Chinese Zodiac Swap

This swap came along when I was thinking about creating a culture book for Ty. I don't intend to use these squares in his quilt - but just in a book about China for him. The zodiac squares and information will be accompanied by information on the Chinese provinces. I will probably add Chinese Festivals to this book - and then transition to American states and celebrations. Enjoy the zodiac! You might learn something interesting about yourself. Ty is a rabbit, Caitlin is a tiger, Tony is a dragon - and I am a sheep. At least two of us are domesticated!

Sue Golden (Year of the Horse) gave this nice summary of the Chinese Zodiac:

The Chinese animal signs are based on a 12-year cycle. Every year is assigned an animal name or "sign" according to a repeating cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar. Therefore, every twelve years the same animal name of "sign" would reappear. The Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, In the Chinese calendar, the beginning of the year falls somewhere between late January and early February. The Chinese have adopted the Western calendar since 1911, but the lunar calendar is still used for festive occasions such as the Chinese New Year. Many Chinese calendars will print both the solar dates and the Chinese lunar dates.


The Rabbit
Chinese Zodiac
1915,1927,1939,1951, 1963,1975,1987,1999

People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, graceful, cultured, well-
mannered, talented and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have
excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired and trusted. Although they get along
well with many people, at heart they are basically reserved creatures, and are
only truly happy when engrossed in some sort of scholarly or intellectual activity.

It is said that they make ideal diplomats or politicians. They are fond of gossip
but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. they
are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract, but
may be anxious when others force them tot take risks. Oddly though, they would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise and security is very important to a rabbit.

Rabbits create peaceful and comfortable atmospheres (like rabbit dens). There is importance to them in the smallest of details. They are very hospitable and attentive and take care of those around them. They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig and Dog.

The Zuccos in Montgomery, AL
Tony, Honour and Caitlin
Uniting this summer with our son and brother Ty
Waiting for us in Guizhou, China


Year of the Dragon
1940,1952,1964,1976,1988,2000,2012

The dragon enjoys a very high reputation in Chinese culture.
It is the token of authority, dignity, honor, success, luck, and
capacity. in ancient China, a dragon was thought to speed across the sky
with divine power. Emperors entitled themselves exclusively as "dragon": their
thrones were called "dragon thrones" and their clothes "dragon gowns." The
dragon is the symbol of power and wealth.

people under the dragon sign are lively, energetic and fortunate. They are born
leaders and strive for perfection. The dragon is the 5th zodiac and their season is Spring. When they meet with difficulties, they are not discouraged. They can be a little arrogant, and impatient. They are very ambitious and confident as well. People born in the Year of the dragon are well suited to be an artist, priest or politician. A few dragons are: Susan B Anthony, Joan of Arc, Sigmund Freud and John Lennon. They are most compatible with the Monkey and the Rat.

Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.
~Emily Dickinson

Best wishes,
Robert, Dawn, Catherine and Iain Logan-Brown
Brighton, Michigan
Waiting for Maura LID 080107


Year of the Snake
1965,1977,1989,2001,2013

Snakes say little and possess great wisdom.
They never have to worry about money as they are financially fortunate.
They can be vain, selfish and a little stingy.
but they have tremendous sympathy for others and try to help those less fortunate.
Although they are calm on the surface, they are intense and passionate.

Love to you,
Deb in Cincinnati, OH
Momma to Aidan - home forever 01Jun2007
Guatemala


Year of the Horse
1918,1930,1942,1954,1966,1978,1990,2002

People born in the year of the Horse are popular. They are cheerful, skillful with money, and perceptive, although they sometimes talk too much. They are wise, talented, good with their hands, and sometimes have a weakness for members of the opposite sex. They are impatient and hot-blooded about everything except their daily work. They like entertainment and large crowds. They are very independent and rarely listen to advice. They are most compatible with Tigers, Dogs and Sheep.

You are a hard worker.
You are independent, intelligent and friendly.
You can be a bit selfish.
You will find success as an adventurer, scientist or poet.

