Monday afternoon, May 12 at 2:28 pm Sichuan Province experienced a disastrous 7.9 magnitude earthquake. The epicenter of the quake was only 50 miles from our city of Chengdu. Buildings in Chengdu rocked hard for three straight minutes. Michelle was in our apartment on the 16th floor. Bill was at the Hua Mei office on the 6th floor. The movement was so severe that retreating down the stairs would have resulted in injury.

When the initial earthquake stopped, thousands of people poured out into the streets away from buildings. Cell phone signals were instantly overloaded. Bill rushed home through the crowds to find Michelle. After a tense period of about 20 minutes we found each other in the street in front of our apartment building. We stood with others in the street while strong aftershocks continued. It was frightening to say the least.

We spent the first night in a hotel because authorities did not allow us back into our building. Thankfully, our apartment suffered only minor damage such as cracked and fallen plaster.

Bill and Michelle Cayard have lived in Chengdu since 2004, the Cayards are on staff of a local non-profit educational center, Hua Mei International (HMI), started by Chinese Christians to provide education and social ministry to the Chinese people. This relationship allowed CBF to contribute immediately to relief efforts.

Though it is not a relief organization, HMI was well positioned to offer immediate assistance to those in areas affected by the earthquake. Over the past 4 years, Hua Mei has developed a network of registered church pastors and leaders throughout Sichuan province. This network has enabled Hua Mei to sponsor development, education and outreach projects in various cities across Sichuan province. HMI’s network includes churches and pastors in four of the areas significantly impacted by the earthquake, Pengzhou County in Chengdu prefecture, Deyang Prefecture, Jiangyou County in Mianyang Prefecture, and Guangyuan Prefecture.

By May 13, HMI received news of the situation in these affected areas by telephone. An assessment trip was quickly organized to Dujiangyan (Chengdu prefecture) and coordinating shipments of food and water to other areas began. Churches in areas of Sichuan not significantly impacted were mobilized to purchase available supplies and send them to Chengdu by hired trucks. During the first three weeks of response, HMI delivered 8 truckloads of supplies to 4 different areas. May 21-22 HMI held a 2-day training session for 65 pastors and lay leaders to provide training on disaster response and recovery, and post-disaster counseling.

This home and registered church meeting point in Anxian County was functionally destroyed by the May 12 earthquake. We pray that CBF response funding will provide help for this small body of believers. Anxian is located at the foot of the mountains on the western edge of the Sichuan basin. The road leading westward into the mountains from this location is litered with severly damaged and leveled structures. Anxian is in Mianyang prefecture where CBF has ongoing relationships with registered churches.