Gansu Shelter Belt

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Ps 20:7

With apologies to the Psalmist, my thoughts as I puffed around the course of the Great Wall Marathon included the following

“Some middle aged men trust in mistresses, and some in Harley Davidsons, but we trust in Marathon running” Since the other options are unavailable to me for different reasons, I have fallen back on Marathon running to overcompensate for the passing of the years.

Never I have felt the silliness of the exercise more than Saturday at the Great Wall Marathon in Beijing. Circumstances brought me into the company of some very friendly “20 somethings” who not only spoke a different language  (is being “totally pumped” a good or a bad thing?) but who prepared for the race with either casual carelessness or an earnest intensity that I am not capable of. I realized  that I rarely meet the demographic on their own territory, I normally meet them on neutral ground where their behaviour is attenuated by the pressence of other age groups, I felt a stranger in this brave new world. Youth is indeed another country.  Despite a growing sense that this Marathon was my Harley Davidson, I proceeded.

A second shock awaited me in the starting enclosure. Never having had any aspirations to being a ‘jock’, I am not used to the company of fit people. I inhabit the real world in which the “body fit” (not to mention the body beautiful), is noticeable for its relative rarity. My efforts over the last few years have moved me closer to the ideal, but the results seem impressive only if I stay in the main stream. The warm up  area of an extreme marathon is definitely not main stream. Milling around me were women and men of every age from 20 to 70 (and beyond) who all looked as if they could complete two marathons before a breakfast of dried cereals and alfalfa. My very presence was distorting the body mass average of the group in the wrong direction.

The race itself was a disappointment. I knew the route from last year and “paced” myself better on the early stages. Too well in fact, because I got caught in the bottleknecks where the wall was so narrow that one had to queue to go through. I promised to make up for it on the flat stretches but even here my humanity made unwelcome demands on me. Thankfully I had packed toilet paper and lets just say that I am proof positive that it not only bears that perform natural bodily functions in the woods. The delays cost me precious minutes and I not only finished last of my group, but lost 6 minutes off my time from the previous year.

The photographs were the final humiliation. I knew I had put on some weight since my previous run, and was willing to allow that I needed to work to get it back off again. The pictures, a reality check,  suggested a real puffiness returning to the face, and this on a day when I should be at my most lithe.  Whatever hope I had of recapturing a youth I never had by running long distances, are now well and truly gone.

Today, aching in unfamiliar places, I juggle a mixture of emotions. The old me would be happy just to have run, walked or crawled 21 km for any reason, let alone charity, pretending all the while that the very fact of completing the course suggested fitness above the norm. But now, the new me is loitering at the entrance to the Marathon runners enclosure, uncertain whether to apply for membership. This year’s Great Wall Marathon has shown just how far there is to go, but equally has suggested that, with application. that it is doable in 2010.

I am glad that my middle aged overcompensation did not tend towards a Mistress, which was out for all sorts of reasons, nor a Harley, which I would be too self conscious to use, even if I could afford it. My marathon running has been beneficial, thanks for  your generosity,  to the poor and has made me more fit than I ever have been in my adult life. This Great Wall Marathon pointed out, however, some of the absurdities in the exercise which I had not notices before. A hint of this being the time to move on perhaps. The question now arises, whether pushing past this painful adjustment of male menopause (or “manopause”, as my sister helpfully describes it) means going back to the couch and the remote, or integrating some of the experience into the next stage of my life. Decisions Decisions

Perhaps I need to read the scriptures and find my inspiration there.  Does anyone know a good Charioteer’s club in Beijing?

Leave a comment or a donation, they both  help

Thank you

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I hasten to add, that my “best shot” is not all that dramatic. All I want to do is complete one lap of the circuit and to cross the finish line of the (half) Marathon, not join the heavy hitters for a second lap of the gruelling run along the Wall.. Recently I heard the times for a recent 10km race in Beijing and was disappointed to find that the winner ran the race almost twice as fast as I am capable of. Being of an age when I have to reassure myself that I am not actually of an age when I need to so reassure myself, I ratcheted up the treadmill an extra half km just to prove I wasn’t past it and continued to train, telling “knee” to stop complaining, and pretending that I was actually enjoying all the whole process.

