“It’s like I stepped into a disaster movie!” said Georgina, one of AI’s newest members who just returned back to China for her first homecoming during the lunar new year in 10 years. She just got back to the province of Hubei in a village just adjacent to Wuhan, which just so happened to be where the Coronavirus broke out last week.
When I met Georgina, it was clear she loved our father and had grown in devotion to him over the past 10 years she spent in the US. Now her assignment was to go back to China. We met weekly over months, preparing her for reentry, since she had no company contacts. You can be a “M,” I said as we asked Him about her assignment together. She was clear she would work for AI in China and pave the way for us to meet there this spring.
It quickly became clearer what her assignment was on the day she arrived back home, just before the entire city of Wuhan was quarantined. “The people in the [very poor] village here don’t have any sanitary habits or any urgency to protect themselves,” she said with concern. In China they are being told that they are being told the only for sure way to prevent transmission of the 2019-nCoV is by wearing the N95 respiratory face mask which now costs 30 dollars per mask, and is completely sold out in the China so people who can afford it are ordering from the US. While our media here doesn’t say anything about this, the N95 mask IS oddly out of stock at Amazon. I bought some cases through Uline to mail to China, as people there are requesting it, and as it could be a real blessing to those who are in a panicked state.
Georgina has begun to share her beliefs with her family on this trip, which was in and of itself, a bit of an anxiety-ridden challenge since she hasn’t shared that part of her life with them during the 10 years she spent away from China. Since “joining the company,“ she had often feared what her parents would say. Little did she know she would be thrust into a full time living situation with them as they are warned not to go outside their homes until they know more about the virus. Georgina wrote, “My dad just said ‘thank G for everything’. . . I’m shocked.”
Assignments International’s mission is to resource those in poverty, devastation or loss with the Great Resourcer as well as the basic needs, education, and a means to developing an economic engine.
As first responders, our hearts are to head towards disaster to help save souls rather than keeping a safe distance. While we don’t always have the means and resources to do this, we can certainly receive those assignments that come our way with willingness and speed.
“you could pray because I am feeling a little sick. . . .”
. . . “We’re just living day to day”. . . said Georgina just a week ago from the epicenter of the 2019-nCoV outbreak.
. . .“Every day we get news more people died, and more cities are closing down, it’s all over China. . .
. . . Every morning you hear there are more lines in the hospital, and they cannot handle the amount of people that need help. . .
. . . They say there are only a few deaths on the news, but really, you cannot collect numbers from those dying in homes (in the villages with no resources).”
In spite of what she said last week, Georgina just returned yesterday from making an extraordinary run with two of her cousins, past two road block check points to get to the super store where it was rumored they had face masks and cleaning supplies for reasonable prices. After driving, walking, and running, they reached the supply store, returned, and teamed up with the local government officials to pass out supplies to the villagers, crossing miles of territory on foot because of the long distances between each house in the village.
Click on photo to see visitation in the village of Xincheng
Many in the villages had no masks on, and no disinfecting products. One house was filled with people and afraid to go outside, and the inside of the house was dirty. None of them had masks. Georgina’s grade school teacher seemed isolated and was glad to receive the products.
Now Georgina is feeling sick and asking for our prayers. She has been on the go since she got to her home town on January 19 after a 24-hour straight car ride. Her resistance is low and she needs his covering.
Yue (Monica) wrote from the northern province of Cangzhou,Hebei (not to be confused with Hubei where the virus broke out) that she is afraid she may not be able to catch a flight out to get back to her university in Australia. The fear is sometimes overwhelming but then I remember Psalm 91. I was able to share with my mum about Him, and my dad and I always tell each other “trust G.”
In Yangshuo, the road blockages keep everyone in their villages as well, and the West Street downtown area where our business is and where John lives is a ghost town, much like it is all over China. Another friend expressed the difficulty of being quarantined and stuck in a household where kids are unruly, with parents playing cards and smoking continually with nothing better to do.
Wenzhou, an isolated city along the eastern coast is struggling with the Coronavirus outbreak because of the usually sprawling and vibrant trade communities doing business and interacting at great volume with big industrial cities like Wuhan, and in doing so have invited the virus into their communities. This city was once called the “Jerusalem of China” because of the way the good news took hold and thrived. Then with the crackdown in recent years, buildings were demolished and crosses taken down.
