"The notebook is a lasting reminder of the pain and of what we should do to help," she said.

On Monday, Shi, manager of a Beijing-based computer company, flew to Chengdu, bringing 30 tons of milk powder, bottled water, canned food and biscuits and quilts with the help of her colleagues. They then went by truck to Shifang City, one of the worst hit areas.

On the day Shi departed, warnings were issued that there could be 6- to 7-magnitude aftershocks in Sichuan, and her daughter and husband were worried.

"But I just wanted to be there, even if just to give them a cup of water," she said. Shi's company has donated more than 8 million yuan (1.13 million U.S. dollars) since the earthquake.

Like Shi, thousands of volunteers have flooded the quake-hit areas, providing care, cash and aid to the quake victims.

"A catastrophe like this demands a continuous outpouring of help. I hope the influx of aid and care can be long-lasting," she said.

"I've heard so much about the earthquake, but being there is something unbearable. The scale of destruction is so big. You couldn't even imagine people had lived here," she said.

The aftermath is profound: epidemic prevention, psychological counseling, medical treatment, and rebuilding homes, schools and in some cases, whole cities.

"I'm afraid in a few months' time, people will go back to their lives, and forget the people in Sichuan," wrote Jin Yurong, a psychological counselor in Beijing who has returned from Sichuan. "The quake survivors can't afford a second round of desertion."

"A 10-year-old boy I counseled left me the cell phone numbers of his deceased parents, and asked me to call. Another boy turned away when people tried to touch him. His arm was broken and he witnessed the death of his friend," she wrote.

"These children need long-time counseling and help, and I've made my vow to give it all," she wrote.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2008)