Devastation in China

As all of you know the earthquake in China was absolutely horrific. The new estimates are 50,000 are presumed dead. I can't even fathom that level of devastation. I have been surprised by the lack of U.S. coverage of the events. I think it is so big we would rather just not look. I hate that. I was looking for more information on line today because I didn't hear a thing about it on the news. On CNN websites here are the stories that were listed above the story of the China earthquake:

Living Green with Sara Snow

I helped OJ get away with it

Ryan Seacrest and Larry King

Long Lines for $1 gas

And in fact there was not one video about the China earthquakes. I eventually did find a video clip to give me a little info. They were pulling children out of a school who had been trapped for days, there were thousands of parents surrounding the school, when the rescuers would walk out with a stretcher they would all crowd around trying to see a) if the child was alive (and out of 900 so far only about 100 have been alive) and b) If the child was their child. (maybe in reverse order) They showed a mom who had just identified one of the hundreds of bodies spread out over acres of land, covered in purple tarps, as her child. It was her only child (because of China's one child per family law this has also become a huge problem- thousands of parents have lost their ONLY children.), and obviously she was devastated, screaming and moaning, and not shedding a tear, the devastation to raw for that. I sat at my desk bawling. There are thousands of people over there whose lives were turned upside down in a moment. Children who lost 90% of their classmates. All I can do is compare it to the loss I have felt in my life. The devastation of loosing a classmate in high school, the devastation of loosing a friend, they were things that defined who I am. Things that rocked my world- I cannot fathom loosing 90% of my classmates, one or both my parents, my home, my family, my husband, my son! Theses things are inconceivable.

So what should we do? 

1. Pray. That's always the most useful thing any of us can do. 

• Pray for the children who are homeless, parentless, lost limbs, lost friends,  lost innocence. 
  
• Pray for people who are still looking for family members (there was another video I watched of a man and his son. His wife was a teacher at a school. They had been there looking for her since the quake. Each night when they eat the little boy leaves food out on the step for his mom incase she comes home and is hungry.)
• Pray for the thousands upon thousands of people still trapped in the ruble. It is coming to a point now where if they are still alive, suffering, they won't be much longer due to lack of water. 
• Pray for the rescue workers, that they would be strengthened, protected, and emotionally stable.
• Pray that God would be able to use this tragedy as a motivator in the underground church of China. Pray for the Christians who live there to use this as an opportunity to invade their communities with the Gospel of Hope

2. And those of us who have a little extra money- check out this site. I volunteered/worked with this adoption agency for several years, they are phenomenal. They have at least two orphanages that they know for sure have been effected by the quake. These are government run orphanages in which they use for their adoptions and help support financially. They are now taking donations in which 100% of all the monies will go toward helping to supply these orphanages with tents, medicine, clothing, diapers, food, water, and more beds and staff to take on the many more children who have been orphaned because of this disaster. (They also have a link to a great news source for up to date information.)

If you guys know of any other ways for us to help Let us know. As Christians we must help. We are called to it. Here is a quote I recently read in a new book I just began "On the Side of Angels"

"If the church around the world recognizes that without justice there can be no mission-and if it should act on this deeply held belief- then Christ can shine on it, and His will can be done on the earth as it is in heaven."