On June 29, I went with volunteers from Sichuan Quake Relief in a caravan of three trucks and a minivan up to the area around Mianzhu city. The trucks were loaded down with rice, potatoes, vegetables, oil, fruit and 500 ‘med-kits.’ The news reports 10,000 people died in Mianzhu, but the city itself looks relatively intact. Much of the worst destruction took place outside of the city, in farming villages technically still part of Mianzhu

We traveled first on big highways out of Chengdu, then smaller highways, and finally small winding roads through rice paddies.

Sichuan Quake Relief trucks

People in these areas have received some vital assistance from the government, but they are still short on most necessities. As wedrive through towns people wave and smile. This woman called out “Wai gou ren! Wai gou ren” – ‘Foreigners! Foreigners’ – gave us two thumbs up, and beamed.

A local woman gives Sichuan Quake Relief two thumbs up

Wherever we stopped, a crowded gathered. People were not pushy – not desperate for our supplies – but certainly they were eager.

A crowed gathers around the trucks

When supplies need to be unloaded, there are always people to help, and more to watch.

At temples and villages we gave out food and rice

We had packed the Sichuan Quake Relief ‘med-kits’ the afternoon before. Each consisted of two metal bowls, toothpaste, 2 toothbrushes, nail clippers, a comb, a small and medium size towel, ten sanitary napkins, a small stuffed bear, a pack of dried fruit, a pack of nuts, a deck of cards, a lighter, Chinese herbal medicine for head ache and the flu, a candle, soap, mosquito repellant, and five Band-Aids. We had piled all these items in plastic basins kept together in wrapped and twisted black trash bags. Mostly they these kits were handed out at improvised tent middle schools kids.

Passing out med-kits

Each place we stopped we opened up one kit to show what was inside.

A boy examines the content of the med kits

Part of the value of distributing food in the villages is that at the same time, Sichuan Quake Relief can gather information. They ask the villagers basic questions about their situation and their needs, and then use the information to help coordinate with other NGOs.

Each time our truck pulls away from one of our stops, the crowd we have gathered all wave goodbye.

Waving goodbye

Some of the SQR team in one of the now empty trucks.

SQR, after a long day