Love is Returned - in Greater Measure

Peng Jiaxiang, a 70-year-old man living in Yubian village, Luogang Town one day carried a 30-day-old girl infant home to take care of her in the autumn of 1992, not knowing how she would change his life. Though his wife was sick, Peng worked hard to look after his foster daughter, Caijin. The family was poor, but happy.

11 years later, early in 2003, tragedy struck when Peng slipped and fell in a door way, and was paralyzed. He sent to ask the little girl' s parents to take her back, fearing he could not look after her any longer. However, the girl refused to return to her parents, and resolved to look after her foster parents, to repay them for their love and care..

11-year-old Caijin took on all sorts of work; plowing, watering, cooking, washing clothes. With precious little money, Peng could not afford medical treatment, but taught Caijin how to prepare medicine and give him injections at home. Every day, she served dishes at the bedside of her foster parents and carried hot water for them to wash in. While other children were doing exercises at school in the mornings, Caijin would rush home to clean the night soil for her foster father. Every day, from 5 in the morning until almost midnight, this devoted youngster was on the run.

Although the housework was tedious, Caijin never thought of dropping out of school. Study was her happiness and hope. Never late for school nor an early quitter, Caijin was disciplined in her studies and had good results in Chinese and mathematics.

Caijin took on all sort s of work.	Caijin is a good student.	Preparing the supper	Caijin and her foster father

Teachers and students lend a hand

Caijin and her teacher Chen Qiuxiang.(Photo by Meizhou Daily)

Seeing Caijin' s family' s distress, neighbors, relatives and friends tried every means to help, giving her coins and rice from time to time. But their kindness could not prevent the family’s inexorable slide into poverty and hunger.

Learning of Caijin' s condition last November, one of her teachers Chen Qiuxiang decided to act. She reported everything she knew to her school leaders, who donated more than 300 Yuan themselves. Visiting Caijin’s house in person, they presented the donation and fruit to the family. A later appeal raised another 1,200 Yuan from teachers and students of the school.

Caijin' s classmates were deeply touched by her story, moved that such an excellent student could show such devotion to her foster parents. They donated cooking oil, salt and clothing to Caijin' s family; during vacations there would always be students volunteering to help her collect firewood and work around the farm. In class, fellow students would befriend her, and help solve problems in her studies.



Society warms a little girl' s heart

Caijin had a new mobile phone.

As Caijin' s story spread, more and more people offered their help.

Company manager Mr. Liu visited her family, with 500 Yuan and other necessities like cooking oil, food and a brand new blanket. Mr. Liu promised he would support Caijin' s study, paying her tuition fees on top of 250 Yuan per month for living expenses.

Miss Qiu from Meizhou Engineering made a special trip to Caijin’s home, bringing her 1,000 Yuan. Before she left, she gave Caijin her mobile phone number and invited her to visit Meicheng City anytime.

Mr. Chen Donghui, deputy-secretary of the Communist Party Committee in Luogang, paid a special visit, encouraging Caijin to face difficulties squarely, take good care of her foster parents, and study hard to become a useful talent for the country. He gave 200 Yuan from his own pocket specifically for study expenses, such as books and stationery.

Many other anonymous visitors and donors have since helped Caijin and her family, and now her foster father’s health is improving. He can now sit up in bed. His pleurisy and ulcers are almost cured. Laughter can be heard again in the Peng household, grim and silent for so many years.



Guangzhou Daily focuses on Caijin' s story

Hong kong comer and Caijin were looking at the design of the new house.

On September 5, 2005, The Guangzhou Daily featured Caijin’s story: “Eleven-year-old foster daughter shoulders her poor family”. Readers from as far away as Hong Kong, Macao and even Australia read the article and were moved.

The newspaper' s phone lines were jammed with readers calling in wanting to offer their help.

On September 15, 37,000 Yuan was collected from ten Hong Kong readers and presented by three of them - Mr. Chen, Mr. Ru and Mr. Wang – the so-called “Angels of Love”. Seeing firsthand Mr. Peng' s 20 square meter hovel, they consulted with local government who agreed to reserve a 60-square-meter plot of land for a completely new house. The three promised to collect 60,000 Yuan and build a new two-storey house for them. To keep in touch with Caijin, they bought her a new mobile phone and taught her how to use it.



Repay society by studying hard

Caijin and her foster father were grateful.(Photo by Meizhou Daily)

Smiles gradually replaced Caijin' s normally serious expression. She grew taller and her complexion became ruddier. With her foster father' s gradual recovery, Caijin no longer needed to rush home during exercise time, but housework still pressed on her shoulders.

By the time she had finished housework and then homework, it was already 10pm or later by the time she went to bed. Up again the next day at 5am, she would cook breakfast for the family, and then hurry off to school at 7.30am. She had become accustomed to 7 hours sleep every night, and proved she was capable of keeping up with her studies.

After the new term had begun, Caijin read the reports about her in the Guangzhou Daily, feeling that what she had done was nothing special.

She asked herself how, as a daughter, could she be so hardhearted as to leave her foster parents when they needed her help? Her greatest wish was to care for those who loved her, and to repay the society by studying diligently.

At the beginning of this year, Caijin was elected one of two representatives from Xingning at the 150,000-strong China Youth Pioneers Provincial Congress. She told reporters that if she could attend the meeting in Guangzhou, she would visit Guangzhou Daily Press Group to thank their editors and reporters for their help.

At last, Caijin moves into her new house – courtesy of the Hong Kong “Angels of Love” - on August 19.

(by Nicole Chik and Ken Zhao, David Kelleway)