Word from Zhang Xue Ying in Sichuan Province

Today I received this word from my friend and business associate Zhang Xue Ying, who goes by Michelle. She is a director for the Sichuan Convention Center. Read what is happening there.

Please Pray for all of Sichuan Province!

My editing is in brackets...
"Dear Eric,

I am fine. My family is fine. My associates and friends are all fine. However, we are losing so many lives in other small counties which were heavily damaged. The earthquake is the most heavy one in our county. I think you know the number of lost people right now, and the number
is still [rising]. The whole nation is trying to save as many lives as [possible]. Our Prime Minister has been here since Monday when it happened. I really like him.

The earthquake stroked around 2:30PM. I was in my office on 8th floor along with my associates. We were terrified and ran [out of] the building....... Mobile was down in that afternoon...... Later on, we knew that the quake center is 92km away from our city, the city with
more than 10 million people. But the counties [closer] to the central [read: epicenter] were in catastrophe.

It is so horrible to see this [happen], but it is also [encouraging] to see so many people try to do their best to save others. The government, the troops, and the professionals( doctors, rescue team, including red cross). Lots of citizens volunteered to do small things. I know "God help those who help themselves". But it is so depressing and make hearts so sad when seeing the lost of lives, the most of all, the dead children.......

Thanks so much for your care. I can't see your [blog] you wrote. Would you please forward to me? Also, thanks for your saying" what can I do for all of you?". I got other phones from friends from Demark, Canada and the United States and felt so warm by the same saying. I don't know what
I could do for others. I might go to the " Children Center" tomorrow. I have signed on the volunteer list. If you could do something to help with the children who lost their parents or ability, that would be most kind and [merciful].

The city was sleepless for the first two nights. It is quieter now.

Michelle"

Don't forget Zimbabwe... or Burma... or China

Lately, as a result of the web, anyone who reads this will also read more about natural (and man-made) disasters than ever before, like the Cyclone in Burma and the foolish actions of the Elite there. Sichuan Province, specifically the earthquake and the struggle to survive in Chengdu and in the northwestern rural areas, is front page news worldwide.

It is absolutely horrible that people are dying, regardless of where. However, it's good to know what is happening, especially since the Chinese government made it seem like their West was off limits to foreign reports lately. Yes, Tibet is a lot different than Sichuan, but news from outside the Megalopolises (or is it megalopoles? ;-) of Shanghai, Beijing, and other Eastern cities is helpful to me, in a way. I believe that more interconnection -- with news and business -- is a good thing, although it poses one important question: Should I buy from China when Christians and Buddhists there either have their freedom to worship God restricted or stolen from them?

THE REAL REASON FOR MY BLOG ENTRY

About two weeks before the earthquake, I met someone for the first time from Sichuan; pardon me, I may have met another previously without knowing. I live and work from the U.S.A., in the Baltimore/Washington Megalopolis. I received a lead for my Event Management Software solution company (called a2z, Inc.) from Sichuan's Convention Center. The lady, Zhang Xue Ying who goes by Michelle, was personable, but she was not a real prospect for my company. I will need to partner with Parrimark in Great Britian to work with her. Potentially, I can work with one of her associates in Sichuan.

Yet, now I am waiting to hear from her, praying that this lady is alive and strong. She is intelligent and helpful. I don't think she follows Jesus Christ in any significant way, since, in China, many jobs are just not available to you if you follow a religion. That's OK, for the moment, but I think about eternal souls, including Michelle's. No offense to anyone here -- I am not the judge of a person's motives and heart. Hopefully, I will get to hear from her soon to know a little more about Michelle's worldview. That would be great.

So, I ask God this morning at 1 AM local time -- Is she OK? Why did this happen? How can I help her and her fellow citizens in Sichuan? I don't know. I only know that God is in control of my relationships, including my business interactions.

More to come... I have very urgent news about what is hapening in Zimbabwe. There is an orphanage there named Eden Children's Village, which is under desperate attack, both spiritually and physically. Please pray for calm and godly leadership. If anyone, including President Robert Mugabe, is in charge, I would accept it IF thugs were not attacking people in the street and in their homes because of their Political Affiliation. However, Mugabe is in power, his ZANU-PF party supports violence against its political rivals and any foreigner who attempts to stay neutral. Eden Children's Village is supported by ME and hundreds, if not thousands of Christians in the USA. Please pray for their safety, and I will give you more information soon.

Have a Truly Successful Day!
Eric Hatch
MrEricHatch@yahoo.com

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