Help is needed as soon it will be raining cats and dogs

It's just snails and spiders falling from the skys at present but soon it will be cats and dogs then hippos and elephants by the time we are full on into the rainy season and typhoon season.

Joking aside this affects all of us here. See the evacuation and walking through the flood waters photos by Nadine. My challenges are small. I have just started to buy my 'being stranded' foods; food for the dog, cat and fish. I buy foods that last a long time that I can get a meal out of without fresh ingredients such as instant noodles, prepared sauces, instant breakfast cereals and pastas and pasta sauces. I also need to make sure I have my torches charged, some candles, gas bottles and lighters, etc.

But for Thoa and Cuong and their two little children it's another story. Last year they were all wet and ill once it started raining as they lived under four pieces of metal sheeting and a large piece of plastic. (See Picture). We fortunately were able to move them to the top floor of a nearby house for four months with the generous help of others.

Their plastic and few pieces of metal sheeting were washed away in the rushing flood waters where they had their shelter. That area is in the flood plain and last year had about one metre of rushing waters sweeping away everything in its path. So for them to have somewhere to go back to when the weather cleared up we needed to buy them some more corrugated iron sheeting and some wood planks so they could build a stronger and more protective temporary home while they continued the long wait for land from the government. (See photos of their original home and the new stronger one).

The rains have started and they need to be moved again soon. We need help to help them. I have started to ask individuals for help for them, but want to put it out here to see if anyone can help. If six people gave $50 each we can help them through this season that is so unpleasant and life-threatening. If we receive extra on top of what is required it can go to Thoa's medical care when she has surgery for her post surgery care. (Surgery is free but no related costs are.)

As Thoa is in urgent need of heart surgery and I am pushing for her to be moved up the emergency waiting list so this can happen soon as she is getting weaker quickly now. So moving them in the next fortnight is crucial before Thoa starts getting chills again and becoming weaker.

CEF is putting their eldest child through school but doesn't have the funds for heart surgery,or hospital care, or to buy land and build houses for the families we help, but they will eventually have help when the government provides them with the long-awaited land and Thoa will have heart surgery soon. But in the meantime with your help we need to move them and provide an ongoing supply of medications for Thoa until the surgery.

Many thanks to anyone who can help this family live through the next few months.