Still delivering fresh vegetables to earthquake survivors: China Christians' ActionLove(Photo: © Asian Outreach)Five months ago on Sunday, Sichuan province in China was hit by an earthquake that killed 70,000 people. CMS partners Asian Outreach acted immediately through their social action arm in China and despite persisting aftershocks have achieved some remarkable things. Asian Outreach director Francis Tsui reports
Through our facilitation, China Christians’ ActionLove (CCAL) became a movement of over 100 churches from 20 cities of China who joined together to bring light and love to those most severely affected by the earthquake.
Between 600 and 1,000 people from these churches volunteered in groups for a week or more to provide help to those in need.
In many villages they were the first to arrive and provide help – even before the army.
They lived alongside the traumatised people in these devastated communities, and did whatever was needed to help, they saved lives, they provided medical care to the wounded, they cooked, they dismantled homes, they put up tarpaulins, they provided clean water and tents, they sat and listened, they counselled, they ran children’s programs, they showed love, care and understanding.
Over the last couple of months our efforts have been focused on 10 villages, which CCAL have committed to help over the long term.
In these villages our teams are providing
- regular medical clinics for the villagers
- medicines
- vegetables and meat to go alongside the rice and instant noodles provided by the government, thus ensuring a more balanced and healthier diet
- tents and tarpaulins as temporary shelter
- beds for their pre-fabricated houses built by the government
- resources to re-establish livelihoods for the farmers
- piping to re-establish the water supply in villages
- counselling and care
- Bibles
We have also conducted two 10-day summer camps for 50 middle and high school students each time. The participants had all lost at least one family relative or close friend. The volunteers are keeping in contact with many of these students and continuing to counsel them and help them process their grief.
CCAL has a vision to establish Community & Family Harmony Centres in these villages as they rebuild, as a permanent and lasting statement of their care and love.
One of the leaders of CCAL shared with us: “This time, the Church of Jesus Christ in China has stepped up. We are seen as the light and the salt of this world.”