Here are some pictures of the China earthquake last May. These pictures are from one of the earthquake areas. You can see much of the town collapsed. The rest of the town that did not collapse is very damaged. The people have been relocated to a relocation camp in another area. I have also included pictures from that relocation camp. The stores in the collapsed town are empty and the town is pretty much deserted. This town is up in the mountains and they have been relocated down in the flat-lands. The government put up housing for the folks. They are about 10x 15 feet for each family. There are 20,000 people in this relocation camp. In talking with folks (through an interpreter) what the people want is to go back to work. All their animals were killed and the factory where some of them worked was destroyed. The goats we purchased are just hopefully starting more little ones.
I have left the rural area and am now in Beijing. I spent today talking with a researcher who interviewed these same folks right after the earthquake. One of the things the interviewers asked was what did the survivors need? The researcher informs me that they told her they want a home and they want to work. Much of the same information that I got when I was there.
In one of the pictures I am holding a baby. The baby is an orphan from the earthquake. The baby is being raised by relatives in the relocation camp. There are some pictures here of the mass grave. It is the large area covered with concrete and the striped cloth and the flowers. I am told that there were remains that could not be identified, and they were put in this mass grave up in the mountains. The government is going to build a very large memorial over the site of the mass grave. Also included are pictures of the school in the relocation camp and school children.
Sandy
Sandy Ramsey, President
www.CrisisRecoveryInternational.org
402.440.8897
402.435.1501 messages/fax
PO Box 30766
Lincoln, NE 68503
I am sending some more pictures from the earthquake area. The piles of rubble were the city where the people in the relocation camp used to live. It was in the mountains and a very lovely location. They have been moved down to the flat-land and I have included pictures of the relocation camp. You can see the rows of metal buildings that have been placed there for the residents. It is really very impressive that the government has relocated nearly 5 million people since the disaster 4 months ago. The housing is minimal but will keep the people dry and housed temporarily. It will be cold this winter though. The camp has a school and the kids are back in classes.
(The Chinese government has approved certain Chinese NGOs. Every NGO that wants to help the relief must go through the approved NGOs.) The group of people is the "meeting room" where we were discussing the needs of the residents of the camp. We also had meetings with the residents to ask them what they needed. They are eager to have permanant housing, but even more anxious to get back to work. Which is why we are buying them goats (2 goats for about $150 US dollars) to get the farmers back to work. They are building a communal herd which will benefit all the residents. They have 20,000 residents in this relocation camp.
The people have been courteous and hospitable. It has been a very interesting trip. I will send some pictures of China next. It is very crowded, but much more modern than I thought it would be. They say they are trying to balance the old and the new. It puts the culture into perspective when the dates on many of the buildings and artwork are before Columbus discovered America!
Take care, Sandy
These are prayer flags.
They have words on them and are hung in the trees for the prayers to reach their destination. They are hung at the site of the mass grave.
A typical breakfast for me.
This building is in the town that collapsed in the earthquake.
This man is the leader of the relocation camp we are helping. You can see behind him the residence of someone who did not qualify to be in the relocation camp. I did not fully understand what the qualifications are. They live on the edge of the boundaries of the relocation camp. He took us through the area to show us their conditions, which are very minimal. They will have a very difficult time when the cold weather comes.
Goats given on behalf of the camp, 10-2008
REMEMBER, YOU CAN HELP, PRESS BACK AND THEN PRESS DONATE ONLINE