Winter storms in China

You may have heard of the terrible winter storms they've been having in China. Or maybe you haven't -- the U.S. news certainly hasn't said much about it. Anyway, they've had snow storm after snow storm over the past couple of weeks, in parts of the country that don't normally get snow at all. These are 100-year storms, very rare, and they have caused massive destruction and suffering in southern China. It's a disaster of Hurricane Katrina proportions. The photo below was taken this week in Zhi Yi's province:

Unfortunately, this is all happening right in the region of China where Zhi Yi is. We have not been able to obtain any information specifically about the conditions in her orphanage, XiaJiang CWI, but we have heard of terrible conditions in other orphanages very nearby. Buildings are without heat, electricity, and running water. There aren't enough blankets and warm clothes. They are running out of diapers, formula, and medications.

XiaJiang is very small, in a fairly remote part of the province, and is not aided by any of the various international organizations that do charity work in Chinese orphanages. It is rare for buildings in this part of China to have central heat, and temperatures have been in the teens. The heavy snows have closed down most transporation, and ice storms have cut power to many regions. It is likely that conditions there are similar to the bad conditions we've heard of in other orphanages nearby.

Needless to say, we are terribly worried about Zhi Yi and the other children in her orphanage. We don't know if she is warm, or has enough to eat. We have inquired through various channels, but no one knows anything about XiaJiang. It makes me so sad and anxious to not know how she's doing, and to be completely unable to hold her, feed her, and keep her warm.

A truly wonderful charitable organization, Half the Sky, is taking donations on behalf of specific orphanages. You can donate on their website, specifying "XiaJiang CWI, Jiangxi Province" in the "message to Half the Sky" field, and they will get the funds to the orphanage so that they can purchase what they need locally. Or you can simply give to their relief fund, without specifying an orphanage.

All waiting parents would be grateful for your help, and the comfort it will bring to China's orphans is immeasurable.