My goal here is to raise funds for community based elderly care services, not join the next Olympic marathon team. You can see details of one of the service centres here. The fundraising this year has been very different from last year, and online donations have taken off. (In previous years many donations were in cash, with all the demands of accounting for it correctly. On line donations are, by contast, hassle free. I have sent out some information and invitations but not to everybody and not as systimatically as I should. If you have received notifications before and donated or decided to pass, my apologies for bothering you again. This is the last lap of fundraising for the Great Wall Marathon, I am hoping that crossing the line will leave me wanting to do a full Marathon in October, (if “knee” will alow it) and that we will have raised enough to make a difference in the lives of China’s elderly poor.

Want to join me on the last lap?  Click here to donate or to leave a comment

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[[Show as slideshow]]Jinde’s work in Saima Camp

Updates on Jinde’s work will be posted here

The 6.9 earthquake which struck North West China’s Qing Hai Province on 14^th April caused 2,183 deaths and has left tens of thousands homeless in terribly harsh conditions. Initially the scale of the disaster seemed much smaller but in the last few days both the extent of the losses and the possibility of helping have become clear.

After the initial emergency phase many NGO’s are beginning to work alongside the government effort to attend to the needs of the disaster victims. The logistics of this effort are daunting. For a flavour of the challenge, even a tour agent’s copy, written before the earthquake cannot disguise the rugged environment.

“Living conditions are harsh as winters are long and cold. Snow can fall in these counties well into summer. These areas average over 270 freezing days per year. Due to the high altitude and freezing temperatures little can grow in this area. China Culture Center

High altitude also brings issues of associated altitude sickness while language and cultural differences (Yu shu i s a Tibetan minority area) makes cooperation with Chinese from other parts of the country difficult. Despite the relatively small scale of the disaster, the relief effort is complex and even hazardous to the helper as well as the ones helped.

Jinde Charties together with Xian Social Service Centre sent an advance team to Yushu and has already begun a relief programme in Saimei Camp. Jiegu (Gyegu) Township. This camp is located on grasslands normally reserved for one of the Tibetan minority’s most important horse festivals. It is now home to a quarter of Jiegu township’s residents. After the earthquake, which practically flattened the town, some residents were transferred to the relative safety of the festival site, Basic facilities have been provided but Jinde has identified this camp as a locale requiring further support. They have identified a need and the first deliveries of relief goods have already taking place. This response will gather phase in the next few days as the new base in Xining, (Qinghai’s provincial capital) begins sending regular convoys south to Yushu.

As well as distributions of relief goods, a significant development is the deployment of Sisters trained in the counselling of traumatized victims. First developed during the Sichuan earthquake disaster, Jinde now has available a pool of Sisters experienced in responding to the complex emotional needs of people who appear to have no physical injuries.

Updates on Jinde’s work will be posted here

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

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The place names can be confusing, Qinghai is the name of the Province in which the earthquake took place, YuShu is the County (or prefecture) and Jiegu (Gyegu) is the largest centre of population in the affected region.

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The 6.9 earthquake which struck North West China’s Qing Hai Province on 14^th April caused 2,183 deaths and has left tens of thousands homeless in terribly harsh conditions. Initially the scale of the disaster seemed much smaller but in the last few days both the extent of the losses and the possibility of helping have become clear.

After the initial emergency phase many NGO’s are beginning to work alongside the government effort to attend to the needs of the disaster victims. The logistics of this effort are daunting. For a flavour of the challenge, even a tour agent’s copy, written before the earthquake cannot disguise the rugged environment.

“Living conditions are harsh as winters are long and cold. Snow can fall in these counties well into summer. These areas average over 270 freezing days per year. Due to the high altitude and freezing temperatures little can grow in this area. China Culture Center

High altitude also brings issues of associated altitude sickness while language and cultural differences (Yu shu i s a Tibetan minority area) makes cooperation with Chinese from other parts of the country difficult. Despite the relatively small scale of the disaster, the relief effort is complex and even hazardous to the helper as well as the ones helped.

Jinde Charties together with Xian Social Service Centre sent an advance team to Yushu and has already begun a relief programme in Saimei Camp. Jiegu (Gyegu) Township. After the earthquake, which , destroyed 85% of the townships buildings, some residents were transferred to the relative safety of the festival site. This camp is located on grasslands normally reserved for one of the Tibetan minority’s most important horse festivals. It is one of four centres set up to house homeless Jiegu township’s residents.  Basic facilities have been provided but Jinde has identified this camp as a locale requiring further support. They have identified a need and the first deliveries of relief goods have already taking place. This response will gather phase in the next few days as the new base in Xining, (Qinghai’s provincial capital) begins sending regular convoys south to Yushu.