Sue & Robert Golden
Madison, WI
LID: 7-14-06


Year of the Sheep
1943,1955,1967,1979,1991,2003

Elegant and creative
Timid
prefers anonymity
Good with Boars and Rabbits,but never with the Ox

In a world where you can be anything...
Be Yourself.

Best Wishes,
The Torneten's
Lee, Dawn, Jake and Jenna LiFei
Heath, TX


The Sign of the Monkey
1908,1920,1932,1944,1956,1968,1980,1992,2004

Monkeys are fun-loving people who really enjoy a good time with friends, family or anyone else for that matter. They love practical jokes and like to play tricks on colleagues and friends alike. Monkeys tend to stir up trouble simply out of boredom, which can end up being more hurtful than they intended. Often, when this causes trouble, they expect others to understand it was all a joke and to deal with the consequences on their own.

Monkeys are curious creatures as well. Some people call them nosy. Others call them interested. The Chinese say they are just downright curious. Although gifted with a strong intellect, creativity and intuition are not their fortes. They can't put themselves in your shoes even in they try and will become easily distracted or confused.

Monkeys can run circles around other people with ease. They are curious and clever people who catch on quickly to most anything. Monkey people generally can accomplish any given task. They appreciate difficult or challenging work as it stimulates them and makes them think.

Ninth in order in the twelve-year cycle

The Monkeys color is gold.

May you always have enough love to share!

Kymberly, Leon, Ky-Le (Hunan, PRC) & Ay-La (Jiangxi, PRC)
Round Rock, TX


Year of the Rooster
1945,1957,1969,1981,1993,2005

A Pioneer in spirit
Devoted to work
Quest after knowledge
Selfish and eccentric

Snakes & oxen are fine.
Rabbits are trouble.

Wheresoever you go,
go with all your heart.
--Confucius
(born in the Year of the Rooster)

Best Wishes,
The Torneten's
Lee, Dawn, Jake, and Jenna LiFei
Heath, TX


Year of the Dog
1970,1982,1994,2006,2018

Dogs have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest and inspire other people's confidence.
They can be selfish, terribly stubborn and eccentric.
They care little for wealth but always seem to have money.
They make good leaders.

Love to you,
Deb in Cincinnati, OH
Momma to Aidan - home forever 01Jun2007
Guatemala


Pig
1935,1947,1959,1971,1983,1995,2007,2019,2031

Pure of heart, Boar people are generous and kind. Full of inner strength and courage, they can take on any task. A friend who listens, the Boar is sincere and trustworthy. They are driven by their passion for life.

Compatible with: Tiger, Rabbit, Rat and Ram
Non-Compatible with: Snake

May your journey find you fulfillment
Karrie and chuck Mikulus
7 blends of perfection to complete one family


Rat
1912,1924,1936,1948,1960,1972,1984,1996,2008,2020

The rat is revered for its quick wits and its ability to accrue and hold onto items of value; rats are considered a symbol of good luck and wealth in both China and Japan. The rat of the Chinese zodiac is clever and quick-witted. Possessed of excellent taste, the rat flaunts its style at every turn. its natural charm and sharp, funny demeanor make it an appealing friend for almost anyone. The rat likes to know who is on its side and will treat its most loyal friends with an extra measure of protection and generosity.

Behind that sweet smile, though, rats are keen and unapologetic promoters of their own agendas. Rats are motivated by their own interests, which often include money; greed can become a problem if the Rat isn't careful to keep its priorities straight. The rat's natural powers of charm and persuasion can definitely come in handy! Although they are often hoarders, rats can be very generous to those in their pack, namely friends and family members who have proven their loyalty. Others might perceive them as quick-tempered and sharp-tongued, but never boorish.

Rats enjoy being on the outside looking in, as the outside affords a view into the inner workings of a system or situation. The rat's keen mind always seeks out new knowledge, to be stored away for future use. This ever curious sign also welcomes challenges as a way to stay sharp. if boredom sets in the rat is no fun at all, but that isn't likely; the rat knows how to keep itself entertained.

