fury and helplessness. Although the wooden bed was old, it still made it through the flood. The young soldiers and volunteers didn’t know what to do. Out of regrets, one of the soldiers said to the grandpa, ”I’ll buy a new bed for you.” These grandsons of their own grandpas, treasure of their own home sincerely wiped the tears on the grandpa’s face, as if they were his grandsons.
The soldiers, babies in their own home, soaked in water in wellies and water-proof suits. They got cut or scratched and rash climbed up their skin. Wrinkles crawled over the faces of the disaster victims; floods flushed away their belongings and rose their blood pressure.
Except for pulling up a soldier who fell in a drain and broke his leg, I spent most of my time shedding my tear and watching those medical workers do trauma cleaning. What a loser. Most of these soldiers were younger than my brother, they had done the relief work for at least a week, they just stood up and put on their wellies and went back to work in the mires after the wounds were treated. They looked exhausted yet innocent. I asked them when their next leave would be, they said after the relief mission they still have duties in the Deaflympic. It’s unbelievable. A once-in-a-while rest might be questioned by their superiors or the media. Even the bulldozer operators who used to the labor were worn out, not to mention these young soldiers.
But, why can’t the mud be gone? It’s the anxious victims and enthusiastic volunteers who let the filthy water flowing out of the house; the water and filth overloaded the drains.
The drains struggled to swallow the water and victims’ apprehension and they failed.
Finally, with the soldiers, I purged the drains and came to realize these drains are indispensable as veins in our flesh.
Blog #3: Deliver our Charity to the Disaster Area
This was the second time I and my classmates followed TRMPC on a mission. Last time we delivered our charity to the mountain areas, but this time we were going to deliver our charity to the disaster areas caused by Typhoon Morakot.
The night before departure, we felt a little bit complicated, looking forward to the mission this time but also fearing to be hurt, because there were many pieces of negative news reported by media such as how indignant the disaster victims were, how awful the condition was and how difficult it was to carry out the relief work etc. Such news gave us a vague impression about the disaster areas; however, we believed that if we had faith in common, the mission would still be replete with happiness and impressiveness.
The next morning we headed for the High Speed Rail Taichung Station where we took advantage of the “Free Ticket for Volunteers” package to get to Zuoying Station to meet the car fleet members. On arriving there, we saw familiar cars, familiar faces, and heard familiar voices, which reminded us of those days when we were being together on the mission last time and made us more confident about the mission this time.
On the first day, we went to Wun Fong Village at Jiadong Township, Pingtung County where once hard-working fish pond pumps had stopped and once full-of-water fish ponds had almost been dried. Villagers were either catching survived fish or cleaning up the mud water in the pond. Then we went to Wun Zih elementary school. There we found that the playground had already been fully parked with Humvees, disaster rescue trucks, and bulldozers etc. Besides, the classrooms had all been emptied either for medical room or rest area for volunteers. Seeing a scene of devastation everywhere made me feel very sad. It also occurred to me that in spite of living on the same piece of land and belonging to the same nation, we were lucky enough to enjoy a much more blissful life than those disaster victims.
A car fleet member told us that he saw lots of dried fish hanging on the trees, which was a really interesting but also heartbreaking image; after all, fish is the livelihood of those fish breeding families. The car fleet member also told us that some fish breeding families did not know whether to laugh or cry because they found that the precious giant groupers in their ponds were all gone and that the ponds were full of several modest species of fish now.
On the second day, we had a definite goal. We took a pickup truck at Jiadong train station and then transferred to a bulldozer to get into the disaster areas. Along the journey, we saw impressive images of our military working hard to help clean villagers’ houses and their surroundings. We took the initiative to go into a house and offer our help to the family. There were only two people living in that house-a grandpa and a grandma. While we were cleaning up the house, the grandma was trying very hard to protect the last two pieces of intact furniture -two plank beds. When the bulldozer ruthlessly shoveled her other soaked furniture away, she retreated back to her room and burst into crying. We had no idea how to comfort her and genuinely felt the ruthlessness of the typhoon.
In addition to helping clean victims’ houses, we also assisted TRMPC in medical care. Watching everybody being busy, I suddenly felt myself like a drop in the ocean. The first work I and my classmates were assigned to was registration, that was to fill out the forms for the residents, measure their blood pressure and temperature and usher them to the clinic room.
