As Chinese, including Catholics, get ready to celebrate the Year
of the Rat, Annie Lam, head of the China office for the Asian
church news agency UCA News, talks about the impact the
country’s heavy snowstorms have had on the lunar new year. CNS
photo editor Nancy Wiechec and I were in Beijing last March for
the fireworks ending Chinese new year celebrations, which often
stretch for weeks. When we visited the Great Wall, we were
surprised to see snow on the steps, but the city of Shenyang got
hit with more than a foot of snow. After hours of delays, when
we finally reached the airport in Shenyang, it was astounding to
see the limited amount of snow removal equipment and the
drifting. People were trying to clear some of the large runways
with shovels. When we drove from Shenyang to Fushun, there was a
little less snow, but very cold temperatures and lack of central
heating meant the nuns in the Sisters of the Sacred Heart
convent there wore sweatpants and down jackets under their
habits. Everywhere we went in