Wishing you love and happiness,
The Pie Family


Year of the Ox
1925,1937,1949,1961,1973,1985,1997,2009

A born leader, you inspire confidence from all
around you. You are conservative, methodical
and good with your hands. Guard against being
chauvinistic and always demanding your own way.
The Ox would be successful as a skilled surgeon,
general or hairdresser.

Wishing you all the best!
The Franklins
Londonderry, NH
LID 4/29/2006 for Susann


Year of the Tiger
1962,1974,1986,1998,2010

Tigers are sensitive, deep thinkers and are capable of great sympathy. They can be short-tempered, can not make up their own minds are are suspicious of others...but they are powerful and courageous.

Love to you -
Deb in Cincinnati, OH
Momma to Aidan - home forever 01 June 2007
Guatemala

Rats!!!!

I just HAD to participate in a swap that celebrated the Year of the Rat! This little swap will remind us of the year that we met Ty - according to the Chinese zodiac. Enjoy!

"Wherever you go, go with all
your heart." ~ Confucius

Anik Nolet & Sylvain Theriault
Montreal, Canada
LID: 05-18-06


We wish a healthy long life
and lots of fun everyday.

Lydie, Andre & Samuel
St-Hubert, QC
LID Feb 7th, 2007



The Year of the Rat

Wishing you love and
Happiness Always -

Carrie in Ohio



Year of the Rat
1924,1936,1948,1960,1972,1984,1996,2008

You are imaginative, charming, and truly generous
to the person you love. However, you have a
tendency to be quick-tempered and overly critical.
You are also inclined to be somewhat of an opportunist.
Born under this sign, you should be happy in sales or
as a writer, critic, or publicist.

Wishing you all the best
The Franklins Londonderry, NH
LID 4/20/2006 for Susanna



"The Year of the "RATatouille"

In honor of the year of the Rat -some
wisdom from the 2007 movie
"Ratatouille"

At one point in the movie Remy and Gusteau
are discussing perspective and Gusteau says:
"If you're focused on what you've left
behind, you will not be able to see what
lies ahead. Go up and look around!"

And at another time Remy and his dad discuss life and Remy's Dad
says: "We look out for our own kind Remy. When all is said
and done, we're all we've got."

For all the special children we are welcoming to our families, we
hope they have the support to grieve for what they've left behind
and the ability to treasure their precious heritage as well as the
unconditional love that will buoy them in life and let them look
confidently forward to all that their lives can now be. We wish
them the precious gift that only a family can provide - someone to
always look out for them.

Happy New Year!
Tony, Honour and Caitlin Zucco
Uniting with our son Ty in China
-Hopefully in this Year of the Rat summer!

Paperchase Blues - Wrap up

We wish you love and happiness always with your forever family.

Lydie, Andre & Samuel
St. Hubert, Qc
LID Feb 7th, 2007


We wish for you...
JOY that comes from within.
FAITH to believe and FREEDOM to choose.
DETERMINATION to fulfill your dreams.
HAPPINESS for fill your heart
& WISDOM to fill you mind.

The Torneten Family
Lee, Dawn, Jake and Jenna Li Fei
Heath, TX


May your days be filled with love, laughter and lollipops.

The Easons
Lititz, PA


Don't believe what your eyes are telling you.
All they show is limitation.
Look with your understanding,
find out what you already know,
and you'll see the way to fly.
~Richard Bach

Carol & Cal O'Hearn
Denver, CO USA



This is my wish for you:
Comfort on difficult days,
smiles when sadness intrudes,
rainbows to follow the clouds,
laughter to kiss your lips,
sunsets to warm your heart,
hugs when spirits sag,
beauty for your eyes to see,
friendships to brighten your being,
faith so that you can believe,
confidence for when you doubt,
courage to know yourself,
patience to accept the truth,
Love to complete your life!
~Winnie the Pooh

Carol & Callen O'Hearn
Denver, CO USA
www.gotchakelly.blogspot.com


"But if we hope for what we do not yet have,
we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:25 (NIV)

Dear child,

We wish you an abundance of
dreams & ideas to hope for, as
many have hoped for you and the
grounded heart you will need to
patiently make those dreams your
reality!

