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From Magic City Morning Star R.P. BenDedek
Quite some time ago I wrote a story entitled: For the Hong Hu Adoptees. I did this at the request of a number of parents in the U.S.A. of abandoned Chinese children from Hong Hu City in Hubei Province.
This evening, I sent a number of students an email, requesting that they click onto the link provided, and read for themselves, about abandoned children in China. I sent them the link to the following website, entitled: Love Without Boundaries.
As their own site says, they are "dedicated to caring for critically ill babies and children and to providing them with the surgery, rehabilitation and loving care needed to help them reach their fullest potential". Love Without Boundaries "began when a group of adoptive parents met one small orphaned boy in need of heart surgery. Hundreds of people around the world sent donations to save his life". Being an organisation relying on public support, you can well imagine their financial difficulties, but as they point out, "Surgical costs in China are so much lower than in other parts of the world", that "no gift is too small when it involves the health of a child". They are currently attempting to raise funds to build an extension to the 'Hope Foster Home' in Beijing, in order to care for critically ill and disabled children - you know! - the ones that absolutely nobody wants.
My American born Chinese friend Judy, who both taught in Hong Hu and studied with me at Wuhan University, once told me that Chinese people, even in the west, are not apt to 'adopt' children, and if they actually do, that child will be a 'boy'. I have a friend who once introduced me to his 'cousin'. Now in 'chinglish', the Chinese refer to cousins as 'brothers'. Later in the day, he pointed out that his 'cousin/brother' was literally his 'cousin and brother', for, since my friend's aunty could not have children, his own mother had a secret child, and 'gave the baby to her sister!'.
Unlike other Chinese children who spend a lot of time in care in places for example like kindergartens, abandoned children don't get the opportunity to 'go home' occasionally. And unlike healthy kids, abandoned 'sick' children don't have the opportunity to run around the place freely, making mischief as they go. So far, Love Without Boundaries "has raised the first $65,000 on the way to the total of $138,000 required" to complete their current undertaking, and is seeking additional help. They 'simply cannot provide this service on an ongoing basis without additional space and personnel'.
Love Without Boundaries The following are some sample costs of medical treatments:
With the Chinese Yuan (RMB - Renminbi) at 8 to US$1, One hundred American dollars is equal to almost two (2) months of a workers minimum salary. Under the new Chinese taxation laws, workers are now considered to be earning too little to be taxed, if they earn under US$200 per month. In China, an American Dollar goes a long way. $10 goes even further. There is provision on their website for Visa/Mastercard donations, and as someone who sees the poverty of the average 'healthy' Chinese peasant on a daily basis, I can fully appreciate both the compassion and financial need of these wonderful people at Love Without Boundaries. I do hope that you can find the courage to offer them some support. R.P.Bendedek Email: rpbendedek@hotmail.com R.P.BenDedek is the pseudonym of the Author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' (www.kingscalendar.com), and is a guest columnist at Magic City Morning Star News. An Australian, he currently teaches Conversational English in China. King's Calendar Social Commentaries "The King's Calendar" is a chronological study of the historical books of the Bible (Kings and Chronicles), Josephus, Seder Olam Rabbah, and the (Essene) Damascus Document of The Dead Sea Scrolls. © Copyright 2002-2008 by Magic City Morning Star |
