Worst Snow in China for 50 years
07/02/2008 1:12 pm
China is battling the worst winter weather it has seen in more than 50 years. Snow and ice have crushed houses, brought down power lines and crippled transportation across a wide swath of 10 provinces in central China. Hundreds of thousands are homeless. Millions have been affected.
With electricity cut and pipes burst, queues form at fire hydrants for water. Even then, there is often only enough for cooking. Food is in short supply and prices are skyrocketing. A city of 4.6 million in Hunan province has enough rice only for 5 days. Vegetables and crops in Guizhou province have frozen in the ground or been stranded on impassable highways. Coal is in dangerously short supply. To highlight the crisis and encourage production, President Hu Jintao visited miners in Shanxi province. But with half of China blanketed with snow and ice, how will trains carry the coal to the power stations, institutions and homes in stricken areas?
Culture has joined forces with climate to compound the suffering.
This is Lunar New Year season when the greatest migration of people on earth takes place each year. Everyone who can heads home. Worst hit are the Min Gong – migrant workers – millions of them from the poorer western provinces employed in the eastern and southern seaboard factories producing ‘Made in China’ goods for markets around the world. With train service unpredictable and millions on the move, railway stations have become crushing masses of humanity.
Last week, as many as 800,000 travelers jammed around Guangzhou (Canton) railway station. There, a worker from Hubei was trampled to death in a stampede yesterday. Many migrant workers are caught. They can’t make it home for the Lunar New Year family get-together this week, but their factory dormitories are now closed for the holidays. Wen Jiabao, ‘The People’s Premier’, has been visiting the worst hit areas, urging calm, patience and hope; while calling on local leaders and factory owners to do all they can to alleviate the suffering.
This natural disaster of unprecedented proportion calls for a response from Christians worldwide.
What can OMF and our network of concerned friends around the world do?
- Consider giving to Christian organizations based in your country that are involved in disaster relief work in China.
- We can encourage Christian professionals to step forward and help address the long-term results of this horrendous natural disaster. The effects of this storm will be felt for months, if not years, to come.
- We can pray:
- For China’s millions who are suffering at this time
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For government leaders
- that they will have wisdom in dealing with this national crisis
- have compassion in serving the people
- have courage to do so with integrity
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For churches and individual Christians that they will
- serve hurting people around them
- be salt and light in the midst of corruption and darkness
- show their concern for society and love for the country
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For Christian factory owners from Hong Kong & overseas serving in China that they will
- have compassion for their stranded migrant workers
- join with government efforts to alleviate suffering
- take this opportunity to share the love of Christ
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For Christian businessmen and professionals from overseas that they will
use every means at their disposal to serve hurting people
be a model and witness of Christian love and service
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the beginning of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me.’” Jesus