Written by Jennifer Chien
Translated by H.B. Qin
Edited by Andrew Larracuente
In the morning, Tzu Chi San Gabriel Valley Service Center volunteers were busy in the kitchen. Service Center Director James Chen took out Chinese cabbage and apricot mushrooms from the refrigerator, while the volunteers had already started cutting dried tofu. Another volunteer said, “There is also a very crispy cabbage in the refrigerator.” The group divided up the work, with James Chen, an expert cook, serving as the chef. As soon as the delicious vegetarian meals were ready, the volunteers were to pack them in hot lunch boxes to send to the Dharma families in the areas affected by the wildfires.
Tzu Chi San Gabriel Valley Service Center volunteers have been caring for the volunteers and congregation members who were without power due to the fire since January 8. On January 10, volunteers once again readied hot meals and “care packs” prepared by Master Cheng Yen and the Masters of the Jing Si Abode. They went to the northern district of Arcadia, which had been issued a Level 3 Evacuation Notice (must be evacuated), and to the northern area of Monrovia, which had been issued a Level 2 Evacuation Notice (will need to be evacuated at any time), to deliver meals to volunteers who had difficulty in leaving their homes.
Visiting Dharma Families With Freshly Cooked Hot Food
When Ikung Sun opened her door, she could see the smoke on the opposite side of the mountain. Police knocked on her door three times at 1 a.m. on January 8, informing her that she had to evacuate the area immediately. She and her husband drove down the mountain with their two dogs and found a parking lot filled with the cars of evacuated families who were exhausted after a hard night’s rest in their vehicles.
Ikung Sun said, “In the morning, my son called and said, ‘Mom, be careful, the mountain behind us is on fire. When I saw it, I thought it was the second time the mountain had burned, so I wasn’t that nervous. But it got bigger and bigger, and the fire expanded from the top of the mountain. My oldest son was volunteering at the police station, and he told me, ‘Mom, you need to pack up and get ready to evacuate.’ It really didn’t take long for the police to knock on the door; it was the middle of the night, and the power was out at our house. We just stumbled into the darkness and couldn’t find anything, so we grabbed our ID documents and clothes, and most importantly, we grabbed our medication and got in the car. As we got out, the parking lot was full; we had barely a place to park. Then we drove to one of my son’s stores, and we parked in front of the store’s parking lot. That night, we sat in the car and fell asleep. I’m 81, my husband 87; two old people who really cannot take it.”
With Flames & Ash, It’s Risky to Go Home
Ikung Sun and her husband decided to return home, but the police at the intersection told them, “It’s OK for you to come back, but we aren’t responsible for your safety, and it won’t be like the old days. We won’t knock on the door if the fire burns again, so you’ll have to make your own arrangements.”
The police would no longer issue evacuation notices, and it’s their own risk if they go home. She said, “We came back. We were the only family in the whole street that came back. It was kind of scary. This fire was really scary because the wind was too strong. That day, my son took me to a very high place to look down. It seemed that the fire was out there, but at night, you would see that dead ash flickering in the darkness of the night. As long as there is a wind blowing, it will burn again, so it is very risky for us to return.”
Ikung Sun said, “This is the first time I’ve encountered this in the past thirty years since I moved to the U.S. Some people are really suffering, their homes burned to the ground, and nothing is left; they couldn’t even get away in time.”
I can’t imagine how they will survive their life in the future. I couldn’t imagine that I would ever encounter such a terrible thing in my life, having to leave my home! It’s really Amitabha Buddha! I was scared, but it’s all over now! I hope we can all go home safely.
Ready to Evacuate at Any Time
After nearly three days of power outages, power was finally restored at volunteer Lingling Hsu’s home at 3 a.m. on January 10. Having prepared a suitcase and being ready for evacuation, she was touched by the presence of San Gabriel Valley Service Center’s Director James Chen and the volunteers who came to care for her. She said emotionally, “These days, we’ve been cut off from the outside world with no electricity and no internet. I’m so envious of the volunteers who participated in the post-fire relief activities that I really wanted to be a part of! When I looked out from my house, I could see the dense smoke, and I received several cell phone warnings to evacuate, so I was really nervous. Today, I was so touched and grateful to see James Chen leading the relief team to come and comfort the Dharma families! All my worries and fears have been swept away!”
Lingling Hsu said, “During these two days, I was scared and worried. Although every year there is a burning wind, this year is particularly powerful. We have had a power outage for more than two days, with no electricity and no network. It feels like a typhoon is blowing outside, just like in Taiwan. Not only do I have to worry about the wind, I also have to worry about the fire. Fortunately, Tzu Chi volunteers have been calling to care for me, so I have been less worried these past two days. Helicopters have been patrolling, which shows that the danger here has not been eliminated, so we still have to be extremely careful. We have just received emergency alerts, reminding us that we may have to evacuate at any time.”
Although the wind is no longer blowing, the fire is still going on. I am very thankful for everyone’s care and concern. Although it is very cold at night when the power is out, I feel very warm because of your care and concern.
The Fire Is Only Five Miles Away
Volunteer Fengli Huang’s home is also halfway up a mountain in Monrovia, where bears have been known to invade the house and steal food. The fire was only about five miles away from her home, and she was just two blocks away from being forced to evacuate. Her house had been without power for three days, but the power came on today, and the utility company could cut it off again at any time for safety reasons. She went to buy rechargeable LED lights to avoid being unable to see at night.
“The power wasn’t restored until 3:30 last night, January 7, and this was the first time since I moved to the U.S. Such a long power outage, 57 hours!” said Fengli Huang. “I heard that because of the strong winds, a lot of trees and power lines were cracked down. To avoid power lines catching fire, there were mandatory power outages. I didn’t think we would be without power for 57 hours. So, our whole house was in darkness these two days, and my son suggested that I use this rechargeable LED light and put one in each room so that it won’t be completely dark!”
She pointed out the window and said, “We are about five miles away from the fire, so I can see the smoke from the living room. I do not see flames, but the smoke is also very scary. We are all packed up. If there is a fireman knocking on the door, we will evacuate.” When Fengli Huang knew that San Gabriel Valley Service Center prepared hot meals and accommodation for the survivors, she felt regretful that she could not participate.
Tzu Chi volunteers will continue to care for the people in the disaster area and accompany them with love through the dark days of dust and smoke.
In response to the wildfires in Southern California, Tzu Chi urgently set up a Care Center. With safety as a prerequisite, volunteers used the most streamlined manpower to make the most real-time contributions, including visiting multiple shelters, delivering water and meals to families with power outages, and providing the local government with N95 face masks and eco-friendly blankets to distribute to the survivors in need. Master Cheng Yen was concerned about the fire situation and called for continued resonance with good thoughts, praying for an early end to the disaster, and fasting and vegetarianism, which can also alleviate climate disorders and bring peace to people’s hearts.
Please join hands with us by supporting our Help Los Angeles Heal fundraising campaign
in response to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County. Your donation can mean a cash card in the hands of someone who lost everything and must rebuild from scratch. And we will deliver your love in person, offering comfort at a time of greatest need.
