still shaking

As the death toll of the earthquake keeps rising, I'm so so thankful that everyone I know is OK, but deeply mournful for those who are not. This disaster hit a lot closer to home than most; I felt the same rumbles that felled buildings and killed thousands of people who, just like me, were going about their lives with no expectation that something so disastrous would happen so suddenly.

Xi'an escaped mostly unscathed. I have heard that a crane fell and killed three construction workers and I have seen several slightly damaged buildings, but thankfully that seems to be the extent of it. People are shaken up and paranoid, but they're sleeping inside again.

I wish I could say the same for all of China, but what felt like a 5.8 earthquake here in Xi'an was a 7.9 in western Sichuan. Too many lives and homes have been lost. Thankfully my friend Meg in Chengdu is OK, both because she is a dear friend and wonderful person and also because she is working hard to help some of the people most affected to recover from this disaster. Meg's time thus far in China has been spent doing microfinance and community development with a rabbit farming village west of Chengdu, and she is able to use her skills and contacts at this crucial time to help villagers in the affected region begin the process of rebuilding. If you are able, please donate money to support this earthquake relief project. Every little bit will help.