It never occurred to me to expect for any rewards from volunteer work; however, whenever I heard “thank you” from those I helped, I felt gratified. I also made some balloons to please the kids-the tricks which I learned from the Northern Thailand Volunteers training program. It warmed the cockles of my heart when I saw the joyful expressions on the kids’ face.
Participating in the relief work this time aroused in me more expectation and desire from engaging in volunteer services. As college students, we did not do much and helped a lot because we had no special expertise and little money, but we had resolute love in heart. Although this time the relief work only lasted for three days, I would keep the experience in mind. Thanks to TRMPC for giving us the chance to contribute to our society.
Blog #4: Remember the Moment
On the 8th of August 2009, Typhoon Morakot visited southern Taiwan. I was at my hometown, Tainan, when it happened. For the first time in my memory, I understood what it meant to rain cats and dogs, and nonstop, day after day. August 9th, on my way back to Taipei, everywhere I saw was engulfed by rainfall; the crop fields were nowhere to be seen, only the tip of the poles stuck out of the surface barely telling me where the roads were. The ducks in the fish pond walked to the free way because they had nowhere else to go. And we could only see the tip of the pomelo trees, as pomelo tree is just as tall as a man. Tears on my cheeks fell nonstop, just like the rainfall outside of the window.
Taitung was impacted heavily from this typhoon. The mountain on the east, particularly homes of the aboriginal tribes were isolated since roads were destroyed. It made the transporting of supply aids and communication of the news very difficult. The beautiful southbound railroad was also closed down—I haven’t even been on it! Even though there were less news of the situation in eastern Taiwan, I thought there should be many aboriginal tribes that needed help. Twenty days after the typhoon, I was on the plane from Taipei to Taitung. It might not be as immediate as I hoped, I still hope I could help those in need with my profession since the road of rebuilding will be a long ride.
In these 3 days, we travelled from Taimale and southward to Kinlun, Binmao, Lichiu, Tuban, Taiban tribes, most of them were homes of the Paiwan Tribe. I was happy to see that some daily supplies had already arrived at the area, and medical care forces were also enough. Yet the rebuilding of the roads and the homes buried by mudslides were still delayed. I saw an old lady from the tribe digging out the rocks with a shovel; I also saw a man stood in front of the rocks covering what was once door to his home. Construction of the minds seemed to be a very important step for the victims. Nevertheless, they still continue to live their lives everyday such as going to the church, cleaning the aftermath and caring for the children. And from the smiles of the children welcoming us, we realized how they treasure they live in the moment to deal with the hardship. We also saw how they manage to coexist with our mother nature, which is a lesson that everyone in this material world needs to learn. The aboriginal tribes may be less exposed to our society, yet they are not to be forgotten. By being at the scene, it was very difficult to imagine how much difference there were between two places in one country—it was like being in a complete different world. I almost break into tears whenever I think of them.
More importantly, I really hope the disaster relief is not just a temporarily attention that is neglected soon after. One of the chiefs once said “water will always seek its way back to the source; it is going to win back what belongs to him that was long taken by human.” It is my dearest hope for us people to remember the lesson learned from our history, to be a person that remembers.
Blog #5: My Yard is in the Pacific Ocean
I have heard of Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps ever since the happening of 921 Earthquake, but I have yet to join any of the medical missions until now. I have been anticipating for the day with excitement and nervousness. On the day before the trip, I met an experience doctor who told me stories from his past trips, which made me even more excited. However, being a respiratory therapist, I really was not sure what I could really do for the victims from Typhoon Morakot But I was once a scrub-in nurse, I should be able to help out with my profession at some point. I would just wait and see what my assignment was.
The day had finally arrived. With my lightly packed personal belongings, I was at the meeting point at 2:30 am and was very fired up seeing the cars lined up waiting for volunteers. Yet when I saw the assignment sheet, the thing I was worried the most happened: I was assigned to be a respiratory therapist! Not helping with the resources, assisting the doctors or helping in the kitchen, I was to do what I do best—respiratory therapy. However, I did not bring any necessary equipment, not even a stethoscope! How was I supposed to do my job without those? Although I was told to get some sleep in the ride before we arrive at the disaster area, I just could not go to sleep thinking about what would happen once we got there.
