Miracle in China

SQ821 landed on Sunday morning 25th May at 625 on time, on target. I had a lot of luggage and even I was amazed how they got to my home. If not for my colleague Mr Vincent Tan, I doubt very much my dad and I could lug everything to my 7th floor. But God is good. He sent help. Everybody thought I brought home a China man because my playful colleague joked that he was from China. I think I shall suggest to the school to send him to India for an exchange. He can pass off as an Indian priest anytime now. But don't tell him I said that.


It is certainly good to be home in Singapore. I had my favourite Laksa near Eunos on Monday and it was just so satisfying. I always like laksa but I am not about to replace it with Maggie instant laksa noodles. So I tahan until I return. I also my hair cropped short so I can be ready for the hot weather in Guangzhou but it certainly doesn't look that hot these few days with rain pouring torrents in Guangsi and Hunan. I will bring my newly bought heavenly umbrella (天堂伞) brand.

I was so shocked that TCS only started to raise funds for the victims on Sunday night. Well, we are really late! Dad donated $50. My boys in Beijing donated altogether 9000 yuan. I gave at least 1750 yuan to BICF (church we attended) because the church is sending a group up there to see what else can be done. But better late than never at all!

Do I miss Beijing? Not really, I was too busy to sit down and let everything sink in. I am so glad to be home to my bed that I so so miss. It was really nice to be able to have no more duties and just do what I need to do most of all...catching up with my friends, ex boys and with some school work. But I am certainly suspicious of the kind of things people carry or wear. I often wondered these days if they bought it from Xiu Shui Jie. How despicable of me! But I did think everyone shopped at Beijing. I am most pleased that since my return I bought nothing that I could buy at Beijing, more specifically at Xiu Shui Jie. I cannot buy anything here because things in Singapore are just so much more expensive. I have done my shopping for Christmas and given the gifts too. So no more unnecessary buying until Guangzhou, which is like 3 days away.

I believe going away has brought me closer to some of my friends. I am all ready for the Karaoke session this afternoon. In fact to practice my vocals, I went to the CC near my house to sing. I was so early that I was the only one singing there. Well, what is singing without an audience. Before long, an older lady in her seventies joined me. Half an hour later, more came. Aha...time to sing my best songs. I threw out a few lovely ones and won great applause. It was then that I know that my voice is back. I lost it for almost a month, coughing and coughing all day long. I had to be put on another dose of antibiotics too. Worst still, I have to be put on a very sleepy drug that can put me in a deep sleep. Each night when I took it, I would feel as if I never really woke up the next morning so I decided not to take it last night. Yet, I still feel tired.

I have yet to download QQ so I could converse with my masseur. We have established a fantastic friendship I don't wish to throw away. She has a hard time saying good bye and as much as I would like to take her with me, she has a family in Beijing. Before I left, she gave me one last massage and to her horror and mine too, I sort of dislocated my left ankle. I am limping now and I have to be careful not to over do things. She always says she is worried about my legs, now she is getting more worried.

Three minute silence. 国哀

The Three Minute Silence was really an experience of a lifetime. I could not believe the impact. China stood still for three minutes. But China mourned their loss with the honking of cars, the siren for civil defence and the blowing of horns on trains and ships for three long minutes everywhere. Everybody gathered or stopped walking or working when 1428 struck.


My students and I gathered at the field on a bright and hot Monday afternoon to commemorate the many lives lost in the 512 earthquake (May 12). A short speech was delivered by the Affective Head of the school and then the siren rang and school bell rang, and cars honked for three long minutes.

On the news I witnessed the many places that observed the silence. All newspapers had their front page printed in strong black with bold white words to bemourn the dead. Even google.cn was in black. Some were on board an aircraft, some at the hospitals, standing with their IVs if they could stand, some stopped working in the fields and stood up and bowed their heads to remember the dead, thousands packed Tiananmen square and mourned the losses. After the three minute silence, 中国，加油！hailed through the afternoon sky.

Everywhere for the next three days, people were all dressed in dark and dull colours on the streets. Televisions televised nothing but the quake and for three days, there were no majore celebrations of joy. Every one kept sober as China griefs together. It is really moving.

I am so lucky to be here right now to witness the outpouring of love from all over China. Stories of courage continues to pour in every day. Last night, I saw a report about a teacher who stood outside the collapse school building with her students buried in the rubble comforting them and calming them until they were rescued. But her own daughter was buried in a rubble not far from where she stood. She did not once moved to look for her own child. Instead she stood right with her children. Another soldier in charge of the rescue operation in Bei Chuan had no time to bemourn his own loss in this quake. He lost 15 of his own family members and one of which is his 16 year old son of about 1.7m tall. He could no longer cry because his pain is in his heart. He was also deeply saddened byt the 25 colleagues who worked with him in the camp he was stationed. They were all buried and dead and now he is the only one at the base camp in Beichuan. However he laboured on because he told the reporter that there is much to be done and what happened has happened and he could only move on.


Our Singapore Civil Defence team arrived a few days ago. There were no reports about their whereabouts. If you are thinking of coming to Sichuan, don't do so until you have checked with local authorities if your help is needed. There are many individuals who have come to Sichuan to help. Instead of helping, these volunteers became a problem because first of all, they did not bring their own provisions and water. They are now using the water and food given to the survivors of the quake and so adding to the burden of the rescue. Not only that, they did not bring anything to build their shelters so this too add to the burden. Most of these volunteers who carried bodies from the rubble also do not have basic knowledge about how to disinfect themselves first after they helped carry the bodies. Thus unless you have medical knowledge and you join a registered organization who will have to contact Sichuan, you should not come forward to help.

