Baha’i institutions and individuals have sprung into action after devastating floods hit Queensland and Victoria.
As part of the massive clean-up operations, Baha’is are delivering help to other Baha’is, their neighbours and friends, and to other people in need.
In Brisbane, the local administrative council, the Local Spiritual Assembly, began quickly by assigning its members to check with Baha’is in areas possibly hit by the floods to ask if any help was required.
The secretariat also sent out a call for volunteers to help with the clean-up of flood affected properties.
Two key community members are organising the volunteers and sending them to the flooded properties.
Among Baha’is in Brisbane, at least 16 homes and one business have been significantly flooded to date.
About 100 Baha’is are fanning out across the city to help with the clean-up. Many are providing vital equipment such as generators, pressure washers, cars, wheelbarrows, shovels and more.
Others are providing accommodation to those whose homes have been flooded, giving food and drink to the clean up crews, washing flood-soaked clothes, and helping in the city’s relief centre.
The Assembly is also making available a list of Baha’i tradespeople who can assist people affected by the flood and giving them details of government and other agencies helping flood victims.
The Baha’i Centre of Learning in Milton, Brisbane re-opened on 18 January. It had closed late last week when flooding in the area led to electricity being shut off. The flood lapped the boundary of the property but did not damage the building.
A Baha’i-owned business in Ipswich was seriously flooded, and some Baha’is there have had to leave their homes.
The Baha’i Council for Queensland has reported that in places north of Brisbane that were first hit by floods, most of the homes of Baha’is seem to have been spared, freeing up individuals to help in their communities.
In Victoria a representative of the State’s Baha’i Council contacted Baha’is living in the flood affected areas of Loddon, Central Goldfields and Hepburn Shires. All but one have not been seriously affected to date.
One person whose home was badly flooded (for the second time in months) is being looked after by another family.
Around Australia, Baha’is are holding devotional gatherings to pray with friends and neighbours for the victims of the floods.