"Volunteers working in the hospital are helping spray disinfectant water or do simple care for patients. We also organized a team to check the tents and told victims to set garbage cans outside the tent to prevent disease," Yue said.

About 20 volunteers younger than 14 had been working at the canteen, which provides free dinner and supper every day to an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 local people.

"Many girls from local middle schools came to help and never complained," Yue said before all the schools resumed classes. "They stay from 8 am to 7 pm, and some even came back to help after supper, which really moved me."

Four-year-old Niu Jingrong, the youngest patient in Yingjiang Hospital, received attention from volunteers as well as her parents. The girl's head was injured when a wall collapsed March 10, and the disaster frightened her.

"She seldom ate at the very beginning and always woke up at night," her father, Niu Jianlin, said. "Volunteers at the hospital always came to see her and played with her. Now she is not so scared about being checked by doctors."

Liu Huaqing, a psychologist from Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, has been meeting with victims since March 13. He said that fear had led to physical pain for some patients, and that positive attitudes by the families of the seriously injured are important.

He said professional guidance is essential, but added that he was helping some teachers and students with basic guidance so they could serve as a resource in the schools.

Simple humanity

Sometimes, basic kindness helps.

In Yingjiang prison, cracks appeared in the walls of two prison cells after the earthquake, but 217 prisoners were safe and all accounted for. The prison allowed inmates to call their families to confirm that they were OK.

Taxis started returning to service a couple of days after the quake, but many drivers would accept no money from volunteers or journalists. One driver told China Daily that he couldn't charge those who helped the victims.

"So many people turn their hands to us. We should do something, even a little, to help."

Li Yingqing contributed to this story.

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