Monday, 12th May, 2006. At about two thirty or so, after lunch, my colleague Rosalind felt herself swaying with the building. I was already on my way out of the building when this all happened and safely rooted. The first time I was in Beijing in July 2006, mum also felt the earthquake. I remember I was out with my brother looking for food for her because we wanted her to eat well so she could fight the cancer. Richard, my brother, felt the earth shook under him but I felt nothing. This time, the same. I felt nothing.
No one in my building dashed out today except for the downtown area where the Olympic Oval was. SMS messages are being sent by friends in Beijing asking us to stay awake because there may be aftershocks. We have alerted our students and we are still checking to make sure all is okay. Right now, in Beijing, nothing is any different. Life still goes on.
As I type, I am watching the news from Sichuan channel. At about two forty, many of those who live in Chengdu left their homes and offices and in the open spaces. Primary school children in the area have been safely evacuated. In the Wenchuan area, where the earthquake is most badly hit at 7.8, help is on the way. Now the Met station is reporting there will be rain in Sichuan and Wenchuan area. This will be so tough.
Pray for China. Pray for the Olympics this August. Pray that everything will just be in China's favour. Pray that the people of China will be protected and blessed. Pray for us as we rest tonight. May the Lord protect all of my students, my colleagues and the people in Beijing.
