Flooding

People with their belongings flee their homes after a landslide caused by torrential rain in Leigu township, Beichuan counry of southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Sept. 24, 2008.

CHENGDU, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) — At least 14 people were killed in the quake-battered Sichuan province where torrential rains triggered disasters, confirmed local government on Thursday. The victims were from Mianyang city, where 40 others were reported missing. Nearly 1.19 million people there were affected by rainstorms.

Downpour and ensuing flash floods, landslides and mud-rock flows also destroyed 42,121 houses, toppled 15,979 others. Some 60,893.3 hectares of crops were ruined and 5,310 cattle were killed.

Direct economic loss was estimated at 1.2 billion yuan (about 0.18 billion U.S. dollars), according to the disaster relief office under the Mianyang city government.

In the Qingchuan county, rescuers managed to establish contact with the last five cut-off villages and townships, where basic facilities and farmlands were severely damaged but no casualties have been reported yet.

Rescuers are repairing the damaged roads and cables while water and electricity supplies are on the way.

Rainstorm swept the southwestern province on Wednesday, plaguing the people there still recovering from the May 12 massive earthquake.

Earthquake reflections

Hi again,

It has been pouring rain here and has caused a great deal of flooding. The thunder and lightening has been very strong. Even the old people here say they have never seen rain like this before. It is unusually strong. They have had 7 meters of flooding in some areas. The tents people are living in from the earthquake are being flooded and living conditions are becoming more extreme for these poor people. The work is difficult because people cannot attend some workshops because roads are impassable, they can’t sleep at nights and they are getting sick due to such poor living conditions.

Rubble

The group we are presently working with seems to be more severely traumatized than they realize. There is still a fair amount of dissociation. They do the exercises and like them a lot because they are bringing some immediate physical relief to their bodies. They report sleeping much better and feel lighter in their bodies. But it is interesting that they do not have much realization of their life beyond their immediate physical condition. They still can’t reflect on what has happened or identify much of their emotional state. Most will tell me they do not suffer from PTSD anymore but I am very doubtful. I don’t think they will become aware of the depth of the emotional toe this experience has had on them for quite some time still. However, I am still very happy and hopeful that these exercises are bringing them some immediate physical relief and even a sense of pleasure. They often report feeling lighter, less stressed and even happy that they can do these exercises at home. They have begun to teach their spouses and children with very positive results.

Despair

It would still be great if all of you could think positive thoughts, send white light, pray for them or whatever it is you do to help people. We have to put our collective belief systems together to work as a whole family of people on the planet. The suffering here is huge. It is beyond the scope of what most of us could ever imagine. The town I am working in now had 2000 children killed in the schools. Every family is affected and the loneliness, emptiness and pain is immense and well as pervasive. Once again, I feel so amazingly blessed that I have the opportunity to live among and work with these people. Where else on this planet is life being lived at such a deep level of human suffering? A profound experience that I can only believe and hope is having profound changes in me as well. It will probably only sink in after I have left here because each day is filled with different sights, sounds, foods, smells, experiences, relationships, stories and people that I can only live in the present moment. All of my senses are so overwhelmed each day it feels as though I live a week’s lifetime in just a single day. There is so much to process at the end of each day I can’t keep up with my internal processing. I must admit, I love the experience, just as I have loved most of my international experiences but I suspect I will have a lot to process when I return.

Love to all.

Dave

Click here to see all 29 pictures.

Workshop experience

Hello all,

I have been working from 7:AM to 10:PM for the last week. That’s why I
haven’t been able to update the blog. Tomorrow is Sunday and I will have a
day of rest. Hopefully, I will be able to write a bit more and send some
pictures and a short video.

The 25 participants of my first workshop loved their experience in
bodywork. They worked hard and had some amazing breakthroughs in their
bodies. The first workshop in one of the most damaged areas of the
earthquakes is over. It was a huge success and the participants all want
to be certified to teach this technique to others.

The most common feelings that surfaced were loneliness and emptiness. I
can only wonder if this isn’t a collective experience of a traumatized
culture. Did the earthquake cause these emotions? Possibly, but I am not
sure yet. If these feelings continue to surface in other workshops with
other participants, I think it might be the most prevalent feeling of this
traumatized culture.

The people I have worked with so far seem very integrated and healthy
despite the horrible tragedy they have just endured. The infrastructure is
being rebuilt at remarkable speed. Shortly after the earthquake huge tent
cities were built to house those who were displaced. Many of these people
are already moving into new housing that was built at reduce prices by the
government. The temporary schools are actually quite beautiful. The are
aluminum housing shelters that have cement floors, air conditioning,
electricity and all the creature comforts. They don’t replace the
beautiful school buildings that were destroyed but they are excellent for
temporary school buildings.

The buildings that collapsed during the earthquakes have already been
leveled and plowed. However, there is a large number of building that are
still standing but are structurally unsound. All of these will have to be
demolished and rebuilt. This is a huge undertaking but the government has
a goal of rebuilding all the schools that were destroyed within three
years. It is quite a feat but from what I have seen so far, they will
achieve this goal.

I will write more later.

Love to all,
Dave

The band

This is a video from the elementary school.

Trauma Releasing Exercises enter China

Here is a short video teaching Trauma Releasing Exercises in China.

First workshop experience

Hello all,

I have been working from 7:AM to 10:PM for the last week. That’s why I
haven’t been able to update the blog. Tomorrow is Sunday and I will have a
day of rest. Hopefully, I will be able to write a bit more and send some
pictures and a short video.

The 25 participants of my first workshop loved their experience in
bodywork. They worked hard and had some amazing breakthroughs in their
bodies. The first workshop in one of the most damaged areas of the
earthquakes is over. It was a huge success and the participants all want
to be certified to teach this technique to others.

The most common feelings that surfaced were loneliness and emptiness. I
can only wonder if this isn’t a collective experience of a traumatized
culture. Did the earthquake cause these emotions? Possibly, but I am not
sure yet. If these feelings continue to surface in other workshops with
other participants, I think it might be the most prevalent feeling of this
traumatized culture.

The people I have worked with so far seem very integrated and healthy
despite the horrible tragedy they have just endured. The infrastructure is
being rebuilt at remarkable speed. Shortly after the earthquake huge tent
cities were built to house those who were displaced. Many of these people
are already moving into new housing that was built at reduce prices by the
government. The temporary schools are actually quite beautiful. The are
aluminum housing shelters that have cement floors, air conditioning,
electricity and all the creature comforts. They don’t replace the
beautiful school buildings that were destroyed but they are excellent for
temporary school buildings.

The buildings that collapsed during the earthquakes have already been leveled and plowed. However, there is a large number of building that are still standing but are structurally unsound. All of these will have to be demolished and rebuilt. This is a huge undertaking but the government has a goal of rebuilding all the schools that were destroyed within three years. It is quite a feat but from what I have seen so far, they will achieve this goal.

I will write more later.

Love to all,
Dave