Chinese Catholic Jinde Charities has sent rescue supplies to Italy, the most severely Covid-19 affected country in Europe.
The Hebei-based Jinde Charities urged Christians in China and Italy to "Ci aiutiamo vicendevolmente per combattere l'epidemia" (help each other to fight the epidemic).
Founded in 1997, the organization reported it had launched an overseas aid project against the virus on March 11, receiving donations and support from Christians at home and overseas and from local Catholic churches.
"The entire world has been mired in this pandemic, and the human race is bound together in a single destiny by this disaster. I think nobody can stay aloof or wait on the sidelines, so we must take care of each other and support one another," said Dr. Liu Guopeng, who was once a visiting religious scholar to Italy. He donated 1000 yuan to the charity.
The next day a letter from the Vatican pharmacy and the Holy See's subordinate hospitals arrived, informing of urgent material needs in detail.
On March 16, 26 boxes of supplies donated by Chinese Christians and also by non-Christians were transported to Italy, including 100,000 surgical masks, gloves and protective clothing.
Two days later, TherAsia Charity, on behalf of the local hospital, received two boxes of protective suits donated by the Vienna Chinese Church and the Jinde. They had arrived on March 19.
Jinde said that 6,000 goggles had departed from an airport in Xiamen on March 22, and that another 200,000 masks, 24,000 surgical gloves, and 5,000 suits would be prepared.
Professor Agostino Giovagnoli from Italy told Jinde that the Italian government would assist in conveying supplies through special flights, after an urgent consultation with the country's foreign affairs officials.
In 1988, Italy financially aided China in founding several medical emergency treatment centers. When SARS broke out in 2003, the European country gave support. In May 2008, when the 7.8 - magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan, Sichuan, Italian experts arrived at the epicenter to offer rescue along with supplies. A mobile hospital was quickly set up.
In China's difficult fight against the virus, Pope Francis encouraged mask donations to the country and ordered the Vatican pharmacy to purchase 100,000 Euros worth of masks.
Recently the Pope made two personal contributions of 100,000 Euros to the pandemic fight assistance fund for the elderly in China through Caritas International and Caritas Germany.
"Jinde Charities will implement the program in strict accordance with the Pope's intention to donate, especially for the Pope's anti-epidemic donation, and will help the most needy individuals and families who are suffering from the new pneumonia disease through the assistance of churches and relevant departments in the affected areas of Hubei and other places," the charity said on its official website.
As of 4:30 pm on March 23, Jinde had received donations of more than 279,000 yuan, which will be used to purchase medical material to support South Korea, Italy, and Vatican.
The charity issued this appeal: "We hope people from all walks of life in China will provide humanitarian assistance for the pandemic fight in Italy and the Vatican. Let's help each other to fight against the pandemic. Love is boundless. We sincerely invite you into us to pass on love."
- Translated by Karen Luo
意大利疫情蔓延 天主教进德公益联合教会及各界爱心人士支援抗疫
新冠肺炎疫情进一步在欧洲蔓延，意大利是最为严峻的国家。天主教进德公益基金会呼吁中意“守望相助，共抗疫情”，并积极联络海内外华人基督徒和社会各界爱心人士，将物资送往意大利疫区。
根据当地时间3月21日18时，意大利卫生部公布的数据，该国累计确诊总人数为53578例，较24小时前单日新增6557例；死亡病例累计达4825例，单日新增793例死亡病例，刷新疫情在意大利暴发以来的最高数值。意大利全国病死率突破9%，意大利也成为世界上因新冠病毒死亡人数最多的国家。
意大利主教团消息称，截止到3月19日，意大利已有33位神父不幸感染去世，另有为数众多的神父、修女和教友确诊。多位神父因深入医院重症监护室安慰病人而被感染离世。
信德网报道，3月11日，进德公益基金会设立了“抗击新冠肺炎：海外援助项目”，这得到了海内外一批爱心学者、基督徒和地方天主教会的支持。“现在全球都陷入了这种疫情大流行当中，灾难已将人类紧紧地捆绑在一起。所有人都概莫能外，也无法置身事外，所以我们应该互相关爱，互相支持。”一位积极参与奉献的天主教研究学者说。
3月16日傍晚，一批由海内外华人基督徒和社会各界爱心人士捐赠购买的防疫物资起运意大利，价值144761.2元人民币，共计26箱，包括从里斯本进口的400套杜邦防护服和8000只FFP1口罩（EN 14683 Type Ⅱ），从美国进口捐赠的1980只N95（FFP3等）医用口罩；从国内订购的三奇牌1300只N95-1医用防护口罩等防疫物资。
3月19日，信德网报道，此外，进德公益近日正筹备的10万只医用外科口罩和手套、防护服等物资将尽快送往意大利。3月18日，TherAsia慈善机构代表当地医院收到了维也纳华人教会携手进德捐赠的两箱防护服，19日已送到医院应急。
3月22日消息，6000只护目镜于22日在厦门机场装仓起运；前几日采购的10万只医用外科口罩将到货，另外20万只口罩、2.4万双医用手套及5000套防护服也将尽快备齐送往意大利疫区。
21日晚，意大利乔万里（Prof. Agostino Giovagnoli）教授来电告知，经过与意大利外交部官员紧急磋商，下周意大利政府的第二班包机将协助进德公益运送抗疫物资。
