Longwan Home: Liling is 14

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.

You will notice an active girl when you visit Longwan. She has bright eyes and a lovely name—Liao Liling. She is in Grade 5 and she celebrated her 14th birthday in Longwan on April 10. It was the 5th year living in Longwan for her brother, sister and 2cousins as well. Their parents passed away one after the other in 2009. They became orphans and only their granny who was a blind old woman was left alone in their hometown.

It was a tragic family. Their difficulties were unexpected. Liling has been farce to work, for the family could not afford to raise her. The days were dark.

In 2005, 5 brothers and sisters of the family came to Longwan and started their new life. Liling is a kind and thoughtful girl with wide interests. She would take the initiative to care for teachers and her schoolmates.  Her younger sisters and brothers trust her and enjoy playing with her. She helps to take care of the other children, clean and wash when the school is off. Like other girls, Liling like braids and beautiful headwear.

5 children from Liao family have art talents. Longwan has been trying hard to create opportunities for these children. Liling is good at drawing and dancing. She is creating and displaying beautiful things with her own way. She often gives her pictures to people in Longwan. They like her pictures, too. They expressed their own thoughts with pictures. With their pictures, we see the most beautiful sides in the world.

Can you imagine there’s a family? Their house was supported by a few bamboo sticks and there’s hardly a wall. It could fall dawn anytime. They had been living here for many years. Then the family built a concrete room. Before it had been done, their parents passed away. There’s only their grandmother with nothing left in the village.

During Chinese new year holidays in 2015, the children from Liao family were the last ones to leave Longwan. Xiao Ma Ge, a poet from Taiwan, has been with them for holiday for 2 years. More and more loving people began to care about them. They need our love and care and something to listen to them.

Seeing the girl with such a bright smile, we could not imagine she had experienced what painful experiences. You would be moved by her staunch will. 14 years old is the finest age. With the accompaniment of Longwan, they will not be alone on their way to grow up. 

Original article written by Ban Aihua, translated by Maggie Li, edited by Yanyan Zhang

---

Liling has 4 siblings and they are orphans