Expectant Parents

In the village of Zhangjiaping, 32-year-old Shang Xingping and 34-year-old Wang Jiarong are expecting the arrival of their third child in mid-June. Their sons, ages 11 and 9, died in the earthquake. Each boy was in a school that collapsed. In each of their classes, more than 50 schoolchildren died.

"I named my sons Huan and Yue when they were born, wishing them to be happy and lively," said Shang. The older boy's body was never found. The younger was buried with other victims in a mass grave.

The boys attended Yingxiu Primary School. When it reopened in September, a dozen of parents confronted the Yingxiu County director of education. Shang was among them. The mother of the dead sons asked how many students of the town's middle school, primary school and kindergarten lost their lives in the earthquake. The director said he did not know about the middle and primary schools, but that only two kindergarten students had perished.

That answer infuriated some parents. When the director chuckled, a parent beat him. Police detained the attacker for a day.

"We complained about substandard construction of the school," Shang said. "But now we've stopped. It's simply beyond our reach."

Husband and wife now pin their hopes on the baby to come. They want a daughter. "If it's a girl, we only need to prepare a dowry for when she gets married," said Shang. "But if it's a boy, we will have to build a house for him and finance the wedding."

Other couples in Yingxiu have similar dreams. Many parents who lost children are looking for a second chance. They're getting help from the local family planning authority as well as a maternity and childcare center.
 
Mothers Recover

Women of the Qiang ethnic minority who live in Aba autonomous prefecture, which includes Yingxiu, are known for fine needlework. But the tradition was dying before the earthquake's aftermath encouraged a revival. Now, mothers and other women who survived the devastation are hand-stitching again to ease the emotional pain, contribute to the community and make a little money.

Deng Xiurong is a member of a stitching team at the Yingxiu Mothers Program run by the Yingxiu Social Work Station. It's sponsored by Zhongshan University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The station is located in the town's temporary housing, and the program's 96 members meet in a special room.

The needlework idea caught on after a counselor at the station noticed that one mother who lost a son in the earthquake was stitching his image on cloth. She said it was a way to remember him.

The community workers pooled their money to finance more needlework among the mothers. Deng learned the technique after the station paid her mother 80 yuan for a piece. Now, Deng visits the station regularly to meet other mothers. They share skills, discuss community issues and participate in organized activities such as dancing competitions. From time to time, sewers bring work to sell. As a rule, they brief each other about costs before setting a price. Once all agree on a reasonable price, the station pays the sewers commission.

Deng and seven other team members recently went to Guizhou Province to observe similar needlework programs run by the Miao and Dong ethnic peoples. They liked what they saw and decided to continue the tradition of their Qiang ancestors. The team's works were auctioned in Guangzhou on May 12, with proceeds going to support other activities of the Yingxiu Mothers.

Kang Jin, a community worker, said he admires the women not only for their skills but also for their spiritual strength and sense of community.

A few months ago, Kang said, heavy rain and accidents blocked the Yingxiu section of a road to Wenchuan for four days. Relief supplies and rebuilding personnel could not get through. Some villagers tried to profit by selling meal boxes to the travelers at high prices. The needlework women, however, cooked meals and gave them away. They said they were happy, and proud, to help.