The Story of Abandoned Babies (Part II)
Column: Essays Added Time: March 31, 2011, 15:30:17 Source: Admin Clicks: 24
Among these abandoned babies, some were left by parents who had no choice due to poverty, while others were abandoned for other reasons. Among the children here, many have no other problems besides a cleft lip. In earlier times, some female infants with no issues at all were also abandoned. Among the children adopted by Elder Sister Yuan, there are several such cases, and they have now grown up. Looking at the beautiful, elegant young woman washing clothes and the abandoned baby before your eyes, it's hard to associate them with each other. It's also hard to believe that those once desperate and painful abandoned babies could have such a wonderful appearance today. If their parents could see them today, I believe they would certainly regret it to the point of banging their heads against the wall. Such examples are not uncommon.
When we were there, there was a five-year-old boy who was mischievous and troublemaking. He would sometimes cling to his dad for a hug and sometimes cry for toys, just like any ordinary child. The cleft on his mouth is barely noticeable now. Although he still has some slight speech impediment, it doesn't affect him much. Seeing his playful demeanor, I wanted to hold him. The parents of this child, after abandoning him, could no longer have children. Later, upon hearing that the child was well taken care of by the Yuan family, they came to take him back. The Yuan family told them: if you had known this would happen today, what did you do back then? People like you who are irresponsible, if the child goes back with you, what kind of person will you turn him into? That couple slunk away shamefully and never dared to come back for the child again. They only secretly visited from time to time, but the child didn't recognize them or pay attention to them.
There was also a pair of siblings. When they were sent over, the sister was just over a year old, and the younger sister was only a few months old. Their mother personally brought them over because of divorce. Perhaps she was unable to raise them or perhaps she needed to seek new happiness. Anyway, she left the children at Elder Sister Yuan's doorstep, cried bitterly, and then left without a trace. Now, the older one is seven years old, and the younger one is over five years old. Both are chubby and very sensible. The elder sister is especially diligent. After school, she often helps her mom feed the abandoned babies with milk powder and change diapers. She rarely idles around and studies hard.
At that time, we had an eighteen-year-old boy, standing at 180 cm, tall and sturdy. We thought he was Elder Sister Yuan's biological child, but when asked, she said he was the fifth adopted child. When he was little, his chest bone was high, and his abdomen was sunken. As he grew, he gradually got better. Now, not only does he have no problems, but he is also as strong as a bull. His meal can be twice the amount of a normal person. He has two tiger teeth when he smiles, looking like a gentle good child. Looking at this tall and sturdy child, I truly feel proud of Elder Sister Yuan. Ordinary people like us find raising one child tiring and worrying, but Elder Sister Yuan has raised dozens of children in twenty years, and they are all problematic children. Just looking at them makes us worried, but she has been taking care of them for years. Not only does she take care of their eating, drinking, toileting, but she also provides for their schooling. There are dozens of disabled children. For us, just feeding them would be impossible, but Elder Sister Yuan not only feeds them but also feeds them well. She not only raises the children well, but she herself is also quite plump, a typical big fat person. Looking at her, I always think of the laughing Buddha, thinking of his generosity, kindness, and compassion.
Of course, you might say she gets donations, but donations are only a recent thing, and they are very limited. More importantly, Elder Sister Yuan earns her own living. In the early years, she often ate one meal without knowing where the next would come from. Thanks to the help of people around her, she managed to make it until today. She also does some small businesses, setting up an iron house near the hospital to sell cigarettes, alcohol, and groceries. But the income is too limited. She earns money in the morning, and spends it in the afternoon. With so many children and large expenses, anyone would find it hard to sustain. On one hand, she has to earn money to support the family, and on the other hand, she has to take care of so many children. Her parents initially didn't support her, but out of pity for their daughter, they eventually helped her look after the children for many years, seemingly endlessly. Other people raise children hoping that when the children grow up, the adults can be free, but in Elder Sister Yuan's case, children are constantly being sent over. Not only ordinary people send them, but also the civil affairs department and the police station. Because some children even the welfare institute cannot handle, they send them here. As they send more frequently, they feel embarrassed and every year give Elder Sister Yuan a few bags of flour and hundreds of yuan as a token of appreciation. Gradually, because of adopting so many children, Elder Sister Yuan became famous. Newspapers wrote about her, and TV stations covered her. Once, someone donated a thousand yuan on the television live show, but after various taxes, only a few hundred yuan remained in Elder Sister Yuan's hands. Donations require taxation, which I heard for the first time and really don't understand the country's tax policy.
Although the children sent to Elder Sister Yuan's place are somewhat poor materially, they are one cleverer than the other. Some cannot speak, some have difficulty walking, but several five or six-year-olds know to call 110 when they get lost while playing outside, asking the police to send them back. There are two mute girls here. The older mute girl, around ten years old, is very diligent, often actively feeding milk and changing diapers for the smaller infants. The younger mute girl is lazy and doesn't listen to calls. Therefore, two white-haired seven or eight-year-old children and two other kids don't like her. Once, when Elder Sister Yuan wasn't around, four or five children ganged up on the younger mute girl, but unexpectedly, she was so powerful that she drove them all away. There was also a lame boy around ten years old who once stole a bicycle from outside and brought it home. He was caught by Elder Sister Yuan, who severely beat him and told him: "We may be poor, but we must not lose our dignity." From then on, he never dared to steal again. There is also a white-haired girl named Xuelimi, who is only seven or eight years old, but loves cleanliness. She often washes her own clothes and neatly folds them on her bedhead, showing a very girlish demeanor. Elder Sister Yuan dotes on her, so when she is around, she appears very confident, and the mutes and the lame children all listen to her. However, if Elder Sister Yuan is not around, the mutes and the lame children start to act confidently and begin ordering her around.
Looking at this group of children and listening to Elder Sister Yuan tell their stories, I have experienced much, much about the mundane and the great, the ordinary and the noble...