By Catholic News Service

CHENGDU, China (CNS) — Despite treacherous conditions brought on by spring snows and sub-freezing temperatures, a church-run relief agency has sent staff and emergency aid to earthquake survivors in a remote region of northwest China.

Catholic Jinde Charities, affiliated with the Caritas Internationalis, the Vatican-based umbrella organization for Catholic charities, sent a truckload of relief supplies including emergency food and tents to the region, where 2,000 people were killed and 12,000 were wounded in the magnitude 6.9 quake April 14.

“Eight of our people have arrived in the earthquake region. The first were there two days after the quake,” Father Paul Han, vice director of Jinde Charities, said from a coordination center the agency opened in Chengdu, in China’s Sichuan province.

“Among them are Sisters who have special medical training or can offer counseling. Many of our staff has already worked with victims of the Sichuan earthquake two years ago,” he said.

Other Caritas agencies were aiding Jinde. Caritas Taiwan supplied hundreds of quilts, jackets and shoes to victims in the region.

Father Han said much of the agency’s effort is focused on migrant workers in Daizha, a village of 12,000 where 112 people died.

“The migrants’ housing conditions were poor. Many of their houses collapsed,” the priest said.

Jinde Charities reported that difficulties delivering the aid were compounded because of wintry weather and the remoteness of the high-altitude region.

“Our staff is having difficulties coping with the altitude,” Father Han said. “But we need to get aid to the people suffering from freezing temperatures up there. Aid is getting to the area around the epicenter, but people in the remote areas are suffering the most.”

Jinde Charities is also working with the Catholic Social Service Center of the Xi’an Diocese in relief efforts.

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