Bao Xia came to the LRS Summer Camp this year with a shy and timid personality. By the time camp was over, she left with greater self-confidence and the “The Best Participation” award. Baoxia's change was hugely rewarding to our camp staff and volunteers.

We had last seen her in 2015, during our post-surgery follow up, three years after her operation. When we saw her then, she was nervous and spoke by whispering. When she came to camp, she was obviously taller, but she often sat alone in the corner on the first day. 

After Shixiang passed away in May, Cui Mei is now the only surviving child in her family. Her 2 brothers have died from congenital heart disease, and Cui Mei herself has it as well. She is still currently attending school. 
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Cui Mei’s father has gone to Xinjiang to pick cotton for work. The family still has a sense of responsibility. Because the family’s land isn’t suitable for planting corn, they have rented it out to other people. Therefore, the family has no income and the father had to go to Xinjiang to work. He wants to earn some money to pay back some of their debt and save some money for Cui Mei’s surgery in Lanzhou.

Little Red Scarf is in Lanzhou, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces. We provide financial support and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, we provide families with post-operative care and help the children sustain a healthy lifestyle
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9 patients were discharged from the hospitals in September of 2013. We called them one by one and got to know their developments and reminded them for the re-check.

399 Long Jie: telephone number has been changed.

400 Guo Liang: Guo Liang had been recovering well and he is in Grade 4. He did not attend PE at school. He grew much taller with good health. His mother takes care of the daily life of the family. His father just learned driving and is doing temps in Ge’ermu. The family built the new house. Life became better. His father thanked LRS.

401 Hai Ming. Hai Ming is in kindergarten. His father said he was getting much better. He is naughty. He could do jumps or run. His scar was recovering well and he gained some weights. Now he is as healthy as a normal boy. Thank LRS.

LY-317 Bin Bin. Bin Bin is in senior class of kindergarten. He became much better and seldom got cold. He attends extra-curriculum activities in kindergarten. His scar is healing well. Thank LRS’ cares. His family members are fine. They build new house this year and life became better.

MQ-19 Jin Mei. The number is suspending.

MQ-20 Feng Feng. Feng Feng is getting better. She takes care of the children the aged in the family. Her husband works in the city. Now she can do simple households. Her scar is healing well, which itches during rainy days. The family is fine. Thank LRS.

MQ-21 You Hua: You Hua’s husband answered the call. He said his wife has been much better and seldom got cold. She takes care of the households of the family. The family moved to the county because the child needs to go to school. Her husband thanked care and help of LRS.

MQ-22 Pei Hua. The number does not exist.

MQ-23 Xiao Jing. Xiao Jing said she was much better than 2 years ago. Her scar healed well. She caught cold during season change, but taking medicines can cure it. Her heart beat fast when she got a cold. Now she could not do manual work, but she does some simple households. 

Original article written by Li Wang, translated by Maggie Li, edited by Yanyan Zhang 

In August Cheng Xiang and his parents went to Beijing for his third surgery. However, the hospital had so many people waiting for surgery, Cheng Xiang had to register for the waiting list. He got number 129. 

While Cheng Xiang and his parents were in Beijing, they got a phone call that Cheng Xiang’s grandfather was not doing well. So after Cheng Xiang registered for the waiting list, the family quickly returned to their hometown. Cheng Xiang’s father is currently taking care of the grandfather. 
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Every month Cheng Xiang goes to the hospital in Lanzhou for a checkup. This includes blood tests and an ultrasound. Once the hospital in Beijing is ready for Cheng Xiang, they will call the family to let them know he can come again for the next surgery.

At the end of July 2016, Cheng Xiang’s father called our Lanzhou staff to give an update on Cheng Xiang’s situation. The 2-year-old’s heart rate has been slow recently and he’s been exhibiting other symptoms, so they took him for a checkup in Lanzhou on July 27th. Based on the Lanzhou checkup, the doctors suggested he go back to Beijing for a follow up since his 2nd surgery was done by the experts there. The Beijing doctor suggested Cheng Xiang be treated as soon as possible with another surgery. The estimated cost for the 3rd surgery is $18,000 USD.
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Cheng Xiang’s family is still in heavy debt from the 2nd surgery. Now that Cheng Xiang needs a 3rd surgery, their burden is even heavier. We’d like to raise $3,000 USD to help subsidize Cheng Xiang’s 3rd surgery.

Longwan Caring Home is located in Dahua County, which was listed as one of the poorest counties in Guangxi Province. Longwan Caring Home is a big family consisting of orphans, single parents, and abandoned children. The normal expense of the Home is sustained by plantation, breeding, and small business.
 
Teaching Diary 

It was raining last night, and when I woke up I saw kids already sweeping water on the playground and aisles. After eating breakfast and taking a group photo, the children of Jia Yuan quickly and neatly cleaned the school/home in order to welcome the visitors.

The days in Jia Yuan seemed to repeat.  Meng Meng and Shan Shan would definitely cry; the older boys would playfully be loquacious; the kids would quarrel and fight, but would reconcile at the end of the day. However, every day is a new day. Each of the kids has lots of talents and virtues waiting to be explored, but tomorrow we will have to say goodbye. 

Jia Le, a 12-year-old boy, lives with his family in a new village near Dingxi City, Gansu Province. The village, which is an hour away from the city, was built by the government and looks uniform and tidy. Jia Le's family has 5 members, headed by a single father. Jia Le’s mother left the family after she found out Jia Le had serious congenital heart disease. His  father is always away for work, so his grandfather and grandmother take care of the three kids.

Jia Le is 12 this year, but when he was 5, he underwent surgery and treatment for his congenital heart disease, with help from Little Red Scarf. Jia Le’s medical condition was complex. The surgery helped alleviate the symptoms of cyanosis and clubbing. However, he was still having shortness of breath, so the doctor recommended regular checkups and a possible second surgery. For the past six years after his first surgery, Jia Le’s family has been bringing him for regular checkups. But because his pulmonary artery was not developing well, it was not possible to get a second surgery.

Jia Le’s home was originally on a mountain, and going to school required a trip down the mountain and across a river. When Jia Le first started going to school, his grandfather had to carry him down the mountain and across the river, due to Jia Le’s medical condition. But Jia Le’s uncle got older as time went on and was eventually not able to carry Jia Le to school. Jia Le’s aunt had a house given to her by the government, so she gave her house to her parents, making it easier for Jia Le to go to school.

​Xiejuan’s family lives in a small village located in the mountainous regions of Gansu. It is the only multi-ethnic autonomous community in the region. Those that live there mainly grow local potatoes, corn, peppers, and other crops for a living.

​Xiejuan’s family consists of four people: her grandmother, father, older sister, and herself. When Xiejuan was three years old, her mother left the family because she was not used to the way of living there. Xiejuan and her sister were raised solely by their father. 

​Xihong is fifteen now. Thank to the LRS heart surgery sponsorship, he had a successful correction to his congenital heart defect in 2011.

​​Hao Yang is 8, and he will soon move up to 4th grade. His brother, Cheng Yang, is 1 year older. The brothers attended our summer camp for the first time in 2014; this year was their second time with our summer camp. They have grown taller in the past 2 years.

​On August 11, 2016, the 4th night of the summer camp, Teacher Yun and Teacher Guan showed and explained how each child had changed since their operation.