This has to do with "do a good turn", "to do my duty to God", "Wah Yan Spirit", and "man for others".......; all those meaningful "mottos" I learned from WYK and from scouting under 11th Kowloon Group.
In my 2011 photo journal to Guizhou, I mentioned in passing that I met this little girl whom the Rose Society was supporting through high school. Here's the whole story, brought up to date, that I wish to share with you all.
BACKGROUND
In October 2011, last time I visited GuiZhou, on the day we visited the school for deaf and dumb children, we decided to go into town (of Anshun 安順) for lunch with the teachers. Anna, who is a teacher and worker at ABDA (Asian Bridge Development Association founded by the Irish priest Fr. Matt Carpenter), travelling with Dr. Tai, me and the mission group, said "Good, I can arrange to meet this student whom we're supporting for her schooling; I can give her some support money.....". Her name is YangBo (楊波 - I just call her Bobo in short). She came to the restaurant to meet Anna during her lunch break, and we invited her to stay and have lunch with us.
When Anna introduced her to me, I shook her hand, I was shocked by how cold her hand was, as if she just walked out of a freezer! On inquiry, she told us that when she started her Grade 11 early that year, her warm clothing were stolen in school - and she probably did not have the money to buy new ones. I took off my ski jacket and gave it to her to keep warm, and I left some money for Anna to get her some warm replacement clothing. I found out more about her from herself and from Anna during lunch.
She practically is an orphan. She has an elder sister, who is married, living with her own family (with a child I think) in Yunnan Province. Her father took off (ran away?) and abandoned the two daughters when Bobo was little, and her mother died soon after. She was literally raised by her elder sister, who was the only "close family" she has. For some reason (may have to do with birth place registration or something like that), she had to come back to GuiZhou province to receive her senior high school education. She lived alone, probably in a cramped dingy cheap room somewhere, went to school and worked weekends, often evenings, to earn money for living expenses. That's probably why ABDA and the Rose Society were partially supporting her through her high school with the scholarship.
After hearing about her rather sad life story, I said to myself "I wish we could do more for her.....". I asked her what she planned to do after high school. She told us "Of course I want to go on to university studies,... if I have the money...". I looked around the table, and sensed compassion but no affirmative action. At that point, as if hit by something deep within - my immediate thought was actually Fr. Chan, who gave me my chance to enter WYK - I decided I had to help this girl. I looked her in the eyes, and said: "You work hard. If you can get into university, I will help you through...".
I saw tears in her eyes, and I felt it in mine too... My thinking was that God brought me to this place, allowed me to meet this young lady who has had a very hard life, and who was trying hard to get an education and so on, there must be a reason (for my presence). I have the blessings and the ability, I cannot allow this opportunity to just pass by without offering help...".
Since then, we have been in email contacts back and forth. With Anna's help, I bought her a computer through Anna's good friend who was also very willing to help Bobo. This friend owns and runs a computer shop in town. She allows Bobo to use her computer shop to do homework and emails with me. I can see Bobo has been working very hard, in school and at her part-time job, often into late hours of the nights. Her English, though far from perfect, has improved tremendously during the past two years corresponding with me. She would send me an email, I would correct her grammar and spelling and so on, and sent it back to her.
After she had written her Grade 12 (Senior High School) exams. earlier this year, she was very worried about not getting good enough marks to get into (a good) university. She asked me several times whether it's a good idea to go into police training. I knew the main reason she wanted to consider that was to avoid being a burden to me financially, because police training and schooling is probably "free" in China, with a catch that she might have to stay inside the service for X number of years with no way out. I wasn't too thrilled about the prospect of her becoming a police woman, the potential exposure to all that government bureaucracy and so on; so I remained silently optimistic that she could get good enough marks to get into a good school.
GOOD NEWS
About 2 weeks ago, I received the best news I could ever hope for from YangBo. She got accepted into Guiyang University's Medical School. No more worries about whether her marks were good enough! This is of course FAR BETTER than getting into police academy. I am very happy that she got in; that's a very good beginning for a new part of her life, entering professional training.
After asking around here locally, and from talking with students who are attending the Univ. of Alberta from different parts of China, I learned that first, the number of Grade 12 students taking the (equivalent of) college entrance exams. each year are just mind boggling, literally in the hundreds of thousands. Secondly, the number of first year seats for a good medical school like Guiyang's is so limited, the competition is extremely fierce. Quite often, people with "connections" would pay dearly to "buy" these seats......! These people I talked to are amazed that Bobo could get in on first try on open competition without connections. My prayers are answered.
My entire family is wholeheartedly behind me in this project. In four years time, God willing, Linda and I will be at Guiyang University attending Bobo's graduation from medicine. I feel so privileged to be able to do this! And am so happy to share this little story with those who I know would care and share my joy. I will keep you posted as to the outcome of this sponsorship in a few years time.
In a recent correspondence I sent to members of ABDA, I said: "... These are the seeds of kindness we plant today; our reward will come in a few years time, when she graduates and works as a doctor who will be able to pass on the kindness to many in need. I think she will make a very good physician..."