2014 photo shows Simon on the left and Mary on the right
In Nanjing, reports from Mary they have figured out a way to go back to work on Monday, but carefully creating hygiene procedures for eating and working, with minimal contact. Simon reports the city is quiet but fine.
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Wuhan, Day 16
1000 masks hand delivered
Click on photo to see village delivery
“Are you sure this is your assignment?”
I asked the question we have to ask at AI.
We don’t want to shoulder a burden that we are not supposed to carry, and we don’t want to spin our wheels doing something that will ultimately not help the situation. Especially in a crisis, we can fall into a mode of trying to help as many people as possible, and all at once.
“Hold on, let me ask,” Georgina said. My assignment is 1) to get well, 2) to help everyone in this village to get a mask, and 3) go on to Shenzhen where I’m supposed to be.
With that she confirmed the goal of getting 3000 masks, $2.50 each for a total fundraising goal of $7500 USD. That was a lot for us, a small organization of friends, but we got the word out for those who desire to help the situation, knowing we are supporting someone who not only has a love for the people, the land and the father, but who also has embraced this as her assignment.
Do we have enough money for 1000 masks? We do, I said, sending the funds there. She quickly purchased the 1000 masks that were located through a reliable pharmaceutical source within China. The friend would hold the 1000 masks for her because within the next day the 5000 they had in stock would be sold out. True to her word, her friend sold Georgina the 1000 masks. What I didn’t know was Georgina was talking about 2.5 yuan (RMB) which is 6.8x less than our US dollar. Realizing 5000 masks were not $12,500 USD, but RMB, I told her to buy them all and quickly sent her enough money to buy 5000 masks, but it was too late. The prices had already gone up to 3 RMB per mask and had been sold out.
Part of the challenge has been that the 100 good quality masks I sent from the US is stuck in customs in Hong Kong, and the village officials said they will need 5000 or more masks to get clearance to enter the village. For now we have decided to go the direct route. I would send Georgina money directly, and she would purchase them from Thailand, Korea, or wherever she could The total cost of the purchase (and thus our funding goal) has risen with our hesitation and we are hoping to be able to jump at the first chance to get good enough quality masks, now that she has the money for our next purchase.
Click on photo to see mask delivery and educating of villager in Xincheng (just outside Wuhan)
“I’m exhausted,” Georgina said after walking for 5 hours, delivering simple masks to 1000 people in her village of XinChang. I had warned her not to overdo it since she was just recovering from a cold herself but she recruited her family and they championed the cause together. I got to share with them that these were from my “ch” and friends in America, and that opened up conversation. I found there was another Xn in my village and said there was a place nearby where they met together. Even my parents got involved, and my mom asked me how I became one.
AI is committed to the work in China, resourcing those in poverty or experiencing loss or devastation with the Great Resourcer, as well as basic needs, education and an economic engine, to help persons, families and communities to recover and thrive.
Click here if you or someone you know wants to join Assignments International in making a difference during crisis.
After getting stuck in customs in Hong Kong for a week, the masks we sent from Los Angeles to XinCheng finally got there. On the same climactic day, we received a generous donation that pushed us past our funding goal which gave us enough to provide 3500 face masks for 3500 people in the village of Xincheng.
Click on photo to see delivery
With your support and contributions, Georgina was able to help each one of the 3500 people in her village to receive one face mask, while communicating personally that there is Someone who tends to their every need, and a network of a lot of people who care.
Georgina fought passionately through sickness and body aches to gather the masks needed to protect her village, to deliver them to everyone she could get to, and to educate people about hygiene, walking for 5 hours on one day. She and her family are still recovering from weakness and tiredness. There was one non-related death in the family shortly after their delivery of the first 1000 masks, making life more challenging, and four people in the biggest nearby town are confirmed as having the coronavirus, but none of the 3500 in her village have it so far.
Georgina carries the 1000 masks for distribution. Click to see what happened afterward the deliveries were made.
The coronavirus is still a threat to the world. AI thanks all of you for your compassionate response to those in poverty and devastation. Although we can’t help everyone, we can discern our assignment and respond to the person in front of us.
