Atul Tandon, a senior vice president for World Vision, shares his observations from visiting the China quake zone this week.
Photo ©2001 Steve Reynolds/World Vision

Thanks for what you are doing. Your efforts are much needed.

I write to you from Chengdu, the staging city for China's earthquake response.

The devastation is awful and complete. I saw schools collapsed, hospitals razed, roads turned upside down, and people in shock. The swath of destruction runs for hundreds of miles.

We visited Ying Xiu, the epicenter of the earthquake. We were the first foreigners to visit the small village. The village is completely flattened. We stood on a hill and looked down. It was like seeing a massive graveyard. A young girl stepped out and told us how her little brother could not run fast enough to get out of the collapsing school. She cried and cried. As we left, she was still weeping, as was her mother. We did, too.

A time to pray...

The Chinese government has done a very good job of relief. There were field hospitals and temp shelters. Very organized, very thorough. Very impressive.

But a disaster like this requires more than any one government can provide.

The arduous task of reconstruction lies ahead. It will take years and billions. World Vision has a head start and is already in place. We will continue to meet the needs of the survivors.

Let us run this race with patience and endurance.

Pray for our staff and the people...

Godspeed from Chengdu,

Atul

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