此外，国际基督教人道救援组织撒马利亚救援会也深入意大利北部，为当地家庭提供疫情紧急医疗救助，他们已将一间移动化野战医院和20吨医疗设备空运到了意大利，随行有32名医疗救护人员。救援会主席葛福临表示：“我们将会与当地的福音教会、牧师、会友及志愿者并肩作战，奉耶稣之名在当地开展救援与服侍。”
回顾过往，1988年，意大利曾无偿捐助中国建立了数个医疗急救中心；2003年中国爆发非典疫情，意大利给予了有力支持；2008年5月，中国汶川发生7.8级地震，意大利的专家团队第一时间到达地震现场并展开救援，派遣多架专机运送来大批救灾物资，并迅速在灾区建起了一所流动医院。
在中国抗击此次新冠肺炎的艰难时期，教宗方济各鼓励大家向中国捐赠口罩，并拿出10万欧元亲自嘱咐梵蒂冈大药房为中国订购口罩。近期，教宗还以个人名义通过国际明爱和德国明爱分别向中国抗疫和安老服务各捐款10万欧元。“20万欧元是方济各教宗以个人名义无条件地通过进德公益捐给中国用于抗疫防疫和安老项目，以表达他对中国人民的关爱。” 促进人类全面发展部副秘书长Mons. Segundo Tejado蒙席解释说。“进德公益将严格按照教宗的捐献意向实施项目，尤其对于教宗的抗疫捐款，将通过疫区湖北等地教会和有关部门的协助去帮助那些因新冠肺炎疾病而致贫的最有需要的个人家庭。”
目前，进德公益海外援助项目已收到捐款279，084.90元，将用于购买医用口罩、防护服等急需医疗物资，支援韩国、意大利和梵蒂冈等重疫国家抗击疫情。
随着疫情的持续恶化，意大利各地的一些医院向圣座求援。3月12日，进德公益接到了梵蒂冈大药房及圣座下属医院的急需物资函及明细。来函希望中国朋友及弟兄姐妹能提供帮助目前急需的口罩、防护服、护目镜、手套等医用防护用品。
“希望中国各界为意大利和梵蒂冈抗击疫情及时提供人道主义援助，守望相助，共渡难关。爱无疆，爱无界，真诚邀请您和我们一起传递爱。”进德公益如此呼吁。
Chinese Catholic Jinde Charities has sent rescue supplies to Italy, the most severely Covid-19 affected country in Europe.
The Hebei-based Jinde Charities urged Christians in China and Italy to "Ci aiutiamo vicendevolmente per combattere l'epidemia" (help each other to fight the epidemic).
Founded in 1997, the organization reported it had launched an overseas aid project against the virus on March 11, receiving donations and support from Christians at home and overseas and from local Catholic churches.
"The entire world has been mired in this pandemic, and the human race is bound together in a single destiny by this disaster. I think nobody can stay aloof or wait on the sidelines, so we must take care of each other and support one another," said Dr. Liu Guopeng, who was once a visiting religious scholar to Italy. He donated 1000 yuan to the charity.
The next day a letter from the Vatican pharmacy and the Holy See's subordinate hospitals arrived, informing of urgent material needs in detail.
On March 16, 26 boxes of supplies donated by Chinese Christians and also by non-Christians were transported to Italy, including 100,000 surgical masks, gloves and protective clothing.
Two days later, TherAsia Charity, on behalf of the local hospital, received two boxes of protective suits donated by the Vienna Chinese Church and the Jinde. They had arrived on March 19.
Jinde said that 6,000 goggles had departed from an airport in Xiamen on March 22, and that another 200,000 masks, 24,000 surgical gloves, and 5,000 suits would be prepared.
Professor Agostino Giovagnoli from Italy told Jinde that the Italian government would assist in conveying supplies through special flights, after an urgent consultation with the country's foreign affairs officials.
In 1988, Italy financially aided China in founding several medical emergency treatment centers. When SARS broke out in 2003, the European country gave support. In May 2008, when the 7.8 - magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan, Sichuan, Italian experts arrived at the epicenter to offer rescue along with supplies. A mobile hospital was quickly set up.
In China's difficult fight against the virus, Pope Francis encouraged mask donations to the country and ordered the Vatican pharmacy to purchase 100,000 Euros worth of masks.
Recently the Pope made two personal contributions of 100,000 Euros to the pandemic fight assistance fund for the elderly in China through Caritas International and Caritas Germany.
"Jinde Charities will implement the program in strict accordance with the Pope's intention to donate, especially for the Pope's anti-epidemic donation, and will help the most needy individuals and families who are suffering from the new pneumonia disease through the assistance of churches and relevant departments in the affected areas of Hubei and other places," the charity said on its official website.
As of 4:30 pm on March 23, Jinde had received donations of more than 279,000 yuan, which will be used to purchase medical material to support South Korea, Italy, and Vatican.
The charity issued this appeal: "We hope people from all walks of life in China will provide humanitarian assistance for the pandemic fight in Italy and the Vatican. Let's help each other to fight against the pandemic. Love is boundless. We sincerely invite you into us to pass on love."
- Translated by Karen Luo
Chinese Catholic Charity Aids Italy: Help Each Other to Fight Pandemic
