East Asia Update

Mending Shattered Dreams Measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale, it altered forever the lives of millions of Chinese people. The government statistics tell part of the story. 69,000 dead . . . 18,000 still missing . . . 5,500 children orphaned . . . 5 million homes destroyed . . . 15 million people evacuated . . . 35 "quake lakes" formed . . . 8911 aftershocks in the first 16 days. But only God can measure the number of tears shed, the agonizing screams of parents who lost their children in school collapses, the puzzlement of children suddenly orphaned, the numbers of Chinese people who walked for days to rescue their loved ones, the pain and fear of those who survived only to find that they lost so much. Only He can know of the prayers that were lifted up to Him by Christians all over the world who grieved as one with the Chinese people. Only He can mend the broken hearts and provide for the phenomenal physical needs of the survivors.

"On Monday, May 19, 2008, flights resumed from our town to Chengdu. It was exactly one week after the 8.0 earthquake had hit, rattling all of us who live in Sichuan Province. Approaching Chengdu from the mountains, it looked like it always does until we landed. The airport was full of military and transport planes bringing in supplies and troops. Time had run out for survivors still buried in the rubble, but there was still hope maybe just one more would be found. The military and medical personnel were still working round the clock. Reporters in the area frequently broke down in tears as they reported the news, but then so did the military and the medical personnel during interviews. On the way to the hotel, we saw the earthquake's impact on the emotional condition of Chengdu's residents. The whole of Chengdu looked like a colossal campout. There were few tents, but people were mainly camped out under tarps tied between trees. They had hauled out their beds and tables, pots and pans, and settled in. It's understandable. In the week since the main quake, there have been over 3000 aftershocks reported." Go to: http://easia.imb.org to read more of the journal » Change of Policies In response to a national outpouring of grief, China will waive its one-child policy for those who lost their only child in the earthquake. Many thousands of children were crushed to death in the 7,000 classrooms that fell on them when the quake struck. More than 10 million Chinese students took exams to compete for 6 million available college placements early this month. But for the 9,000 university hopefuls living in the earthquake areas, the exams were postponed. Summer Prayer Focus The long-awaited Beijing Summer 2008 Olympics will begin at 8:08 p.m. on 08/08/08. Pray that Christ's love can be shared effectively with many thousands of Chinese people during special events surrounding the international event. Hot summer weather always comes in combination with warm-hearted volunteers who take their vacation time and pay their own way to share Christ in locations throughout China. Pray for God's protection to be upon them, for His Spirit to lead them, and for Him to use them mightily. On the Web Go to http://easia.imb.org to • Follow the Olympic torch as it is routed through China cities. • Join in our Monthly Day of Prayer and Fasting. • Learn about East Asia volunteer opportunities.