china - archive
earthquake response
more prayer points
photo: Fr. Wang Fuxuan of Dujiangyan Parish, May 13, 2008
- Pray for Chinese leaders, like President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, as they seek to direct the response effort and coordinate all levels of government to contribute to the relief of suffering people during this critical phase.
- Pray for the 50,000 soldiers and many other volunteers who have worked through the week to rescue individuals trapped in the rubble. Many have had to be parachuted into the worst affected areas. Pray that they might receive strength and renewed energy in appalling conditions.
- Thank God that some five hundred people were pulled alive from collapsed buildings in Mianzhu county on Thursday.
- Pray for engineers and soldiers attempting to stabilise the Zizingpu dam above Dujiangyan. A dam collapse would be catastrophic for communities downstream on the Min river, with 600,000 people living on its banks. Attempts to alleviate the pressure on the dam seem to be working so far, but pray for their continued success and a let off in the rain.
- Pray for staff from Caritas Hong Kong as they travel to the site to assess the most urgent needs. Pray also for staff at the Catholic Social Service Centre in Chongqing, the nearest one to the earthquake centre, and where one hundred people have been killed.
- Pray for staff from the Amity Foundation and Jinde Charities as they seek to take essential food, water and shelter to families who have lost everything in the earthquake. Pray that they might be directed to where the help is most needed. Pray for Amity's Yue Yaoming as he appeals for trained counsellors to come and aid him in bringing some comfort to those bereaved or anxious for loved ones.