As well as distributions of relief goods, a significant development is the deployment of Sisters trained in the counselling of traumatized victims. First developed during the Sichuan earthquake disaster, Jinde now has available a pool of Sisters experienced in responding to the complex emotional needs of people who appear to have no physical injuries.

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Background:

The powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 hit Yushu County in Qinghai Province at 7:49 am local time, killing at least 2064 people and injured 12,135. 193 are still listed as missing while an estimated 100,000 have been left homeless (the number is by April 21th).

General Situation:

Today was a national day of mourning in China for the victims of the Yushu Earthquake. Memorials were held around the country.

The rescue and relief operations are continuing despite the 12000 aftershocks, high altitude and freezing temperatures. Many NGOs and INGOs have begun relief work in the area in addition to the subsidies and distributions made by the government.

The homeless have been coordinated into four camps in the county at Saima grounds (horse-racing grounds), Mingzushifan (University grounds), Gesa square and Yushu Stadium.

Summary of our response:

Emergency relief:

Jinde’s first batch of relief goods consisting of 800 bags of salt, 20 tonne wheat flour and 2.4 tonne edible oil reached to Xining at midnight yesterday. The snowy and rainy weather cost 22 hours to transport the relief goods from Xining to Yushu disaster areas.

Together with Xi’an CSSC and local volunteers, Jinde distributed the relief goods to 775 families (more than 3000 people) in Saima camp this morning. Most recipients were from Baizha Town (160kms away) who were living in Gyegu at the time of the quake as migrant workers. The remaining supplies were allocated to an elderly care facility for use among the old and sick in the region.

Health Services:

The Psychological Counseling Team, together with the Medical team pitched a tent yesterday at Saima camp as a temporary station to offer services to people in need.

The team has been in contact with the local government to learn more about the local situation there so as to become familiar as quickly as possible. They also visited a local orphanage and offered help to those traumatized orphans who lost their parents in the earthquake.

There are a total of 6 staff in this station, three certified counselors and three certified medical staff. The staff are equipped with medical supplies and resources for the treatment of common injuries and illness.

As it goes, Jinde is preparing a more detailed and more thoughtful work proposal and budget to be submitted to Caritas Germany, who in turn will send to other Caritas network members as it did in 2008.

Relief Desk, Jinde Charities

2010-4-21

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BRICKS does not have any partners in the affected area nor does it do emergency relief work directly. However, as in previous disasters it has been able to channel donations to Jinde Charities a Chinese partner based in Hebei. Jinde It has set up a base in Xining, the provincial capital and dispatched a small advance team to Yushu itself. Once there, this team will assess the situation and begin to deliver Jinde’s response. There are significant difficulties in reaching the disaster area and it remains unclear whether or not Jinde staff can make more than a small contribution given the harsh conditions (high altitude, intense cold) and the overstretched transport systems.

At this time BRICKS is not launching an appeal. As soon as it becomes clear what role Jinde Charities will play in responding to the needs of the earthquake survivors we will, if appropriate appeal to your generosity. In the meantime we ask you to keep both victims and those who are trying to responds to their need s in your prayers. We will post updated news from Jinde Charities on this page.

Until BRICKS launches a formal appeal any donations given THROUGH THE DONATE BUTTON ON THIS PAGE ONLY will be forwarded directly to Jinde Charities. For alternative donation options see the Jinde Charities Donations’ page

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Rescuers are busying in rescuing survivors

Four staff from Jinde’s Chengdu Office and Mianyang Psycho-social service station, led by Fr. John Ren, has got to Xining this morning, the capital of Qinghai Province. At this moment, the four staff now are still on the road heading to Yushu, with a hope to set up an operation base there. The long distance between Xining and Yushu county make them uncertain when is the exact time they could reach the destination.

In the mean time, Jinde also contact with congregations from Liaoning Province and Hebei Province, planning to send skilled and experienced sisters to offer medical help in the disaster areas.

The next up-dated news of Jinde Charities will be provided next Monday

Relief Department of Jinde Charities
2010-04-16

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