Respect, for me, is something that isn’t freely given away — it is earned by someone. Today, I decided to write about someone that has earned my respect. Would you care to meet her?
This is one of my earliest photos of a lady that two friends of mine introduced me to in the city where the university is when I taught in China. One of my friends literally found her dumpster-diving in the apartment complex where she lived. She asked the lady about her dumpster-diving, and heard an amazing story.
The Chinese lady, Mrs. Xu (pictured above), told my friend that her husband died in a construction accident after he fell from the 6th floor of a building that was being constructed. They had 2 children, both of them girls; so since Mrs. Xu hadn’t blessed the in-laws with a grandson, they completely ignored her and her 2 daughters. The girls were young and, to save any money they could, the 3 of them lived in an approximately 10-foot-by-8-foot concrete shed. It had no water, electricity, or heat. They only had one cot, so they would take turns sleeping on it.
My friend invited Mrs. Xu to her apartment to give the family some blankets, and when Mrs. Xu entered the apartment she began to cry. My friend asked her if she was okay, and Mrs. Xu said, “Yes, and please don’t take this the wrong way, but your dog lives a better life than I do.”
Once I met Mrs. Xu, Global Partners in Life started supporting her and her daughters immediately. One of the first things we did was to help them afford an apartment. Also, to save money, Mrs. Xu wasn’t taking her medication, so we covered that expense also.
Through your contributions to Global Partners in Life, this family has remained united! You helped them to have an apartment to call home, with utilities! They have food to eat and warm clothes to wear. Also, Mrs. Xu’s health has improved with her consistently taking her medicine! I have nothing but respect for how Mrs. Xu was willing to do all she could for her daughters, even putting her health at risk.
Rewards for your good work, Beau!