River of Hearts May 31st, 2008 Sorting Party Recap

The first half of the year 2008 will forever be remembered by the Chinese people. With them, the foreign community in Shanghai is experiencing a blend of extreme joy and pain as we see countless media coverage of Olympic features contrasting with natural disasters. For the second time this year, River of Hearts sorting parties were coincidentally scheduled to followed these events and has been an outlet for all to join efforts to express their zeal in helping their fellowmen.

Today, in China, volunteering and charity work take another dimension and capture the headlines of newspapers. Commentators of TV shows and reporters are scouting the land in search of common citizens contributing in their own way to alleviate the pain of anonymous human beings.

As a contributor, River of Hearts was invited to share their mission on ICS Channel. Rudi represented the charity and it is fair to say that one of the highlight of the sorting party was to acknowledge the contribution that he, his wife Lydia and Betty their co-coordinator have made to the charity. For five consecutive years, they have faithfully toiled behind the ROH scene to coordinate so that the sorting events would run as smoothly as possible. They are now returning to South Africa and the United States and are passing the torch to Daniel, Marguerite and Mark. When the in-coming coordinators considered the possibility of following in their path and the veterans trusted them with their grown-up ROH baby, they were wise enough to not reveal the complexity of organizing such an event. Some of us had joined a sorting party once but failed to perceive the iceberg beneath the sea. We were faced with countless questions, unknown equations and ever changing sponsors. It looked like a sorting party was no party at all.

Our inexperience quickly showed and we were put to the test time and again but the serene trust of the volunteers as well as their abilities to see it through gave us courage. It showed us that River of Hearts is much greater than our efforts in organizing it. In fact, they are hundred of people focusing their thoughts and efforts to make it happen. We were never left alone.

There is always something magical when people from different ethnic background and social status renounce for a day at their identity to join in this organized confusion and become a ROH family member. Thankfully, with the on-going change of coordinators, volunteers came forward with their expertise and skills to carry on the sorting.    

In the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake, 330 volunteers came to YewChung International School in Gubei, Puxi to show their support and make the event a success. Three trucks were necessary to collect all the clothes that translated into 492 boxes shipped to Henan province. We had a Sichuan corner where 180 quilts were given from an unknown donor and 40 boxes of new clothes were set aside for another shipment. There were an unusual large amount of toys and shoes which might be providential for our beneficiaries. Party On (Johnny Moo restaurant), Dandelion (Syzygy restaurant) and StarBucks sponsors came forward and contributed greatly with delicious food and coffee. The volunteers queued expectantly in the shade of the outdoor cafeteria for sandwiches, salads and muffins. The sorting party was a party after all.

This shipment will not have been possible without the volunteers’ help and the sponsors’ contributions. We have the satisfaction to know that the sorting party will make a difference in the lives of the poor people in the Chinese countryside of Henan and Sichuan.

Finally, in addition to a few gifts, tears and words of appreciation to our dear friends, we all sung a song borrowed from Steward Little 2. Coincidentally a mouse came out of a box to perhaps remind us that River of Hearts is ultimately meant to PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN SOMEONE’S HEART.