With love,
The Zuccos - Tony, Honour & Caitlin
Patiently hoping for Ty, as he waits in China

This was my contribution to the Paperchase Blues swap....
and its conclusion! Ty's quilt will have plenty of
blue to remind me of our wait - and to remind me that it
all happened perfectly - and in God's time!

Paperchase Blues - Look at these five that arrived!

The mountain,
I am part of it...
The herbs,
the fir tree,
I am part of it.
the clouds,
the gathering waters,
I am part of it.
The wilderness,
the dew drops,
the pollen.
I am part of it.
~Navajo, traditional chant

Diane M. Olson
Milwaukee, WI
DTC 1.18 ~ LID 2.14.06
Waiting for Baby M


Twinkle, twinkle little star,
Do you know
How loved you are?

Debbie Sauer
Middleburg, PA

Cher Petit ange,
Nous te souhaitons une vie remplie de
douceurs, d'amour, de rires, de grads et de
petits bonneurs aupres de tes parents. Que
cette courtepointe te berce, te console et te
rassure et surtout qu'elle t'amene vers des
reves d'enfance merveilleux.

Dear little angel,
We wish you a life filled of joy, love,
laughter and happiness with your parents.
We hope that this quilt rocks you,
comforts you, reassures you and
especially brings you dreams of
marvelous childhood.

All our best,
Marie-France Arsenault and Francis Roy
Jonathan and Anne-Marie
Quebec (Canada) LID: 3/26/2007

"Love generously,
Praise loudly,
Life fully."
~Elias Porter

J. LaRoue, Conyers, Georgia


Families are woven
together like strong
baskets - a work or art -
strong enough to hold
all the tears, and
all the love one
can imagine.

Welcome to your
part of strength
and joy!

Judith LaRoue, Conyers, Georgia

Paperchase Blues - another five that arrived!

"Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true."
~Lyman Frank Baum quote

Lea & William Harper
LID: January 4, 2007
Toronto, ON Canada



The Gift of Life

I didn't give you the gift of life,
But in my heart I know,
The love I feel is deep and real,
As if it had been so.

For us to have each other,
Is like a dream come true!
No, I didn't give you the gift of life,
Life gave me the gift of you.

~Author unknown

With love from Ron, Bridget, Tamsin, Isaac, and Gabrielle,
waiting for Justin in Guangxi



Let's Go Fly a Kite

Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height
Let's go fly a kite
And send it soaring

Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite
Le's go fly a kite!

We wish for you plenty of sunshine, rainbows, blue skies,
enough wind to fly a kite, and many fun times with your family!

With love from Ron, Bridget, Tamsin, Isaac, and Gabrielle,
waiting for Justin in Guangxi



May I be free from danger,
May I be free from fear,
May I be healthy,
May I dwell in peace.

May you be free from danger,
May you be free from fear,
May you be healthy,
May you dwell in peace.

May all beings be free from danger,
May all beings be free from fear,
May all beings be healthy,
May all beings dwell in peace.
~Traditional Buddhist Prayer

Diane M. Olson
Milwaukee, WI
DTC 1.18.06~LID 2.14.06
Waiting for Baby M



Be who you are,
and may you be blessed
in all that you are.

~Adapted from a prayer
by Marcia Falk

Diane M. Olson
Milwaukee, WI
DTC 1.18~LID 2.14.06

Paperchase Blues - Next Five that Arrived

Always kiss your children goodnight -
even if they're already asleep.
~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Carrie in Ohio
LID 12-24-2007



"Imagination is the highest
kite that one can fly."
--Lauren Bacall

Wishing you much joy and laughter in your life.

