Qu Ling Zhu

The nurses are getting Ling ready for her operation. Ling was able to have her surgery in Yangshuo. Rather than having her travel to Guilin, the doctor came to her. Her grandmother was able to be with her near home, and other local people supported her during this time of stress. She was very proud of the flowers someone sent her and glad to know that she could take them home with her. She sees that they get water every day.

The doctor was able to reconstruct her face at the same time as he took out the fatty tumor. She will be a changed little girl and can already talk much better. Since it is Chinese New Year, her father was able to return home from where he works, and Ling has plenty of time to recover without missing much school. 

Qu Ling Zhu's operation was a success.

There is good news about Ling's tumor. It was not cancer, but a soft tumor that grews from a nerve. It is a genetic condition, but hopefully the tumor will not come back. I didn't know that she had been operated on three years or more ago. The same doctor came from Guilin to do this operation also, which was a great blessing. He had taken out the most dangerous tumor before and asked her to come back after that operation healed. Of course there was no money, and the other tumor just grew until she could not even speak clearly.

She is able to eat now and is progressing wonderfully. Many people have visited her in the hospital bringing books, flowers, and food. Mr. Xu of the Education Department brought her some money to help with the operation costs, and people here in America have been very generous. The newspapers have picked up the human interest story and spread the news about the friendship of Americans that has made a child in China have a new life. Ling's story truly has developed goodwill between China and America.

Some one even found her mother who had abandoned her when she was five. Communication has been started again between them by telephone, and the mother may visit soon. Ling's father returned from Guangdong where he had gone to work, and he is visiting her daily while he is home.

Girl Scout Troop 561

I spoke at a local Girl Scout troop about the children in China and encouraged them to write letters to children their own age at Puyi Primary School. Kelsey wrote a delightful letter about her pets and going to the beach in the summer. The children there will be fascinated with the idea of a pet and a distant beach. They do know about bike riding and favorite colors, however.

Children all over the world have no trouble finding things in common. I hope that Huang Rao Ming will write her back. He lives with his grandparents after his parents divorced. 

Taylor is a Girl Scout in Troop 561 in Clearfield, KY. I presented a photo show of the schools and children in Yangshuo County, China to the troop last Monday. I asked the troop to write to the Blessing Hands children at Puyi Primary School. Taylor used the American flag sticker that I gave out to make a flag pole with Deng You Cai and herself nearby. She also wrote a letter to him on the other side of her drawing. The scouts had a lot of fun, and the children at Puyi will be thrilled to get a letter from an American child their age.
School is out for the Chinese New Year, but we hope that they will get letters back soon.

This picture came today of the Blessing Hands children at GuanQiao Primary school. Wu Shenmei is in the first row on left. 

Qu Lingzhu's ear

Qu Ling Zhu is waiting for what the doctors will decide to do with her tumor. We are planning on helping her with funds for an operation. It seems that her ear is also involved with the tumor. I wonder what her hearing is in this ear. It looks like a scar at the top of the ear. She has the little brown birthmarks on her chin as well. 

Qu Ling Zhu and her Grandmother

It is Winter Holiday soon in China and the schools will be out for a month for Chinese New Year. Someone is going to take Qu Ling to get medical help for her tumor in Guilin now, since she doesn't have to miss school. Spring semester will start in March.

A reporter has been contacted who will be writing about her progress and has arranged for a discount for her hospital stay. We are hoping for a good outcome and accurate diagnosis. Her grandmother is shown here with Lingzhu. 

Charles' students - Yangdi Dishui Primary School

These children go to Yangdi Dishui Primary School where Charles is their teacher. Starting at the left you can see Tang Mei Ling, Tang Xu Ling, Tang Xiao Yu, Tang Yu Ping, Tang Chang Yu, and Chen Ji Ying in red. The two youngest are in kindergarten. Chinese custom puts the family name first in personal names, so all the Tangs here are probably related somehow.