Church members rescue stranded, flooded friends
Taiwan public affairs missionaries
Published: Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009
QISHAN, TAIWAN
Brother Ming-Yu Weng and Sister Huang-Qiung Weng of the Qishan Branch, Kaohsiung Taiwan Stake, were among the thousands whose homes were damaged by flash floods caused by Typhoon Morakot.
Brother Weng is second counselor in the Qishan Branch presidency and Sister Weng is an institute teacher. They have a daughter serving a full-time mission in the Taiwan Taipei Mission.
Their multi-story home sits two blocks back from the river levee designed to protect their town from floods. But Typhoon Morakot's rains were too much.
"With no warning, water started coming in our home," Sister Weng said. "In one minute the water was knee deep. In two minutes it was chest high. In three minutes our first floor was under seven feet of water."
The family sought refuge on the second floor.
That is where they remained trapped for three days without food or electricity. As the waters receded, the Wengs found their first floor furniture and kitchen appliances destroyed. Left behind was three feet of mud.
"We were beyond feeling," recalled Brother Weng. "No one could get to us for three days." But on the fourth day after the storm began, government, military and private relief workers started to arrive.
"The first one to help was Branch President Chen," Sister Weng said with emotion. "He had been trying for two days to get into Qishan."
One week after the flood waters receded, Church members and missionaries of the Taiwan Taichung Mission were still working at the Wengs' home. Using pressure washers, the "Mormon Helping Hands" volunteers were preparing their first floor to be lived in once more.
"We feel blessed," said Sister Weng. "Our brothers and sisters in the gospel came to help us."
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