It is still a stressful time for Georgina and her village and the roads are still blocked, as they are all across villages and small towns in China, so your prayers are appreciated. For now I wanted to update you on our thanks for partnering with AI by giving your support and for helping Georgina to accomplish her assignment. Your generosity touched me deeply.
Blessings,
Carolyn
AI is committed to the work in China, resourcing those in poverty or experiencing loss or devastation with the Great Resourcer, as well as basic needs, education and an economic engine, to help persons, families and communities to recover and thrive.
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Wuhan, Day 30
Food Shortage
Georgina called yesterday to share about the food shortage. They had just closed all of the stores in the nearby town where they once got their supplies from. Since roads have been blocked now for several weeks, getting food and water is becoming a challenge. Designated officials have begun taking orders from each household and make a grocery run every 3 days. The extremely poor may not have enough money for the escalating costs of basic needs.
Georgina has played a big role in reaching the villagers and now again mediated between them and the officials to get rice for the poorest of families: about 15 of them in her immediate area who only have elderly and little kids.
“I was going to use the extra money from the face masks to buy rice for them but I realized there was a neighbor who was a rice farmer. She couldn’t sell the rice because of the crisis. ‘Why not buy the rice from her?’” Georgina asked for my approval. “That’s a great idea!” I agreed.
Then a few hours later she sent a voice message, “you wouldn’t believe what happened. . . we found out there is only one guy who owns a rice processor in the village and we need that in order to make the rice edible, and he refused because he was offended by the way someone called him. . . so I went there and was talking to the air outside his house because he wouldn’t let me in.”
The village officials got involved and a small crowd was gathered outside his home. He gave in. They worked for 9 hours straight to produce 3500 pounds of rice, distributing 50 pounds of rice to each family in the immediate area. Today they will distribute 1200 pounds of rice to 26 families below average income.
Click on photo to see rice processor
Georgina writes:
In the next week, the poorest of villagers will need drinking water, cooking oil, gas for cooking. One household of ten people can live off of $100 USD per week. In other words, one person can live with $10 per week.
AI is committed to the work in China, resourcing those in poverty or experiencing loss or devastation with the Great Resourcer, as well as basic needs, education and an economic engine, to help persons, families and communities to recover and thrive.
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Wuhan Pays It Forward
Spring is here 春天来了！
You have not heard from me for a stretch, actually as the world becomes more concerned with the coronavirus, Georgina reports that things have calmed down and have taken a turn toward the better in China.
While the people in Hubei are still under lockdown, they can walk around more freely. The greatest news is, . . .
. . . the most astounding thing began to happen. . . .
. . . The people in the village of XinCheng have been so encouraged and touched by your giving, that they started to reach out and help each other like never before, and started donating to others who are in need. . . .
Georgina spoke of how delighted she was to see how this change from attitudes of fear and helplessness transformed into a spirit of giving after receiving the masks and food from foreign friends. This spirit of generosity is now reflected from pockets across the nation of China.
As we speak, China has now risen back to be the highest producers of face masks, and while the rest of the world experiences the frenzy and shortage, some factories in China are now producing 10,000 per day. In their pay-it-forward response, they are helping countries like Japan, Korea, and Iran to get the masks they need.
As you know, the Coronavirus has made its way to California, and we see daily messages to:
– wash hands often for more than 20 seconds each time
– don’t touch our faces
– don’t use or hoard face masks if we’re not sick, because in the US,
1) they are not that helpful unless you are containing your own sickness, and
2) the healthcare workers who really need it now have a shortage.
In spite of this, Hubei is now asking us if WE in the US need face masks, and AI would like to offer them to you for free, as a service and thank you for rising up to support our neighbors in China.
If you are living under normal circumstances in California, you will not need these, however, if you are sick, or if you know someone who is sick, or simply fearful, what an opportunity to bless them!
These are not N95, but we don’t need N95 in the US, and these will do the job of containing a sick person’s illness.
Hubei and AI would like to offer 1 free packet of 5 masks to any of you who request it. If you would like more than 1 packet, you can write me to make a special request.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you
– Gen 12;3
Thank you for rising up to show a village how much there is a Father who cares for them. Your generous response has stirred up a spirit of generosity that is making a global difference.