When we arrived at our destination, we followed the lead of the experienced volunteers to unload, prepare and set up the location. Most of the patients who came were those with chronic diseases, cold or toothache; there was rarely a patient for me which made my worries go away. Therefore, I started helping out with everything and everywhere for the next three days and was able to get involved with the local people in the aboriginal areas. All of these tribal villages were unheard of in my life; I might not even have a chance to go there if it were not for this medical mission. Nevertheless, I respect how positive and optimistic the people were—they were only thankful to everything rather than complaining even under such harsh conditions. Even with their homes destroyed, they could still smile and say “my home has fallen into the pacific ocean!” some even wrote a song named “my yard is in the pacific ocean,” which made me feel heartbroken.
Besides from learning from the aboriginal people, I was also touched by all the volunteers from Taiwan Root. Even though everyone came with different backgrounds, but they all came with a passionate heart. There was one eight-years-old retired doctor who I respected the most. He drove down by himself and met up with us at Taimale. He always chose to follow us to the most challenging areas and followed the team on the narrow windy mountain roads. He did not talk about any appraising life stories, but he did sit on the ground and chit chat with everyone without posing. When seeing the patients, he explained and answered every question with patient and kindness. In addition, our drivers were also elites coming from different career backgrounds. Yet they sacrificed their vacations willingly, helping out in every way they could so that this trip could end successfully.
Even though I did not prepare enough for this trip, I still saw and learned a lot. I would like to thank every volunteer on the team, Mr. Lin from car 307 who took everyone for a soothing hot spring, Mr. Liao who drove all the way, and also Ms. Luo who treated us a delicious dinner in Luotung. In the future,I will prepare myself as much as I can to do my best in the next mission.
Blog #6: Let's go energetic mission meal
A few months ago, my friend and I decided to join the medical mission to Hualien together. Unfortunately on the 8th of August, a terrible flood was caused by Typhoon Morakot. After making sure with Taiwan Root that we need to bring gloves and rain shoes, we knew exactly that we would be going to the villages that were heavily damaged.
At the same 2:45 am, everybody gathered in front of NTU as usual but without the excitement we used to have. Instead, there was worry in the air. We set out for Taitung after everyone got their name tags and loaded up their luggage.
The sun was just about to rise up as we stopped by Hualien for a little break and breakfast. As we drove toward our destination, we saw the Pacific Ocean and the blue sky merging into one line and became almost indistinguishable. The coastal scenery was still astonishing as ever, yet we were in no mood to enjoy the beauty because somewhere else on this land has been impacted heavily. With the concern in mind, we arrived at our first stop.
As we entered the impacted area, we saw riverbed filled with floating broken branches and houses flooded by the water. Even though I have seen plenty of images on the news media, I was still shocked to wordless. We quickly calmed ourselves down and began to unload and started working. Since we did not bring any food ingredients from Taipei, we had to shop for the food locally. Even though it was not my first time to the traditional Taiwanese market, preparing food for 80 people was my first and our head chef A-mei was really worried that we could not make it in time. After the ingredients and portion were quickly decided, everyone started shopping for meats and vegetables with our fastest speeds. We encountered a very enthusiastic vendor who gave us a great deal on foods when she knew that we were here to help, which made us realize that the most beautiful thing on this island is our people with genuine and passionate hearts.
Brining back all the ingredients to the village, everyone worked on different tasks together under the direction of the head chef. We managed to finish preparing in time for lunch so everyone could enjoy a tasty meal. After lunch, we started packing and moving toward the next village. Thanks to our head chef A-mei and her professional experiences, we were able to prepare delicious and nutritious meals and made us volunteers full of energy.
From this disaster relief trip with Taiwan Root, we saw bridges broken, roads destroyed, houses flooded and riverbed with broken branches which all made us fearful of the power of nature. Even though catastrophes were brought by the flood, it also brought out the most genuine, passionate hearts from people. We also witness the courage and strength of those who lost their homes, and still fought to survive optimistically. As physically tired as we were, we came home with hearts full of love for the people and the island.