The Torneten's
Lee, dawn, Jake and Jenna LiFei
Heath, TX



Whatever we are waiting for--peace of mind, contentment, grace,
the inner awareness, of simple abundance--it will surely come to us, but only
when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.
--Sarah Ban Breathnach

Best wishes
Dimari & Sarah from Ninh Binh
Waiting for Alexander

"Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land
among the stars...
~unknown

The Hanings
Bloomington, Illinois


"this is my wish for you: comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you are in doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, love to complete your life."
~anonymous

The Hanings
Bloomington, Illinois

Paperchase Blues Swap - First Five to Arrive!

Back at the beginning of this year - I was in a funk over how long our paperwork was taking. And being the people-person that I am - I was certain that I was not alone in feeling this way. So on the One Hundred Good Wishes Quilt Group I began a swap for folks to sign up who were having "Paperchase Blues." We swapped blue prints for our quilts. The swap had 19 people making 26 quilts! We swapped a lot of fabric and wishes! And it made going to the mailbox to look for long-lost paperwork MUCH more bearable! The squishes received are all below:

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts.
Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts.
Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me...
Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."
--Shel Silverstein

Our wish for you is a lifetime filled with laughter, imagination and dreams realized.

Christine & Tim Melloh
Tallahassee, FL - USA
Waiting for Sophie Rose
CCAI - LID 6/15/2006

Harmony

We can rejoice, too when we run into problems and trials for we know that they are good for us...they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. - Romans 5:3-4

Wishing you harmony, patience and love!
The Magana Family
Waiting for Mia Hope YiNan
www.dreamingofteafor two.blogspot.com


"Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west. - Isaiah 43:5"

God Bless,
The Beaudoin Family
Hooksett, NH

"Have you eer felt a little hand
Grip around your finger?
Or kissed a cheek where the remains
Of a chocolate bar still linger?

Have you ever kissed a boo-boo
To make the pain "go-way?"
Or forgot about the dishes
Just to go our and play?

We are the lucky ones
To cherish these so dear,
So enjoy these little miracles,
That God's placed in our care."

Bower Family
Oregon
LID 9-8-2006


"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you say to this mountain,'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matt 17:20 (NIV)

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Phillipians 4:13

By faith, I stepped out into this process of adoption. Doors have opened by which I have created awesome friendships. Never let fear of the unknown stop you from achieving your dreams. Step outon faith. Trust in your creator, and the rest will fall into place. The road may not always be easy...but the end will be worth the struggles to get there.

Kammy Krisell
Sherwood, AR USA
LID 8/18/2006 for Mari-Grace

We're Packing!!!!!!!!!!

At last - we received this beautiful document in the mail from Beijing. We have been invited to come and unite with our son! It is almost surreal at this point. Plans are beginning to become clear and I will post more on those very soon. But I had to take a moment to share this with you all!

And the most amazing thing is happening. My bestest good friend Carol and her husband Cal are going to be in China meeting their son at the same time we are. And the even more amazing part of this is that we have appointments at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou China on THE EXACT SAME DAY! We started this process months apart and have not requested any favors at all - and we will be there on July 15th to take an oath at the U.S. Consulate together.

Please, do not doubt God's presence at work in your life. This has been such an up and down process - but we've been convicted repeatedly. And now - the plan is revealed. It is beautiful and we are humbled by God's attention to every small detail. I pray that each of you experiences His amazing love - in a way that you cannot doubt. There are not words adequate enough to describe it when it happens to you.

Both of our children have come into our lives in the most beautiful ways. There were people that have struggled and hurt in both situations and it wasn't easy to live God's plan at times -but what glory we see in our daughter's smile and our son's eyes! Life is precious when it is lived for Him.

An Update from Half The Sky

Although this arrived a few days ago - it is the latest from Jenny Bowen on the earthquake in China. Please continue to pray that good comes from this. There is a real opportunity for the Chinese government to improve adoption procedures to allow their own citizens to adopt chinese orphans. Jenny's letter follows:

Hello Friends,

I just arrived in Chongqing from Sichuan. Yesterday was the one month
anniversary of the earthquake. We traveled several hours to a hard-hit
mountain town in Beichuan, Hongbaizhen, and worked with children and
volunteer teachers. I have added many photos to our website:
http://www.halfthesky.org/work/earthquake08-healing.php#part2

A couple of weeks earlier, we braved the rock-strewn roads and broken
bridges of Hongbaizhen to deliver relief goods to the children. The whole
town was in shock. As painful as yesterday’s visit was, we began to see
signs that the town will slowly begin to come back to life.

