A Special Report by David Wang, 12 June 2008
Sichuan Earthquake & Our Response
One Month.
It is now one month after 2.28pm, 12 May 2008.
The dust has settled in the disaster zone. The smell of
epidemic-preventative lime is prevalent. It’s not as offensive
as earlier on, when the stink of death polluted the air.
Soldiers, aid personnel, reporters, government officials,
volunteers, and even the victims are falling into a routine. The
place is no longer chaotic, or hectic. People move about, trying
to get back to life, albeit deliberately, yet quite aimlessly.
Children are attending make-shift schools in tents. Or just in
the open air. High school students are preparing to take the
National General Exams. Mothers and grandmothers set up open
fires to cook meals. Everyone is tired of the food handouts, or
instant noodles.
Most of the men have gone back to the cities. They are
migrant workers. They’d rushed back to search amidst the rubble
for their family members. By now, all have accepted the reality.
In an instant the Sichuan earthquake has left its mark:
· Dead: 69,000
· Wounded: 373,000
· Missing: 17,000
· Displaced: 15 million
Now that it’s one month later, I felt it might not be as
interruptive or insensitive to contact Director General Wang
Zhengyao of China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs. He arrived at the
scene within hours, and has stayed on site as the Chief
Coordinator for the unprecedented, massive Rescue and Relief
Operation.
“No sleep. No rest. No food. Not much of anything but an
overwhelming sense of being totally overwhelmed.” That’s how he
described his month-long duty as the Chief Coordinator.
Wang was the first to appeal to the world to send help. He is
also the one who is still pleading for more tents even on the
morning when I talked with him. “We need two to three million
more tents,” he says. Other than that, Wang is most assuring.
“The orphans will be cared for. We are choosing “family
adoption,’ and ‘neighbor adoption’ rather than housing them in
orphanages.”
For the elderly, Beijing is also pledging a wide range of
services, and generous benefits, “For them, livelihood in the
future is going to be better.
“Houses, bridges, roads, hospitable, schools… they will all be
rebuilt. Dams will be strengthened,” the Director General is
firm. “In terms of rebuilding hardware and livelihood, China
can, and will take care of this devastation.”
But in terms of rebuilding lives, Wang tells me: “We need
help!”
The “China Christians’ ActionLove” (CCAL) are at the very
front-line during this catastrophe. They are Christians from
China’s fast growing urban house church movement. “Other than
pulling out people from the rubble, or treating the wounded, or
passing out food, water and medicine, our greatest contribution
is our love, our comfort, and our prayers,” Professor Huang, the
key coordinator of the combined Christian
efforts reports. The Red Cross and People’s Liberation Army have
repeatedly called upon CCAL volunteers to help comfort the
distraught.
Currently there are about 100 CCAL volunteers still
on-the-ground. Mostly they are engaged in post-trauma counseling
and healing. “We are playing with the children. Helping the
youngsters get back to their studies. Staying with families who
have lost their loved ones. We pray for everyone. But one thing
for sure: We ourselves need training in counseling.”
In the whole of China, a land of 1.3 billion and more, there
are only 19,000 people who are full-
time, or part-time engaged in psychological treatment and
counseling.
I informed Director General Wang that we have just completed
a fast track course for 65 Third Church leaders. Another session
is planned next week.
His response is demanding: “You better
train thousands and thousands as quickly as you can!” I know the
urgency and the scope. Pastor Meng of Chengdu, another one of my
postgraduate students has set up a post-trauma Children & Youth
Camp. He has 200 children and 700 youth. More than anything
else, he needs, “counselors and people who can just spend time
with these kids to help rebuild their lives.” Meng is asking for
hundreds of “life-rebuilders” for the summer vacation.
Today, the President of Asian Outreach, Francis Tsui visited
me. He gives the instruction,
“We are not to build houses, but
homes. We are not to build orphanages, but order into the lives
of the children. We will not rebuild livelihoods, so much as
lives.” Maybe for us Christians, it’s not just the money, or the
food, or the medicine that we should send into China. Or even
tents.
Maybe it’s Isaiah 40: 1 “Comfort, comfort my people… Speak
gently… and proclaim!”
For information about partnering with, or supporting China’s Third Church, Asian Outreach China or its
social services arm, ActionLove, please contact:
Facilitators International
P.O. Box 887
Greenwood, IN 46142
or send an E-Mail to Dee Richardson
Dee@FacilitatorsInternational.org
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