The Story of Abandoned Babies (II)
Column: Essays Added: March 31, 2011 15:30:17 Source: admin Clicks: 24
Among these abandoned babies, some were left by their parents due to poverty, while others were abandoned for other reasons. Among the children here, many have no other problems except for cleft lips. In earlier years, some female infants who had 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 pretty young lady 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 today's beautiful appearance. If their parents could see them today, I believe they would regretfully bang 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 troublesome. He would sometimes cling to his father for a hug, and at other times cry for toys. He was no different from ordinary children. The cleft on his lip was barely visible. Although he still had some trouble speaking clearly, it didn't affect him significantly. Seeing his playful demeanor made me want to hold him. The parents of this child, after abandoning him, were unable to have more children. Later, when they heard that the child was living well with the Yuan family, they came to take him back. The Yuan family told them, "If you knew you'd come to this today, what did you do earlier? People like you who don't take responsibility, if the child goes back with you, what kind of person will you turn him into?" That couple slunk away and never had the face to come back for the child again. They only secretly visited from time to time, but the child neither recognized them nor acknowledged 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. Due to divorce, she might have been unable to raise them or perhaps needed to seek another happiness. Anyway, she placed the children outside the door of Elder Sister Yuan, cried bitterly, and then left, never to be heard from again. Now the older one is seven years old, and the younger one is over five. Both are chubby and very sensible. The elder sister is especially diligent. After school, she often helps her mother feed the abandoned babies with milk powder and change their diapers. She rarely has idle time. Moreover, she studies diligently.
At that time, we had an eighteen-year-old boy, standing at six feet tall, strong and sturdy. We originally thought he was Elder Sister Yuan's biological son, but upon asking, we learned he was the fifth adopted child. When he was little, he had a high chest bone and a sunken abdomen. As he grew, he gradually improved. Now, not only does he have no issues, but he is as robust as an ox, eating as much as two normal people in one meal. He has two fangs when he smiles, looking like a good-natured child. Seeing this tall and robust child makes me truly proud of Elder Sister Yuan. For us ordinary people, raising one child already feels tiring and worrying. Elder Sister Yuan raised dozens of children over twenty years, and they were all problematic children. Just glancing at them makes us worried. She took care of them year-round, not only attending to their eating and toileting needs but also providing for their education. There were dozens of disabled children, and even feeding and clothing them would be unaffordable for most people. But Elder Sister Yuan not only provided for them but also did so well. Not only did she raise the children well, but she herself became quite plump, a typical big fatty. Looking at her, I always think of the laughing Buddha, thinking of his generosity, kindness, and benevolence.
Of course, you might say she received donations, but the donations only started in recent years, and they were limited. More importantly, Elder Sister Yuan supported herself. In the early years, she often didn’t know where her next meal would come from. Thanks to the help of the people around her, she managed to make it through until today. She also did some small businesses, setting up an iron shack near the hospital to sell tobacco, alcohol, and sundries. But the income was too limited. She earned money in the morning and spent it in the afternoon. With so many children and high expenses, no one could sustain it. While earning money to support the family, she also had to take care of so many children. Initially, her parents didn’t support her, but out of concern for their daughter, they helped her take care of the children. This help lasted for many years without end. Others raising children look forward to the day when their children grow up and they can relax, but at Elder Sister Yuan’s place, children were being sent almost every other day—not just by commoners but also by civil affairs departments and police stations because some children couldn’t be handled even by welfare institutions. As the number of deliveries increased, they felt indebted and began giving Elder Sister Yuan a few bags of flour and a few hundred yuan annually as a token of appreciation. Gradually, as the number of adopted children increased, Elder Sister Yuan became famous. Newspapers covered her story, and TV shows featured her. Once, someone donated a thousand yuan on a live TV show, but after various tax deductions, only a few hundred yuan remained in Elder Sister Yuan’s hands. Donations are taxed, which was the first time I heard about it, and I really don’t understand the country’s tax policy.
Although the children sent to Elder Sister Yuan were somewhat materially poor, they were all exceptionally smart. Even though some couldn’t speak and others had difficulty walking, a group of five or six-year-olds went out to play and got lost but knew to call 110 to ask the police to send them back. There were two mute girls here. The older mute girl, around ten years old, was very diligent, often taking the initiative to feed the infants and change their diapers. The younger mute girl was lazy and wouldn’t move even when called. Therefore, four or five white-haired seven or eight-year-old children and two other children disliked her. Once, when Elder Sister Yuan wasn’t around, four or five children ganged up on the younger mute girl, but the younger mute girl turned out to be very strong and chased all four or five of them away. There was also a lame boy around ten years old who once stole a bicycle and brought it home. When discovered by Elder Sister Yuan, she severely beat him and told him, “We may be poor, but we have integrity.” Since then, he never dared to steal again. There was also a white-haired girl who was only seven or eight years old but loved cleanliness. She often washed her own clothes and neatly folded them on her bedhead, behaving like a proper little girl. Elder Sister Yuan doted on her, so when she was around, she was very spirited, and the mutes and the lame ones listened to her. However, if Elder Sister Yuan wasn’t around, the mutes and the lame ones became spirited and started ordering her around.
Looking at these children and listening to Elder Sister Yuan tell their stories, I experienced much about the ordinary and great, the common and noble...