A few weeks ago, Bricks Director, Joseph Loftus, went to Sichuan Province to work with volunteers and the people in charge of the relief and rebuilding efforts in the earthquake stricken areas in Sichuan. In one of those occasions, Fr. Loftus, together with Jinde Charities visited, a camp for the survivors of a middle school in Beichuan County. He took some pictures and some footage of the camp. Here are some of them.
Dear Friends,
Today we are closing the Brick 7 Wenchuan Earthquake Appeal and will no longer be taking general donations for this terrible disaster. The emergency phase has been completed and now begins the long and difficult task of reconstruction. There will inevitably be projects related to this phase in the future, but they will be considered as distinct “Bricks” Already one is in the planning stage “Brick 8” and we imagine there will be more in the months ahead.
Thank you for your generosity and we will be giving a full report on how the funds were assigned later in the year. In the meantime to follow how Jinde Charities is responding to the Disaster, please see http://www.chinacatholic.org/english/more.asp?ttt=6 for details.
As of today, 10th June, the donations stand as €71,313.31 of which €61,795.85, have already been transferred to Jinde Charities. There are some sums still to arrive in our accounts, and once they have done so the remainder will be transferred also. Thank you for your generosity to this appeal, and please remember the ongoing plight of the people of Sichuan in your prayers.
Bishop Joseph Li Liangui, Bishop of Xianxian (Cangzhou) Diocese, Vice-chairman of Jindes’ Board of Directors, arrived in Shijiazhuang at 4:40 p.m. from the disaster-stricken area in Sichuan Province. Although he was still suffering from the effects of influenza, he gave up his rest for this interview. As a representative of the clergy both at home and abroad, and as a friend of Jinde, he expressed his care and concern to all the victims in the disaster areas. Between 19th and 23rd of May, he visited the first line relief workers and the religious sisters who were serving these victims. The interview was recorded as follows:
Reporter: What is the greatest impression you gained from your visit to the first line workers in the heart of the disaster area?
Bishop Li: The earthquake at Wenchuan has shaken the hearts of all the Chinese people. Jinde Charities has collaborated with various local churches in a joint effort to provide material relief, and to assign religious sisters and volunteers to undertake relief works. This is a very good operation and as I visited these volunteers and nuns, it was very clear that they have been doing a great job. The victims were willing to talk to the sisters, pouring out their grief and sorrow and trusting them as friends. Continue Reading »
From Faith website: Jinde webpage (May 23) In accordance with the urgent needs of the disaster areas, Jinde Charities, in active collaboration with Caritas Germany and the government of Germany, will supply Sichuan disaster areas with big sized civilian tents of high quality.
Mr. Wolfgang of Caritas Germany, stationed in Jinde disaster office of Chengdu, told Faith reporters: “The 4,050 tents worth 8,700,000 RMB are contributions from Caritas Germany and other Caritas and the government of Germany. Our original plan of May 21 was to deliver the tents in two batches, on May 24 and May 26 but in order to facilitate the procedure of hand-over and distribution to the victims; the two chartered planes will now arrive together at Chengdu airport on May 27.”
Fr. Paul Han, vice-director of Jinde said, “On the same day, May 27, the tents will be transported to the disaster areas and distributed to the victims with the help of the Disaster Relief Command Headquarter in Sichuan” Fr. Han also added “The authorities respected and accepted Jinde’s proposal of distribution, 1000 tents to Dujiangyan, 800 to Luoshui town of Shifang city, 550 to Mianzhu city and 800 to An County.”
The Disaster Relief Command Headquarter at Sichuan made the following remark: “Several millions of people are homeless, living in temporary set-up tents and it is raining all these days. It is really a timely intervention for Jinde Charities and its partners to supply these tents as they definitely will benefit the victims.”
Ms. Hu Li Min of Jinde Disaster Relief Office in Chengdu told Faith reporters that there would be a short hand-over ceremony in Sichuan Charity Association Headquarter field office and the respective representatives will be present.
Here is a news clip from a news program in Germany reporting about the work of Caritas International and Jinde Charities in the quake affected areas in Sichuan Province.
On May 19, 2008 Bishop Joseph Li Liangui of Xianxian Diocese and vice-chairman of Jinde Board of Directors held an emergency meeting at Jinde. He later flew that evening to the worst hit areas in Sichuan province accompanied by Fr. Paul Han, vice-director of Jinde Charities and Mr. Wolfgang Gerstner and Ms Christina Grawe of Caritas Germany members. They arrived in Chengdu, provincial capital of Sichuan at midnight and were met by Fr. Li Zhi Gang, administrator of Chengdu Diocese who arranged for their board and lodging.
Early on May 20, despite of the long journey and aftershock tremors, Bishop Li, with the help local people went to Sichuan Deyang city and Shi Fang city to visit the sisters who were giving services to the victims of the disaster. In the afternoon, the team returned to Hongbai town of Shi Fang city, 30 km from Wenchuan, the quake epicenter. They were not able to go visit Wenchuan as the road was blocked. Continue Reading »
In the afternoon of May 13, staff of Jinde Charities contacted Fr. Wang Fuxuan, parish priest of Dujiangyan, who could only mutter continuously “It’s appalling, it’s appalling”
According to Fr. Wang, at 8 a.m. he went with another priest to Dujiangyan to find out more in particular about the church and his parishioners. There were many obstacles on the way and for safety reasons ordinary people were not allowed to enter many places. The difficult journey took about 7 hours. Fr. Wang told Jinde staff that 80 % of the houses of Dujiangyan are no longer habitable. At present the people stay in their cars or in tents while others just take shelter under the eaves of houses in better conditions. The continuous rainfall makes relief works more difficult and increases the sufferings of the people. Fr. Wang has yet to make contact with his parents in Pingwu. In some places, people are without food or drink. A school building in Juiyuan town collapsed and casualties among the students are serious. The more seriously hit areas are Wenchuan, Beichuan, Dujiangyan, Shifang, Mianchun and Pingwu. The rescue teams have just succeeded to reach Wenchuan but communication and roads are still in the process of being restored. At present rescue work in Dujiangyan is progressing in an orderly way but because there are still after quake tremors, the people are still living in fear and they need to be calmed down. As most of the houses have collapsed, re-construction work would be a big problem. Jinde Charities hopes to offer help as soon as possible.
Following the pre-visit to the snowstorm affected area in Guizhou Province from February 26-29, the relief team of Jinde Charities, with the steady help and support of the local government and local Church communities in Guizhou, delivered the relief goods to about 10,000 disaster-struck farming households in Shiqian and Sinan Counties. The relief goods include rice and corn seeds and fertilizer for the replanting work, food for some impoverished families and 15 cattle for those who lost their farming cattle during the storm. Bricks has contributed to Jinde Charities’ relief program.
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