I knew Wenchuan 10 years ago when I was a student who still felt sleepy with my eyes half-closed in the first class in the afternoon. There was alarm on campus – earthquake! Teachers organized students’ evacuation quickly.
During such a few seconds, buildings in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province collapsed at the same time, causing devastation, debris, casualties, and desperate cry everywhere.
On May 12, 2008, the shocking disaster became an eternal wound in the hearts of all people of the nation.
“5.12” Wenchuan Earthquake Relic
Jiangyou City, located in the northwest of Sichuan Basin, became a severe disaster area: 394 people were killed, 43 people were missing, and nearly 20,000 were injured; large areas of houses collapsed and all roads and bridges were damaged; 340,000 people became homeless, nearly 200,000 citizens had to stay in the open air.
The quake stricken area had concerns from all the people nationwide. Lao Niu Foundation quickly took action and donated RMB 5.6 million to support post-earthquake reconstruction in the earthquake-stricken area and the building of “Gensheng Philanthropic Home” to implement accurate assistance to “the elderly, orphans, and the disabled”who had lost all families by delivering bailout money and organizing “Gensheng Philanthropic Trip”, helping them out of the earthquakeshadowunder warm comfort.
Ten years ago, Wenwen was still a child. Her parents’ death left her with a heavy blow and she could only dependon her grandparentswith slender income. This young lady had suffered so much from the catastrophe until she came to “Gensheng Philanthropic Home”.
Hereshe regains family’s warmth; hereshe had the opportunity to participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games trip, whichdid open her window of understanding the world. She became eager to studyhard and firmly, and eventually entered university.
Sheknew from her experience in childhood that only studying could help contribute to her good future. During her study in university, she worked hard in part-time jobs and also tutored during vacation. She wanted to tellchildren with similar suffering about her experience, bring love and care to them, become children’s enlightenment teacher, and teach and educate people.
I saw Wenwen on May 9th when she was preparing lessons for children. She is 25 years old now and working as a Chinese teacher in a primary school, a head teacher of 46 children.
“I learned to take care of myself and the others in Gensheng Philanthropic Home. Apart from us children, many elderly people also lived there. We helped deliver meal to them and do their laundry like a family living together, and we also had get-togethers for making jiaozi and having New Year’s dinner during Spring Festival”.
In the interview, I felt that her childhood was substantialand was proud of her determination to become a talented person. Wenwen said: “It was Gensheng Philanthropic Home that gave me the warmth of a family, made me bravely survive the disaster with great hope of future”.
“It’s already 10 years since Wenchuan earthquake and I’ve already grown up! I want to be a kind person, have good things in my mind, keep learning, and enrich myself; I want to be a person with positive energy, and I also want to work harder and pursue postgraduate studies .”
Firm words show her longing and untiring pursuit of a good life. 10 years is just a node, but a new beginning for those who keep fighting.
It has been 10 years since Wenchuan earthquake, the elderly in Gensheng Philanthropic Home are enjoying their twilight years calmly, and some are already gone; however, for these children, all of them have grown up with their own dream and pursuit.
10 years has passed likewater flow, the appearance of the disaster stricken area has been completely renewed. What have changed are people and homeland, and what remains unchangedis the great love and action.
