Dear Friends

This is Li, Thank you for your support. It means a great deal to all of us. 

It's the fifth day after the earthquake, although aftershocks can

still be felt sometimes, it's been much milder. Life in Chengdu is

basically back to normal whereas there are still people living in

tents and cars in the street. Most schools and kindergartens are still

clased as large amount of buildings need safety examinations and

sterilization and people need consolation.

 

The condition in the heavily-damaged areas is so tragic that it's

beyond word descript_ion. What is threatening after the earthquake is

the pollution of the water source, epidemic and allocation of the

injured. Our school is also undergoing a big challenge, we provide our

playground and tents for parents and children to spend last few

nights. At the same time, teachers work with parents to make sure the

children are protected and comforted both physically and mentally to

go through this difficult time. We prepared abundant water and food

for the possible contamination of water head.

 

Since the aftershock decreased, The school office has been moved from

a tent into a classroom. We feel very lucky and grateful that no body

was injured and we get adequate food and sleep. We are so concerned

with the suffering of people in the disaster areas that we teachers

get together to pray for the dead and the living and sending our

gratitude and good wish to the mother earth, asking for more strength

to us from the spiritual world to get through this challenging time

and to enable human being reflecting on the world situation we are in.

 

teachers in our school are in very high spirit and have been working

in the school after the earthquake helping cleaning, sterilizing and

communicating with parents. We have also collected two vans of

salvation materials such as tents, blankets, clothes and drinkable

water to send to the disaster areas. The teachers voluntarily donated

totally 7,000 RMB out of their low salary. Almost all the young

teachers have applied to do volunteer work in the damaged areas,

especially to pacificate the children there and they are on call now.

Currently, the demolishment of school facility is our biggest

challenge, three kindergarten rooms and the office section are

endangered and cannot be used anymore. The damaged areas reached up to

535 square meters and fence 40 meters. At the moment, with the help of

constructors and engineers, we are working on the budget and details

of reparation. We are trying our best to solve the building problem

and let the children return to the normal school life.

 

During this period, we have received a lot of kind regards from both

China and overseas and we are deeply appreciative for that. We are

very touched and strengthened by this heart-warming concern from all

around the world. The donation is not only a material support but more

importantly a spiritual inspiration. We sincerely thank you for all

you have done for us!

With best wishes!

Li Zhang

Chengdu Waldorf School

May 17th