Liping Lan, our Director for Grace for Asia, carried on a conversation with our Director of Hua Mei International in Chengdu last Sunday night at 10:00 PM. Future plans were casually discussed. Then she said goodnight. All was normal.
One hour later, the Wenchuan Earthquake hit. The next night Richard (director), his wife, and little son (whom they gave an English name "Gene") were sleeping on the street because their home, though still still, intact was deemed unsafe due to the aftershocks. The epicenter was 60 miles from their home
As I sit in Nanjing this morning with the news playing the background, I am reminded again of two basic truths.
One, how tenuous our lives are. We reside in safety and normalcy one moment and find our world turned upside down the next.
Two, how small the world has become. This is the new glocal reality. While many may not have heard of Chengdu, for many of us this is close to home. I travel to Chengdu at least once a year for board meetings. It is the home of Hua Mei International a registered Christian NGO.
They newspaper here in China edited by Xinhau News Services ran the headlines "50,000 Feared Dead." At least 4 million people are homeless.
It is refreshing after the recent SARS scare to see how the Chinese government has responded to the need. President Hu Jintao and Premier Win Jiabao are both visible and compassionate. They have mobilized at least 130,000 military troops to assist. There is no cover up but what appears to be a transparent and sincere desire to meet this catastrophe with all the resources of the nation. Evidence, at least to me, of the positive progress inside China.
What can we do? Of course we can and should be praying. Additionally we should help. Words of concern without action are neither helpful nor Christian.
For some you may wonder how you can maximize your giving so that the love you express is offered in the name of Christ. If that is your concern then we welcome you to consider donating to the crisis through Hua Mei International. They are in the midst of the situation and as the ONLY Christian NGO in Chengdu will be ably equipped to serve as your arm for this purpose.
If you wish to donate please go to www.grace-church.com and more information will be available there.
This is not an organization which has suddenly sprung up to capitalize on a crisis. Hua Mei was begun years ago with an eye to serving the community of Sichuan in the name of Christ. I was able to be present for the founding meeting of the board. The principals live there. They are perhaps uniquely situated to serve at this time.
One hour later, the Wenchuan Earthquake hit. The next night Richard (director), his wife, and little son (whom they gave an English name "Gene") were sleeping on the street because their home, though still still, intact was deemed unsafe due to the aftershocks. The epicenter was 60 miles from their home
As I sit in Nanjing this morning with the news playing the background, I am reminded again of two basic truths.
One, how tenuous our lives are. We reside in safety and normalcy one moment and find our world turned upside down the next.
Two, how small the world has become. This is the new glocal reality. While many may not have heard of Chengdu, for many of us this is close to home. I travel to Chengdu at least once a year for board meetings. It is the home of Hua Mei International a registered Christian NGO.
They newspaper here in China edited by Xinhau News Services ran the headlines "50,000 Feared Dead." At least 4 million people are homeless.
It is refreshing after the recent SARS scare to see how the Chinese government has responded to the need. President Hu Jintao and Premier Win Jiabao are both visible and compassionate. They have mobilized at least 130,000 military troops to assist. There is no cover up but what appears to be a transparent and sincere desire to meet this catastrophe with all the resources of the nation. Evidence, at least to me, of the positive progress inside China.
What can we do? Of course we can and should be praying. Additionally we should help. Words of concern without action are neither helpful nor Christian.
For some you may wonder how you can maximize your giving so that the love you express is offered in the name of Christ. If that is your concern then we welcome you to consider donating to the crisis through Hua Mei International. They are in the midst of the situation and as the ONLY Christian NGO in Chengdu will be ably equipped to serve as your arm for this purpose.
If you wish to donate please go to www.grace-church.com and more information will be available there.
This is not an organization which has suddenly sprung up to capitalize on a crisis. Hua Mei was begun years ago with an eye to serving the community of Sichuan in the name of Christ. I was able to be present for the founding meeting of the board. The principals live there. They are perhaps uniquely situated to serve at this time.