Our communications director, Patricia King gave me this moving report:

An 8-year-old boy stands in front of the pile of rubble that had once been
his school and explains that he was the last student to have been pulled
out alive. When the earth shook, he was one of the obedient children
sitting with arms crossed at their desks—some naughty boys were still
outside, safe on the playground. For ten frantic minutes, trapped between
a piece of concrete and brick on the second floor, he waited. His cries
couldn’t be heard over the wailing adults, but finally when the crowd
outside the collapsing school quieted down they heard him and came to
rescue him with their bare hands.

In the first days after the quake, he couldn’t return to the pile of
debris that had once been his three-storey school, but with the help of a
volunteer teacher from his tent school, he has visited the site several
times and now is not afraid when he comes back. Today, at 2:28, exactly
one month after his world shattered, the boy and another child from the
tent school placed their hands on their hearts, then bowed three times,
saying goodbye to their friends who died at the Hongbaizhen Primary
School. Finally these brave survivors vowed: “We will live our lives as
best we can.”

In Hongbaizhen, an isolated mountain town where it took three days for the
Air Force to make it on foot past a collapsed bridge while the cries of
children trapped under heavy rubble grew weaker and weaker and then
stopped forever, the pain is palpable. But one month after the earthquake
children and adults are also expressing their grief, working to find a way
to cope with their pain, and taking the first steps to rebuilding lives.

Sitting under a tree outside a tent school only 100 yards from the
collapsed Hongbaizhen Middle School, it took only minutes before a group
of middle school girls, two with their heads bent into their arms and one
sitting up straight, weeping and sobbing, opened their hearts to Vancouver
psychologist Dan Zhang and University of Minnesota psychologist Pinian
Chang, both of whom were also once students in China.

A 14-year-old twin, who aches for her one-minute-younger sister. She
escaped the building, but her sister didn’t. Finally her sister was pulled
out of the rubble, but with no medical care available, her family listened
helpless as she spoke her last words: “I hurt. I hurt. I am so tired. I
think I am dying.” Now her grieving sister refuses to go to any school
with more than one storey—she tried a middle school with two stories and
dropped out after two agonizing days. Still she is trying to take comfort
from “Invisible Wings,” the song she and her sister loved and sang
together. “I know I’ve always had a pair of invisible wings that take me
flying and give me hope.”

Two girls mourning their brother, a 10th grader, and a nimble athlete as
well as a good student, who made it out of the building. But he went back
to rescue three crying girls only to die when another piece of the
building gave way. One of his sisters is tormented by regrets—why did she
brush off her brother, who wanted to talk to her a few days before the
earthquake when she wasn’t in the mood? Both sisters know that their
brother died a hero, but they miss their older brother and cry for him as
an adult volunteer encircles them in a hug to try to ease the pain.

Meanwhile inside a white tent decorated with balloons and tinsel, a crowd
of volunteers hungry for help sit at shiny wooden desks salvaged from the
collapsed middle school. Executive Director Jenny Bowen tells them that
Half the Sky’s greatest contribution to helping in Sichuan will be to
provide training for caregivers. She urges them to identify adults in the
local community who can be trained to provide consistent, long-term help
for the children long after the last volunteers have gone back to their
homes. When she tells them that Half the Sky is committed to working in
Sichuan for “at least five years,” they burst into applause.

It soon becomes clear why the applause is so heartfelt. These volunteers,
some recently arrived and some soon to go back home to their own families,
have bonded closely with the children and they know the children will need
support for a long time. One wears a beautiful shell bracelet made for her
by one of the girls who has become like a little sister. Another favored
volunteer’s arms, face, and t-shirt have been decorated by playful
children using colored markers. Both the volunteers and the children who
cling to them are finding it difficult to even conceive of their leaving.

