A Heart-Warming "Thank you"

Today, eight-year-old Xiaoshi and her grandmother are heading together to the school in the village. Xiaoshi is attending second grade while her grandmother is going to collect rice and aid items that is distributed at the school. 

All of Xiaoshi's classmates are from the same village, and most of them live beside the river. The roads leading to school are hilly roads along or next to the river bank. Two of the students who live further away, and so their parents will send the children to school with motorbikes. The heavy floods in July have affected these children and families greatly.

Xiaoshi's grandmother remembers the flood at their house with fright: “it rained so heavily, our house was flooded with water.” Xiaoshi who was listening at the side said she was terrified. “She couldn't help crying when it happened,” added her grandmother. 

Xiaoshi's house is built against a mountain. Although it is situated on higher ground, it still did not escape the flood. The heavy rainfall also caused a landslide that hit the back of their house, and as a result of this, cracks have appear on a wall in the kitchen. Xiaoshi's grandmother said she does not have the strength to clean the mud and fix the wall, so they will have to wait until her son returns next year to do the necessary.

September is usually the month of harvest. But recent rain which poured for more than 10 days caused the river to swell and this makes the villagers nervous. Hopes to harvest ripen paddy and corn have been dashed as many farmers see their crops beginning to rot. Xiaoshi's family grows tea leaves. The COVID-19 pandemic plus the flood has been a double blow for them. Each day is becoming harder for their family. “We couldn't work during the pandemic, and we couldn't sell the tea leaves,” said Xiaoshi's grandmother.  

World Vision has sent a second batch of humanitarian aid to Wuyuan County, which includes 144 tons of rice, 3,600 quilts and 2,400 family kits, to help those affected by the disaster.

Xiaoshi and her family received 15 kilograms of rice and a family kit which consist of daily necessities such as a water pail, torchlight, cooking pan and tableware. Her grandmother said, "I am so happy because these things are very helpful." Xiaoshi smiles shyly and softly says “thank you” before running into her classroom.
 

►Xiaoshi and her grandmother on their way to the school.

 
►A temporary wooden bridge with enough room for only one person to walk on at a time, built at the school entrance.  

 
►Xiaoshi's grandmother points at the cracks caused by the landslide.

 
►Xiaoshi's grandmother is happy as she unpacks the family kit.