ASIA/CHINA - Caritas of France and Germany meet with the representatives from Chinese Catholic charity to coordinate aid efforts; Beijing parishes, all the poor boxes read “Aid for Earthquake Victims.”

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - Dr. Reinhard Würkner, Head of the Asian Department of the Deutscher Caritasverband, and his colleague Aloysius John of Caritas France confirm that the first aid efforts are being carried out to offer relief to the people of Si Chuan (in the southwest region of continental China) suffering from the aftermath of the earthquake, through Jinde Charities (a Chinese Catholic organization for charitable services). According to the head of Jinde Charities, Dr. Würkner telephoned the headquarters of the Chinese Catholic organization to express his solidarity with them and announce the donation of 100,000 Euros to begin aid efforts. He said that the Deutscher Caritasverband would make every effort to “collaborate with the Chinese Catholics in serving the people in need.” Aloysius John, of Caritas France, assured the Chinese Catholics a 50,000 Euro-donation for immediate aid.
Tomorrow, May 16, the leaders of Deutscher Caritasverband and Caritas France will meet in Paris in order to discuss the coordination of aid efforts and collaboration with the heads of Jinde Charities. As of today, the Catholic charity service Jinde Charities has already collected over 20,000 Euros. Its emergency aid teams are being able to distribute aid thanks to the generosity of the international Catholic world.
The Chinese Catholics continue praying, raising funds, and doing whatever they can to help the earthquake victims. In Beijing, on all the poor boxes in the parishes, there is a sign that reads: “Aid for Earthquake Victims.” Masses and Rosaries are constantly being offered for the victims and the survivors and in addition, as the Holy Father has mentioned, for the relief workers, that God may sustain “all those involved in meeting the immediate needs of the victims.” One priest told Agenzia Fides that, “we know the Pope is thinking of us, of the people of Sichuan and of the neighboring provinces in China that have been heavily hit by the earthquake. We are deeply moved by this fact and it gives us even more motivation.”
The official death toll has now reached 14, 866 (14,463 in the province of Si Chuan alone, 280 in Gan Su, 106 in Shaan Xi, 14 in Chong Qing, 2 in He Nan, and 1 in Yun Nan). Over 10 million people have been directly affected by the tragedy. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 15/5/2008 - righe 28, parole 378)