Psychologist Marleen Wong and psychiatric social worker Suh Chen Hsiao of
the National Center for Trauma & Bereavement tell the volunteers they have
given the children a great gift by providing a school and a routine for
the children. Research shows that children who go back to school soon
after a disaster fare better than children who have no routine for a long
period of time. They also praise the volunteers for developing such strong
bonds with the children and then urge those who are leaving to find a new
local volunteer they trust to work together with the children before they
leave. They also urge the volunteers themselves to get together after they
leave Hongzbaizhen to talk through their feelings among peers who
understand what it is to try to provide comfort to traumatized children
living in a tent school surrounded by rubble and soldiers wearing white
masks spreading disinfectant on the site where so many of their friends
died.

The volunteers, some with tears in their eyes, explain why they are
worried for the children and feel helpless because they cannot help them
more. They worry about a 5-year-old girl with a scar on her back from
being buried by debris who screams whenever she sees a collapsed building,
an unavoidable sight in this mostly leveled town. A thirteen year old
boy, the last to be pulled out of the middle school, refuses to come to
the tent school so close to where he was trapped. A six year-old boy whose
two brothers died, draws a picture with cherries because his brothers
liked cherries, but this volunteer thinks he is too calm, too
matter-of-fact: “I am so worried about him. I ache for him.”

Wong tells them they have done well. “Do not underestimate how much good
kindness can do.” She recommends that they continue to reach out to the
13-year-old afraid to go to school. Visit him at home, offer him some
water, bring him some notes from his friends. For the 5-year-old, try to
have her draw or tell why she is screaming and help her learn to breathe
deeply when she is afraid so that slowly, slowly the screams become less
frequent and finally go away. And for the too-calm child, sometimes
children have a delayed reaction, which is why long-term help is so
crucial: “We have to wait for the child.”

For the Hongbaizhen parents heartbroken by the loss of their children,
there was no delayed reaction—they have expressed their grief since the
day of the earthquake and they still show it in their eyes that well up
with tears even when they express nascent hope for a future life. On this
one month anniversary one tiny mom, her hair flecked with gray, shows
visitors cell phone photos of the two children she lost. She lowers her
arms to illustrate the unthinkable, the collapse of her daughters’ school.
She walks slowly away, but not without first thanking Half the Sky and
everyone else who has come to help. It is that support, she says, that has
recently made it possible for her to start to at least imagine a future
for herself without her children.

And a short climb up one of the mountains that made Hongbaizhen renowned
for its beauty before it became renowned for its suffering, parents are
still trying to comfort their children, who died four weeks ago. At the
four-tiered hillside cemetery with hundreds of children’s freshly made
graves, parents have laid things that their children once loved—a pink
backpack, wrapped candy, spicy Sichuanese snacks, a big teddy bear and a
stuffed monkey. A weeping dad injured in the quake, his arm still in a
sling, burns paper money and incense and apologizes to his child. “I am so
sorry. This is the first time I could come. I hope you don’t mind,” while
his wife wails the lament of every parent who has wished that they could
have saved the life of the child even at the cost of their own: “Mommy is
here for you. How could you go before us? Please wait for us.”

If you would like to donate to Half the Sky’s Children’s Earthquake Fund
you can do so by calling Half the Sky (+1-510-525-3377) or visit our
website:
http://give.halfthesky.org/prostores/servlet/Categories?category=Children's+Earthquake+Fund


If you would like a Canadian tax receipt, please donate at
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s86248

If you would like a Hong Kong tax receipt, please call Half the Sky – Asia
(+852-2520-5266) or donate online at
https://www.paydollar.com/b2c2/eng/charity/payInfo.jsp?charityId=4947

If you’d like to view previous earthquake journal entries:
http://www.halfthesky.org/journal/

Thank you!

with love,

Jenny

Ps – For our many new friends - Half the Sky is a global NGO that
establishes and operates programs that provide emotional and educational
support for orphaned children living in government-run welfare
institutions in China