​LRS: Case Follow-up--Huzi

Huzi's father received the funds to purchase fertilizer and fabric sheets in March 2015.

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.

LRS helped Huzi have heart surgery in 2010. After the follow-up visit in 2015, we decided to accept Huzi's family into our Adopt a Family program for poverty relief. Huzi's mother passed away years ago. His father was physically unfit for migrant labor work, and could only take care of his own farm. Unfortunately, the yield of their small piece of land was very poor. In 2015, Huzi was to finish his high school education in the city. He rented a tiny room, cooked for himself, and lived without heat under the meager budget. His part-time job helped a bit, and sometimes, he received financial aid from his big sister, who's a migrant labor worker.

Huzi's home was in a distant countryside. Their house was a deteriorated adobe building with mud walls and a clay roof. It leaked everywhere from rain and wind. We were worried. The condition was so bad that whenever it rained, we would call his father to check if the house was still standing. LRS evaluated the situation, and launched a fundraising effort to help Huzi's family. The objectives were to encourage his education and to rebuild their decaying house. The needs were met by Grandma Chu's Love Fund and Henry & Lisa, who donated $1600 USD and $400 USD respectively. The sum exchanged to 12,500 RMB. Immediately, we released 500 RMB as an urgent aid on March 16, 2015. It was for the family to purchase fertilizer and landscaping fabric sheets for the sowing season. In the following eleven months, we wired monthly 300 RMB to Huzi for his schooling expenses.
 
When Huzi completed high school in the early summer of 2016, we released the balance of 8,700 RMB to rebuild their house. The new building was completed with concrete floor, board walls, and a tile roof. The demolition and concrete foundation were done by the family and volunteers from the village.

A thank you letter from Huzi to LRS had more details of the project. Meanwhile, we received good news that Huzi was admitted to the Medical School of Hexi University. We in the LRS Lanzhou office are very happy for the outcome. And more importantly, we are so grateful that the donors, Grandma Chu's Love Fund and Henry & Lisa, stepped forward at the most critical time, giving life to this initiative.     

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Huzi, a senior high student in 2014

Huzi, now at a medical school university in 2016

Thank You Letter from Huzi

October 5, 2016

Dear Little Red Scarf,

The first autumn rain has arrived at this barren land. The chill is in the air, but it's exceptionally warm in our hearts. Because of your generous help, I was able to graduate from high school and be accepted to the Medical School of Hexi University. For the second part of your aid, I wish to tell you that our family has completed the rebuilding of our decaying house in the summer. It's our nice and warm safe haven amid the cold rain and winds. Thanks to you and the kind donors, the most beautiful people.

When you informed me that the loving donors would transfer 8,700 RMB to help us rebuild our house, I was excited and speechless. That phone call was in the middle of my summer job in a sweaty hot kitchen. As you knew, our house was badly leaking, and the kitchen corner had already collapsed. I had been worrying about it constantly, for fear it might tumble down by itself anytime.

On July 10, the rebuilding project launched without me, as I was hundreds of miles away at work earning my university tuition. By the time I came home, the demolition was done by daddy and uncle. They saved the north wing intact for storage. Daddy proudly showed me the blister in his palms. I noticed his feeling of happiness.  

On July 17, we organized volunteers from the village to help us construct the foundation the next day. My brother trucked in sand and gravels, while we rented tools and did preparations. On the eighteenth, the volunteers completed the foundation by noon. It was a lively scene, and I took charge of the breakfast and lunch for everyone.

On July 25, daddy and I went to order walls and roof. Our square footage was 50 square meter (550 sq ft). We negotiated a unit price of 270 RMB including installation. So it worked out to a total of 13,600 RMB. We paid the deposit and had the materials delivered. The next day, the crew came and completed the wall, siding, and roof in three days. We liked their good work, and paid the balance except the remaining 800 RMB, which we would release after our final acceptance. The new house was constructed in a week, but the process became my invaluable learning experience. From planning the project to contracting the installations were all new experiences for me. As well, I realized daddy's capabilities of management and decision making.    
   
On August 1, we spent 300 RMB on electrical materials, and fixed the lights and receptacles ourselves. Then, we purchased and installed windows.

On August 5, The concrete was poured and finished on the floors and outside steps. By mid-August, we bought our beds at a cost of 720 RMB as the final touch of this project.

Dear loving donors, staff, and volunteers of Little Red Scarf, my narration could be tedious and unprofessional, but I would like to let you know that we are very carefully spending the money. We are so grateful, as your help came at our critical time. Now that our family has a worry-free sweet home, I'll focus in pursuit of my study at the medical school. I choose the career that will help people when they are in need.    
 
Sincerely yours,

Huzi at The Medical School of Hexi University

Original article written by Guan Ying, translated by Kai Chao, and edited by Yanyan Zhang and Carolyn D.