Hundred of members prepare thousands of emergency kits for those in need 

Shortly after a call for help from Church leaders, over 600 Hong Kong members of all ages traveled to nearby Shenzhen, China on May 23rd and 24th. The call was to assemble 10,000 daily necessities kits for earthquake victims of Sichuan, China. Said one Shenzhen news reporter covering the event, “I have not seen so many Hong Kong residents come all at once to China to help.”

Elder Sam Chi Hong Wong, Area Seventy for Hong Kong, quoted a Chinese proverb that describes the spirit of the volunteers, “We are of one heart and one mind to provide.”

One volunteer, as she packed an emergency kit said that Hong Kong’s Latter-day Saints are not only sending daily necessities, “We are also sending our love and thoughts.” The kits consist of crackers, powder milk, canned meat, instant noodles, soap, tooth brush and paste, towels, raincoat, blanket, and drinking.

The effort was organized by Latter-Day Saint Charities under the direction of Elder Stanley Wan, an Area Seventy and Asia LDS Charities Director. Brother Bruce Lai, a Hong Kong Chinese businessman and member of the Church, made his factory in Shenzhen available for the event. China Charities Federation, our co-partner in this effort, will provide distribution of the relief supplies into the difficult terrain of the earthquake zone.

Observes Brother Bruce Lai, “The water can divide us, but our friendship (for China’s people) will not be disconnected. Our blood is thicker than water.” A third of Brother Lai’s 1,030 factory employees are from Sichuan Province. Some have left the factory to return home to help their families.

Elder Wan said, “I’m truly thankful and very impressed that so many members are so enthusiastic to come all the way from Hong Kong to help. We know we are united in our spirit and efforts to provide relief to those who suffer.”

Members had to obtain their own visas and provide their own transportation to the border. Once over the border, buses were arranged to transport members to and from the factory.

One sister reported that she took a taxi instead of the bus back to the border. After explaining to the taxi driver what she had done that day, the driver did not charge her the fare. He wanted to contribute his part in this effort, she says.

In addition to the relief supplies, a check from LDS Charities for RMB 1 million (approximately USD 144,633) was presented to the local government officials and the Shenzhen Red Cross. The funds come from Church member donations. Vice-President Zhao Li Zhen of the Shenzhen Red Cross promised to put this money to good use to save lives in Sichuan.

Lynette Chen from Hong Kong’s Victoria Branch summarized the feelings of the day when she said, “Today I witnessed the gospel in action.”