No one wants to see or experience disaster. When the worst happens, what would you do? On May 12th, 2008, a massive earthquake hits China, Sichuan province. In a matter of minutes, buildings crumble, houses collapse, debris scatter everywhere. It is the biggest nature disaster ever recorded in China History.

The local residences are in shock. Everything about them looks so surreal, like a daunting nightmare, an unspeakable horror that goes beyond the imagination of a mind. Houses, people, cities and villages, one after another they vanish from the face of the earth, as if all of sudden the entire world comes to an end.

In the mix of chaos and anguish, a middle-aged man wanders about a pile of rubble, searching and calling. He is not looking for his loved ones, but a couple of tourists who might be trapped underneath a crumbled building. The site uses to be the man’s three-story family-owned hotel. (He was doing some yard work at the time of the quake, and narrowly escaped the doom without an injury.) Strong aftershocks continue to pound the area. Hour after hour, he calls into the rubble, with a glimmer of hope that the couple, which had just checked into the hotel a few minutes before the earthquake hit might still be alive. His persistence pays off. After a day and a night of tireless search, a weak voice finally answers his call. The hotel owner quickly locates the injured woman, and then rushes to get help. The rescue workers arrive. Alas, one of the tourists is found alive and pulled free from the rubble.

In the City of Cheng Du, many buildings and houses are cracked and badly damaged. Residents camp outside, on the streets. A young father crawls back into his badly damaged house three times, against his wife’s will. It is about dinnertime. He needs to feed his family. He finds a big pot and a small bag of rice. As he is cooking porridge for his family, a small crowd gathers about him, people ask how much he would sell for a bowl of porridge. He says to them, “Come and eat with us if you are hungry. It’s free.” On that day, a pot of porridge fed over thirty people.

The disaster not only affects millions residents, many world famous animals also call Sichuan home, among them, Panda, the cutest vegetarian bear of all. Every year, tens thousands people visit WoLoon to see the adorable Panda. A group of tourists is visiting the Panda Camp when the earthquake strikes. Within minutes, all the roads are blocked by fallen debris; mountains are leveled. There is no way in or out of the area. Scared, thirsty and hungry, the tourists desperately need help. The local villagers share the little food they have left with the strangers, food that they rescue from the rubbles. Even though the locals have lost everything they own, they would not take any money from the grateful visitors. They are just glad that they can help them.

Days and weeks following the earthquake, reporters find this strange sight: Hundreds taxis and private owned cars drive about the disaster area; they volunteer their time and services to aid people in need. The gasoline price climbs so high worldwide. Just to fill up the tank is quite a challenge, yet, no one complaints. They busy about, helping each other during this difficult time.
An old saying has that: “A disaster brings out the best and the worst in people.” From those dirt- covered, exhausted faces, we see purity, kindness, and generosity, a kind of beauty that cannot be put into words. May god bless them all!

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