Though more than 50 days have passed since the July 5 flood, some churches in Huarong County, Yueyang City, Hunan Province, are struggling with reconstruction, including Tuanxin Church. In the church, all the electrical equipment has been damaged, and there is an odor lingering.
On the afternoon of July 5, following the greatest rainfall of 2024, the Dongting Lake dam in Tuanzhou Township, Huarong County, burst, causing widespread flooding. Pastor Wang of Tuanxin Church recalled the incident with me. As soon as the government's evacuation notice arrived, residents quickly moved to safety, with no time to save their possessions; the church faced the same dilemma.
The flood gushed into the church with a large amount of silt. Situated in a low-lying area, Tuanxin Church was severely affected. The floodwater kept rising, submerging the entire first floor and even reaching the second floor. Once the floodwaters receded, the church was left covered in smelly black silt over 30 centimeters thick.
The homes of the church's believers also suffered varying degrees of damage, with more than a dozen houses being washed down. Most of the believers are elderly and are busy rebuilding their own homes; thus, they have no empty hands to help with the church’s repairs. The church hired workers in the fourth week of August, spending three days removing the silt and cleaning the building. However, a strong odor still lingers inside.
On August 24, Tuanxin Church held its first gathering after the disaster. Normally, 80 to 90 believers would attend weekly, but only a little over 50 showed up this time. The service took place in the cleaned chapel, with no electrical equipment in use. In Pastor Wang's words, it was "like a gathering in the 1980s."
The church staff assessed that Tuanxin Church has suffered losses of over 100,000 yuan. While it is unclear how the repairs will proceed, Pastor Wang Guoquan affirmed that, "We believe in the presence of the Lord. We will overcome this disaster!"
Rev. Zhang Jie, vice chairman of the Huangrong County TSPM, reported that the disaster situation at the Tuanbei, Tuandong, and Tuanjie meeting points was similar to that of Tuanxin Church.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