Much more can be done later on when the towns and cities affected are disinfected. There will be a need to rebuild the homes and the schools. You can contribute here too. There is also a need to talk to the victims. A three year little girl was so traumatised by the earthquake that she would wail out loud for her mother as soon as she falls into deep sleep. Many children behave strangely after the quake. They either keep silent or they cry out loud for their mothers and fathers. But their parents cannot hear them because they are all gone.

The three minute silence has profoundly left a deep impression in my heart.

Chinese Unite! 血浓于水

This morning before leaving for church, I saw a report about a three year old girl whose right leg was amputated. I am not sure when she was rescued but I do know her parents are both dead. She was nursed by two young teenage girls who volunteered to helpout at the emergency hospital. When the reporter asked if her leg hurts, she said it no longer hurt. She is fed because she could not eat on her own but she is slowly picking up.

This is now my routine. I switched on the TV once I got up and I am so touched by all the reports pouring everyday. All the various artistes from different groups and organizations within China, writers, athletes, Hong Kong artistes, Taiwan artistes, whether they are working in the drama groups of the army, air force or navy or acting for TV stations or movie stars, they all stood together to raise funds for those affected by the earthquake. Not a single person has dry eyes.

Many stories of courage were told over the days. Soldiers who were deployed even though their families may lie buried in the rubble, continued to work against time to dig out other people from the rubble. Doctors whose children studied in the primary school that collapsed, may have rescued their children's friends still worked out despite fears of their own loved ones and children buried in the rubble. I was told 15 paratroopers wrote a will before they jumped from 5000m. They were sent to the most severe hit area and they must report the situation there. These paratroopers only trained at 800m. With 5000m, they were short of oxygen. They also have to jump above a thick fog with no precise landmark because the land would have changed with the earthquake. Then I heard of how a teacher pushed 4 students under his table and hung on to the table. He used his body to stop the rubble from falling on them. When the rescue workers found the children, he was dead. He still hung on to the table refusing to let any harm come to his students. Then there was an artiste who lived in Mianyang, another worst hit area. He flew back to Beijing immediately but his mother not to return to Mianyang because that would mean wasting precious resources. His mother has gone back to her home and started baking mantou (steam buns) to feed the many volunteers. There are volunteers who cried because they were not sent to rescue the victims trapped under the rubble. The teams had to pick the very best to go and even though they are already the best, they just have to beat time and must find the best of the best. Then there are artistes who come together to start a charity for the orphaned children. More than 1000 tents were built within a day in one rescue camp site. A female police officer has been busy pitching tents but her parents and her 2 year old daughter are already dead in the rubble in the province of Beichuan. She said what mattered most was to look after the people she serves. Her husband returned to Beichuan to check if there were any signs of life in her hometown. He told her when he arrived, all he could see was nothing but flattened rubble. But she worked on and on each day, making sure the other victims are cared for. Such selfless love.

As I write, more of such real life stories will be told. I also just saw the news that from 19th May to 21st May, all public and private organizations and companies are told to keep half mast. Sirens will be rung, ships will wail, trains will also blow their horns on the 19th of May at 1428,and we will all observe a 3 minute silence throughout China. China will mourn the dead. China will remember.There will not be public display of joyous occasions for these three days too.

There is one thing I know about Chinese. If we are united, we can become a great power. Not a power to intimidate but a power to move the entire world and show that with Love, we can build homes, we can build bridges and a brighter tomorrow.

万众一心，众志成成。我们是一家人。

人民的生命高于一切

人民的生命高于一切! 这句话感动了我。温家宝总理是那么得让我敬佩。他不但亲身来到灾难区慰问生存者，还给于没有父母的孩子们一个国家的保证，要让他们活的比灾前一样的好。我心动了。这才是一个真正的领导者。


电视的每一个画面都感人肺腑。每一张期待的脸孔，每一双抱着希望的眼睛，每一双沾满汗水的手，每一个被温川地震牵动的心都凝聚在一起为被困在废墟的朋友祈祷。

一方有难，八方支缓。我看到了！看到四面八方赶来排除万难的志愿者。我好羡慕。不仅让我想到新加坡有难时，我的国人会有这般的热心与爱心吗? 我深信我们也会团结起来排除万难。我不希望有灾难的那一天。但是人为不如天为。自要把握今天，积极做好本分，珍惜每一个与我们碰面的人，哪怕是檫身而过也要好好对待，那每一天就没有白活了。我相信有一些生还者会欣慰他们还有机会在来到谢，但是那些来不及道谢括道歉的死者呢？


Dear Friends
The Sichuan earthquake rocked the province at 7.9 ritcher scale. Many are still trapped in the rubble. I am sure help is pouring in like you have never seen before. Hearts of many who glued their eyes on TV must be beating together with the many Chinese in Sichuan and will rejoice when one survivor is pulled out of the rubble. We will not give up the fight until all efforts to rescue are exhausted. But we know time is catching up and the sooner we get there, the better.

I am deeply moved by Premier Wen Jiaobao. He is still in the province as we speak. He has a magnaminous heart for the poor and weeps with them too. Very moving indeed.Within hours the first rescue team was in the earthquake zone area. Songs of encouragement raged through the city. You can listen to it on my blog. What is most important is the love the Chinese people have shown. They are just overwhelming! People holding hands in circles to keep vigil. They come with blood to donate and so many had to wait 7 hours to do so. Now blood donations have stopped and you need a queue number so they will call you when more victims come out of the rubble. The entire city in Beijing is very calm and coordinated. Many little drives on our own are going on. We will eventually reach Sichuan somehow with our love in myriad forms.

May your heart beats with us as we pray for God's salvation upon the Chinese trapped in the rubble.

Today the earth moved in Beijing

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.