Natives, expats form charity bond

NATIVES and expatriates together enjoyed live music by the Buhao Boy’s Band, beer and food, had fun and got involved supporting the Sichuan earthquake survivors at the Muslim Restaurant at Zhouzai on Jiuzhou Avenue, Jida, Friday night. A total of 6,000 RMB ($857), including $100 and HK$100 dollars, were collected on behalf of the municipal Charity Federation for the disaster areas, according to Chris Huababaua, co-founder of the band.
With an 88-yuan ticket, each of the 150 participants could have three free drinks and buffet from 6 to 9pm. A quarter of the ticket price went to the charity. Besides, after 9pm, all proceeds from the sale of any alcoholic beverages went to the charity as well. “Then we’ll make some auctions and we’ll allow the people to put the money in the box up there, and then we’ll try to get the money together,” Chris told this reporter.
Auction items included two wines and two champagnes from Rudy Lu, a returned overseas Chinese who operates a restaurant; the first broken drumstick of the Buhao Boy’s, DVDs and a DVD player bought by the band members, Douglas Gillespie, a co-founder of the band from Canada, explained.
Bavarian Chris, Australian Macca, Doug, Gus Martin of Argentina and Canada; Brian “Butters” Mason from California, German Marcus Albrecht, the youngest talented lad in the band, played jazz, blues, rock ‘n roll, country and other styles of music.
Live music, food, beer and beverage feted the charity enthusiasts from different parts of the world. “It’s nothing to do with whether you’re a Chinese person or foreign person. It’s nothing to do with whether you live in China or live somewhere outside China. We talk here about a whole area that has been destroyed. It’s like a global thing and everybody should give support,” Chris said.
“Everyone is talking about foreigners and Chinese people, like separating them as though they’re two different species. But it’s not. We’re all human. Humans help each other,” Marcus, 21, said.
He pointed out: “It doesn’t depend on how old you are or what your nationality is. It depends on how you were raised and how open-minded you are.” He illustrated how children in the kindergarten where he works offered to help the victims. When they heard there was not enough mother milk and infant formula in the disaster area, all the children went home and told their parents to do something. Then every child bought a milk powder box to the school and the teachers packed them up in huge boxes and sent them to Sichuan. “Even though they’re small, they got things they can do,” Marcus said.
Randal Martin, an American who instructs at Jinlu (Golden Road) Kindergarten, expressed compassion for the victims, saying: “I feel sad. The people really need help.” He said he would do something to make himself feel somewhat relieved. “You have to do it because of you -- your passion,” he said. He also expressed his wish to adopt a baby.
Yang Yuanyuan, who won the bidding for a DVD series titled Earth by offering $100, said: “It doesn’t matter how much it is worth. What matters is I can do something to help the victims in the earthquake-hit areas.”
Kingsleg Phillips, an Australian who outbid for a DVD series with 600 yuan ($86), gave the DVD to a friend right away and put six hundred in the collection box. “It’s not about what it is. It’s about what the money does and if one can get help,” he said. He said that when he learned of the disaster in Sichuan Province, he didn’t know what he could do. Now he felt relieved that this money would go to help Chinese families to rebuild their lives, he noted.
David, 69, said the earthquake is one of the biggest tragedies of his life. “The poor people can’t take any more -- dams broke, more aftershocks,” he said. Learning about the catastrophe, David rushed to the China Red Cross Society Zhuhai Branch to donate money on May 15, becoming the first foreigner registered to make donations in Zhuhai. He noted that he was absolutely amazed when he saw Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao staying to see something about a rescuer at the site where there would have been aftershocks at anytime. “He is a terrific guy,” he acclaimed, adding: “I’m one of his fans.”
A co-organizer of the charity event, Doug regretted that it’s a matter of fact that people do something together in a hard time. On the other hand, he felt it a good thing that something like this brings people together. “Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do,” he said.
“We’re brothers and sisters, and our help is needed,” Doug said. “We can be lucky that we don’t have the hardships. We can enjoy the nice meal. We go home to a dry bed at night. We don’t have to worry that we don’t have a tent,” he continued.
Doug recently married Helen, who is Chinese. Explaining why he got involved in the charity show, he said: “I came to China, and China welcomed me. I have a job in China. I have a family in China. I have a life in China. Of course I’m connected to it. This is my community. Community is not where you work; community is where you are. So you have to take all of these things.”
For victims in the disaster areas, Doug said: “We have no choice, because life is going to go on with them and for us, and this is going to get all better.” There is going to be a lot of emotional and personal loss that can never be replaced, but life will carry on and people are going to rebuild, he noted.
Chen Ying, director of the Zhuhai Blue Angel Charity Community, noted that an increasing number of Chinese people are joining charity actions and that charity awareness has greatly improved over the years. “Charity deeds are rewarding and people get happiness in return,” he said.