{WiThouT a MothER}

Photo from the New York Times

When John & I, with our new little Libby, pulled into the Children's Welfare Institute in YiYang, China, the first thing I saw was a row of tiny children's shirts hanging on the iron fence. Standing near was a beautiful little toddler girl, with her hair in braids. Her "Ayi" stood next to her, smiling at us. Inside, there were 94 more children and many nannies. I looked into their little faces, while holding my darling Libby, who had left Yiyang just two days prior. The experience was so profound. I will never, ever forget the way I felt that day. I was so sad for those children. My heart broke for them, and I cried so hard. When I see the faces of the children in China this week... I see my daughter. I see those little ones in Yiyang. I have shed many tears for them. The trauma of an earthquake is something our family has experienced, when our three oldest boys were little and we lived a few miles from the epicenter of the Northridge earthquake. It is almost too much for me to imagine any child enduring such a thing without a mother or father to hug them, to reassure them, to protect them. When James died, many people generously donated to Half The Sky through http://www.yiyangfund.org/ in his memory. It brought us solace to know that many children would benefit from the kindness of our friends and loved ones. We know that James would have been very grateful. I received the following e-mail this morning from Half The Sky. (Libby's orphanage is safe---having just endured so much during the ice storms this winter, but many children are suffering) Please pray for these children--- so alone, their nannies, and all of the others who are so very frightened. I am praying that the angels who surely watch over them from heaven will be there with them now in greater numbers. If anyone is able to give to this wonderful cause, here is the information (I included almost the entire e-mail. I thought it was so poignant):

Dear Friends,
As word comes of the hundreds, maybe thousands of children lost in the earthquake, I am finding these emails almost too painful to write. When I think of so many parents who have lost their only child - so many children newly orphaned - so many families destroyed - there are no words….Still, I will continue to write daily with any new information that has been given to us and confirmed. Again, please do not contact us to inquire about individual institutions. We will give you all of the information we have. If you do not hear from us about a particular place, it likely is not affected. At any rate, we don’t have any information beyond what I am passing along to you. As of now, Thursday afternoon in China, there are 14,866 people confirmed dead, 14,463 in Sichuan Province. There are 22,438 people reported missing – 21,020 of them in Deyang alone. There have been 3,300 aftershocks and they continue. Here is the confirmed information we have regarding children in welfare institutions:

Chengdu: The city continues to experience aftershocks and the institution director is afraid the water supply will be cut off again, so has requested disposable diapers. They are having trouble finding sufficient supplies of milk and formula. All children in foster care have been located and are fine. The institution has structural cracks but was built to current earthquake standards and is fundamentally solid. All the children remain on the first floor of the children’s building, mostly in the cafeteria, and, weather-permitting, outside while awake. We’ve posted a few photos on our website.

Chongqing and Yibin orphanages are fine – no building damage, no shortage of supplies.The orphanages below report problems. However, please note that not a single child has been injured; all are fine:-

Zigong CWI needs bedding, powdered milk, crackers and disposable diapers-

Neijiang CWI has suffered some structural damage; one or two children’s dormitories, office building and laundry room have cracked walls.-

Nanchong 2nd SWI has cracks in walls, substantial damage to the ceiling of a staff building, needs tents-

Mianyang Zitong CWI has severely damaged walls. Children have been moved to a military base. Urgent need for diapers, bedding, powdered milk and purified water

Hanzhong CWI (Shaanxi)- Quite a few water pipes burst, the water tower had cracks. Children have been evacuated and there is need for more tents, bedding and purified water. We’ve posted a few photos on our website.

Dujiangyan SWI has evacuated all children. They have no tap water or electricity in their temporary shelter. They urgently need food, purified water, diapers and powdered milk.

We are still unable to reach these institutions: Deyang CWI (78 children),Abazhou CWI (52 children), Guangyuan SWI, Mianzhu SWI

One of our HTS Beijing staff, Ma Lang, is a native of Mianyang, Sichuan, close to the epicenter. HTS’ Director of Child Development, Ma Lang is both a pediatrician and a child development specialist. She is on her way home right now to make use of her skills both medically and to help children traumatized by this disaster. We are so proud of Lang and wish her safe travels. She has promised to share her journey with all of us. So soon you’ll be hearing from us both!

Usually just before June 1, China’s Children’s Day, Half the Sky announces a special appeal to help us fund new orphanage programs in the fall. While we are committed to starting those new programs and know we will need help to make it happen, we just don’t feel we can ask for help improving lives while children in Sichuan are losing theirs. There must be a Children’s Day Challenge this year but not at this time. Please do what you can to help children in trouble now, and remember to help the kids of HTS a little later this year.

Our hearts and prayers today are especially with the parents who have lost their children in the collapse of schools - Muyu, Xinjian, Juyuan,Liangping, and the rest. Please give what you can to help the children who survive go on with their lives. If you would like to donate to Half the Sky’s Children’s Earthquake Fund,it would be great if you would do so at Global Giving. The Ford MotorCompany announced today that they will match every gift!http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/2100/proj2086a.htmlIf you prefer to donate directly to Half the Sky, of course that’s fine. Here are the various ways:You can donate by calling Half the Sky (1+510-525-3377)or on our website:

http://give.halfthesky.org/prostores/servlet/Categories?category=Children's+Earthquake+Fund athttps://www.paydollar.com/b2c2/eng/charity/payInfo.jsp?charityId=4947We have been so moved by your support already. Thank you!

with love,

JennyJenny Bowen

Executive DirectorHalf the Sky Foundation

http://www.halfthesky.org/