Saturday

Up to 2:00pm, May 17th, 28,881 confirmed dead, 198,347 injured from the earthquake in Sichuan, China. Focus of flood relief work will be shifted from urban to rural areas. (Source: CCTV-news channel)

Mr. He Wen and Mr. Shu Heng visited Du Jiangyan today and making coordination for more volunteers to go to Chengdu;

Mr. Zheng Ye, Yue Yaomeng and Lu Guanghui (Principal Shan Gou) distributed 450 tents today in Zhong Xin township, Mianyang city.

While they are there, they interviewed the victims and making preparation for more volunteers on counseling to come.

From early in the morning yesterday, Mr. Yue Yaomeng was abundantly blessed by Amity staff from the office in Nanjing. However, due to communication problem, signals were blocked and Yaomeng was cut off link with the headquarters for over 8 hours. It was only until late in the night when he travelled to the town in Mianyang, had he received all the text messages from colleagues and realized it was a special day (his birthday). "Tears and being moved become part of my life right since the day I came here", Yaomeng says in his text message, "With you, I have strength"

Advertisement put up on the Amity website for experienced counselling personnel. Within 24 hours, over 50 people applied. A small team specialized in consoling will be sent to Sichuan to join the team that's already there. A special seminar on disaster relief counseling have been arranged at Amity office on Monday morning. Ms. Karen Gabe, a professor of Psychology, who was also a former Amity teacher will be giving the lecture.

"...Most encouraging the BBC have put a link to Amity on their main site, so this is very encouraging, as their reach is far and wide. Premier radio (a Christian radio station) has interviewed me and Tricia several times, and have given lots of exposure to the work you are doing. Other friends elsewhere in the world will be doing similar efforts. This is not for others, just I hope for encouragement to you and other friends at Amity, that through the long hours you are working many many people are sharing the good work you are doing far and wide..."