Cyclone Harold Disaster Relief
SPECIAL REPORT June 2020 Feature Insert
Report written by Major Robert Evans On the 1st April 2020, a tropical low formed off the east coast of PNG and was classified as a tropical cyclone over Solomon Islands waters the next day. As tropical Cyclone Harold passed by Gaudalcanal Province it caused significant damage along the coastline to low-lying communities. In Honiara, strong winds damaged properties along the seafront and heavy rain flooded food crops planted along river banks. One of the communities impacted by Cyclone Harold was Burns Creek, a Settlement in East Honiara where the Honiara Corps Officers reside. Burns Creek is a very vulnerable community with a history of social unrest and is a known hot spot for crime. When the community leaders from Burns Creek approached The Salvation Army for assistance, there was a feeling of helplessness and desperation driving their request. The community leaders were deeply concerned about food security and the potential for illegal activity to emerge out of concern for how their people were going to feed their families. This concern was exacerbated by the impact of the COVID -19 State of Public Emergency that shut down satellite markets around Honiara. At the time of receiving this request, I was contacted by a colleague in Tasmania who was approached by a humanitarian organization called ‘The Obed Centre’ that had raised some money for Cyclone Harold victims. While discussing the potential allocation of these funds with The Salvation Army International Emergency Services (IES), I was made aware of the Rapid Response Grant that could also help with this request for assistance. After navigating the application process we were able to offer a substantial amount of relief to the Burns Creek leaders, which would support 790 families across 16 communities. Given
the social concerns surrounding this crisis in Burns Creek, I approached the RSIPF National Crime Prevention Department (NCPD) and invited them to partner with us in the distribution of our disaster relief. This partnership provided very generous support with transportation through the use of two 3 tonne trucks and the opportunity for the RSIPF to conduct crime prevention talks alongside our SAES personnel.
Through the donation received from ‘The Obed Centre’, we were able to purchase 3,500 cassava stems from local farmers to help replace lost food crops. The funds from the IES Rapid Response Grant enabled us to purchase enough rice and tuna to feed the 790 families for three weeks while they replanted their gardens, with the generous support of Soltuna who donated 100 cartons of tuna and Solrice who donated two pallets of rice towards our relief strategy. Starting on Tuesday, 16th June, our SAES team, together with the NCPD, distributed a weekly allocation of rice and tuna to each community in Burns Creek for the three week period. The community response was quite overwhelming, with
a number of very kind expressions of appreciation received by our team from grateful community leaders. The opportunity to work alongside the NCPD was a real blessing that built on the relationship we established with the RSIPF during the National General Election last year. This partnership had a real impact on those who normally see the police as the enemy in their law enforcement role. Instead, they saw them working alongside a church in a community service role that genuinely cared for their well-being. This disaster relief program provided our SAES volunteers with another opportunity to demonstrate a practical expression of Christ’s love at a time of need. Our volunteers worked hard and enthusiastically engaged with this community in a way that has laid the foundation for future mission and ministry opportunities. In fact, during our last week of distribution, one community leader pointed out a section of his land saying he would like to build a church for The Salvation Army to commence services alongside his home. This practical expression of faith had a powerful impact on each community and church we visited in Burns Creek, as our assistance was given without discrimination or expectation of anything in return. We were simply happy to bless these people regardless of their church affiliation. Any future ministry that emerges will do so naturally and will be pursued in relationship with the other churches already active in Burns Creek. We are very grateful to the IES for their funding, The Obed Centre for their donation, Solrice and Soltuna for their generous support and to the RSIPF for their partnership. I also want to acknowledge Envoy Wency Ramo’oroa for his liaison and coordination role with community leaders.
Report written by Envoy Wency Ramo’oroa continue to say that all other denominations should also do what The Salvation Army does. Others are good at preaching in the pulpit but not in a practical way. We have no words to express for what The Salvation Army has done. The Salvation Army gave us hope in this hopeless situation. My community were hopeless, stressed and we also feared any potential problem because of our current situation. The Salvation Army’s appearance in our community with the food supply gave us hope, alleviated the stress from us and gives us confidence.
We are immeasurably grateful to The Salvation Army for the level of love and care that they have demonstrated over the last couple of weeks to us during these trying times. Burns Creek Community was affected by Cyclone Harold early this year, which damaged our food gardens. As a result of this cyclone, we were left in a very vulnerable position for theft and other unwanted activities that could destabilize peace in our community. We approached The Salvation Army for any possible assistance in terms of food supply. The Salvation Army has responded positively to our request and started to do their first assistance to us by purchasing 3,500 cassava stems and distributed them to our community. This is our food security.
thankful for the assistance rendered to us by The Salvation Army. One of our leaders said that he thanks God for The Salvation Army for stepping in the gap. A word going around in community about the way Salvation Army demonstrated love in a more practical way.
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Finally, I would like to thank The Salvation Army for their generous support to us. The assistance rendered to us was well received and we are so blessed by it. Thank you and God bless The Salvation Army. Envoy Wency Ramo’oroa Honiara Corps Officer Saumodea Community Leader, Burns Creek
And secondly, The Salvation Army distributed rice and tuna for our community for the period of three weeks. Our community are so
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Solomon Islands District
Report written by Superintendent Solomon Sisimia On behalf of the NCPD [National Crime Prevention Department], my officers, I wish to take this time to personally thank your highest offices for a job well done. Today, the NCPD team, together with members of The Salvation Army, have delivered two 3 tonne load trucks with food relief supplies to some of the 16 communities within the Burns Creek community. The deliveries have come with a total surprise and appreciation to the Burns Creek communities. In his response speech, Chief Sam Baega emotionally gave his address as a new dawn of partnership with the RSIPF, The Salvation Army and others who are partners to the endeavor stating, “We thought that no institutions will support us at this time of crisis, but thank God for The Salvation Army who have not let us down but taken the initiative and made things happen. On the same tone, I wish to thank the RSIPF for the support rendered to us by supporting The Salvation Army with all the relevant transportation for today’s operations.” One of the women from riverside community gave appreciation to the team stressed, “the operation
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delivery is coming from heaven and is done at the right time and season for the community.” Chief Peter Usi wished to thank both the Australia government and the New Zealand government for their continuous support to the communities through various NGO’s and religious organizations such as The Salvation Army from the two countries. He also thanked the RSIPF through the NCPD team for their continuous engagement with the community that resulted in such successful programs. All through the deliveries my team continued to present awareness talks to the communities and appeal for a partnership for the betterment of the community and the police for future endeavors. My personal thank you for the following hard working officers to make this day a very successful day; 1. Major Robert and the SAES team 2. The RSIPF team from my office 3. The Two hard working drivers; both from the RSIPF and SIPDP 4. SIPSP Advisor Robyn Best Superintendent Solomon Sisimia Director National Crime Prevention Department, RSIPF
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