China has been paralyzed by the worst winter storms in over 50 years, and as is usual, the poor and disadvantaged are hit hardest of all. For nearly a month, some parts of China have seen heavy snowfalls and ice on a near constant basis. Deep snow and much below normal temperatures are wreaking havoc throughout wide areas. Throughout a large portion of China roads are impassable, trains are stalled in snowbanks or stranded due to massive power outages. Power generation is a problem due to coal shortages caused by rail shutdowns. Power lines are down in many places, and it may be months before power is restored everywhere. Millions of people who normally travel home for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations have found themselves stranded as travel by train, bus, and air is sporadic at best.
Many orphanages are in desperate straits, electric outages, shortages of fuel for heat, broken equipment with no way to repair it, shortages of food, skyrocketing prices as local supplies dwindle, and the lack of safe drinking water are putting children in danger. While conditions at all affected orphanages are not known, news is getting out from a few.
Half The Sky is a charitable organization that helps support orphanages with supplies, equipment, and educational support. They also supply medical assistance to children needing life saving surgical intervention. Half The Sky took their name from a speech by Mao Zedong decrying the lowly status of women in Chinese culture, saying that "Women hold up half the sky".
Please follow this link to see updates on the conditions at the orphanages supported by Half The Sky.
We would like to call your attention to Half The Sky's Little Mouse Emergency Fund . Half The Sky does not normally function as a relief agency, but they are bending their own rules in this situation. They are hoping raise funds to bring in or purchase emergency supplies of food, diapers, blankets and warm clothing, and heaters and other equipment to help the children in danger. We have made a donation to the emergency fund, as the little girl who will become our Miaya could well be one of the cold and hungry children in danger of frostbite and/or sickness as the crisis conditions continue. If your heart leads you to follow us in making a donation (and we don't need to know who you are), the children, their caregivers, and all parents of children from China as well as those of us still waiting to be united with our angels will be grateful.
Thank you,
Michael and Kimberly
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