Longwan Caring Home: We will not let go of your hand

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.

This story started in 2012. That year, a charity worker MoMo came to Longwan Caring Home in Dahua County to assist teaching.  Inadvertently, Longwan Caring Home teacher I-Hua Ban told MoMo about a high school freshman in the classroom : “This student is from a very poor family with many siblings.  He has no money for breakfast, and basically no money for living expense.  Quite often, he drinks water for breakfast so he won’t feel that much hungry. He suffers some serious illness.  However, he is very determined to continue his education for a better future.  He quite often came to our Longwan Caring Home to help other kids for their studies”.   This student is Whei-Dung Ban.

In 2010, Whei-Dung Ban was diagnosed with encephalopathy, accompanied by seizures.  Because his family has no money for medical treatment, he had no choice but quit schooling and go out to work.  He was already 19 when he was high school freshman.   He is the oldest one in his class.  However, academically he was ranked number one in his class.

Later on, Whei-Dung Ban talked to MoMo and mentioned his drinking of water for breakfast.  Nonetheless, he was optimistic and no complaint at all.  The warm smile on his face was like sunshine in the winter.  He said : “It is okay as long as I can study.  Go out work without education is a big disadvantage”.

His smile and persistence impressed MoMo.  After MoMo went back to her home in Nan-Ning,  she sent $100 yuan to Whei-Dung Ban each month to pay for his breakfast.  MoMo learned later that Whei-Dung Ban applied this $100 yuan to cover his daily meals for the whole month.

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Whei-Dung Ban’s health deteriorated

Later, Whei-Dung Ban’s health deteriorated. Quite often he suffered headaches, stomach pain, and seizure about once a month.  Medical expense became a big issue for him. He can even no longer pay for his tuition and facing the predicament of school dropout.  Learned about what happened, MoMo immediately asked for help among her friends.  Three of her friends immediately responded – one committed to pay for tuition, $1000 yuan per semester; one offered fund for food, $3,000 yuan a year; and one will pay medical expense $5,000 yuan a year. With all these heart-warming help, the sky over Whei-Dung Ban started to clear up.

MoMo and her friends figured that with this kind of financial support, it should allow Whei-Dung Ban to complete his high school.  With his outstanding academic performance, he should be able to qualify for tuition assistance or student loan.

However, the planned life blueprint was doomed to burst. In April this year, his health exacerbated, stomach pain intensified.   Was treated by People’s hospital gastroenterology at Dahua county but didn’t help at all.  Due to financial difficulties facing his family, unable to go back to the hospital again, stayed home for rest  and continued to suffer the pain.  May 23, once again he went back to school.  On May 25, during school self-study session, sharp stomach pain stroke again.  He rolled back and forth in the classroom and almost swooned over.  School forced him back to Dahua People's Hospital.  May 26, he was transferred to Guangxi Medical University Hospital and discovered some colon polyps.  June 7, with help from MoMo and her friends, was transferred to Guangxi People's hospital for colon surgery.  Whei-Dung Ban was diagnosed with colon cancer.  This shocking news sent him into abyss.  On top of encephalopathy, now he is even more confused.

The surgery alone will cost several tens of thousands yuan and this figure is astronomical  to him.  In addition, follow-up treatment and chemotherapy, and encephalopathy surgery would cost a lot more as well.   After learned about his plight, People's hospital reduced and even waived some of the charges.  However, the gap is still so big.  Whei-Dung Ban’s mother asked all their relatives for help, and finally ended up with 8,000 yuan loan.

Without any hesitation, MoMo and her friends jumped in and motivated Whei-Dung Ban with rekindled hope for life.  Two thousands here and three thousands there … loving care hearts once again converged.   They also drew up a piece of “Loving Care Heart Declaration”, calling on their colleagues and friends to lend a helping hand.  In their appeal, received over $30,000 yuan donation before his scheduled surgery in Nan-Ning to pay for hospital charges. After the surgery, stayed in hospital for recuperation for a period of time.  Discharged from the hospital at the end of June and back to DaHua to prepare for school test.  Ban said : “No matter what, I need to catch up with school study”.

After the school test, Whei-Dung Ban was hospitalized again to continue the treatment and follow-up chemotherapy.  Based on our understanding, it will cost another quarter million yuan to have a complete heal of the disease and encephalopathy.  This figure is “precarious” to Whei-Dung Ban and his family.

Whei-Dung Ban’s father had car accident and hasn’t recovered from it.  His mom suffers from some perennial disease.  The whole family is relying on farming two acres of land to make a living and no other sources of income.  In March this year, his 2-year old sister lost her life due to some serious illness and was not saved in time.  Today, the condition of this family is getting worse and badly need more help from community.   Per our understanding, after his classmates and teachers learned all of his hardship, they all extend their help.  So far, they have donated a total of more than $8,000 yuan.

Original Article Written by Banai Hua, translated by Joe Hsu, edited by Yanyan Zhang

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Whei-Dung Ban's house from outside and inside