LRS: Returning visit-Xiao Jun

Father is a very diligent person, collecting recyclable garbage to subsidize his income

Little Red Scarf is in Lanzhou, Gansu and Yunnan province and provides financial support and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, they provide families with post-operative care and help the children sustain a healthy lifestyle.

In April 2014, Xiao Jun’s family got in touch with Little Red Scarf through the local health bureau.  In that same month, had congenital heart surgery in LanZhou when she was only two years old.  Five years later today, Xiao Jun is a beautiful 7 years old. Her father told us her immune system is relatively weak, got sick quite often in between season changes each and every year.  Sometimes her family treated her with Chinese medicine.

There are 4 in the family.  Her father is 46 years old and works as gate security guard for some company.  He gets paid $400 yuan a month, plus free room and board.

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Picked up Xiao Jun from school

Three years ago, the family moved to Ping Liang city about 30 miles away from their old how home town in the country side.  They all lived with father in the tiny dorm offered by his employer.  The room gets quite cold in the winter and hot in summer.  Whenever the season changes, Xiao Jun got sick.  Her aunt felt this was too much for the family so she let the family to live in a house she owns (this house is in a small residential district, pretty safe, close to school, shopping, very convenient).   Also, with the help of her aunt, Xiao Jun was enrolled into a nearby school in the west side.  Today, Xiao Jun is in elementary first grade.

Her father is a very diligent person, collecting recyclable garbage to subsidize his income.  With all this, his monthly income is about $2,000 yuan. Her mother is illiterate, 42 years old.  She mainly stays at home to care for children.  Xiao Jun’s brother is17 years old.  A middle school sophomore lives on campus.  Her father pays for his living expense $250 yuan a month.

It usually takes Xiao Jun’s family about one hour to go back to their old home town in the countryside.  Her parents go back every June and Sept. to help the harvest of one acre of wheat planted by her family. 

Her father told us after Xiao Jun’s heart surgery, his family stabilized and also paid off the debt.  Even though he is already 46 years old but he is in good health.  Xiao Jun’s aunt in Ping Liang city takes good care of them.  Her mother is also slowly getting used to the life in the city.  He plans to go to Mongolia to work for a mining company.  Even though that is a tough job but his income will double.  This will provide better living conditions for his family.   Since both parents are illiterate, they sent Xiao Jun to extracurricular class to make sure she can do better in school .  Her parents want to make sure their next generation can do much better when they grow up.

Her father hopes that through his efforts he can provide a better life for his family.  We also wish this diligent, devoted family the best.

Original Article Written by Aiju Chang, translated by Joe Hsu, edited by Yanyan Zhang

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Xiao Jun has good appetite

We also wish this diligent, devoted family the best