I’m fourteen years old.  It’s been almost four years since I came to Living Spring Home( LSCH ) here.  My hometown is in Sichuan.  My mom died when I was very young.  Then, dad remarried stepmom, but stepmom always said that I was so stupid that attending school was of no avail.  Then, they kept me at home doing the household chores.  Everyday stepmom beat me with a rod.  Once I touched my little brother’s small face but he cried loudly all of a sudden, stepmom beat me crazily until the muscle on my back broke apart.  When dad came back and saw the wound on my back, he sent me to the hospital immediately.  Then, I was sent to live with my uncle(my mom’s brother) at his workplace.

Uncle was fully engaged at work without paying attention to me.  I loitered in the cybercafe all day at loose ends.  The worst thing was that I stole 200 dollar from my uncle and fled.  Because of my empty stomach, I grabbed things to eat when I was hungry, and even stole things if nothing could be found in the streets.  If nothing could be stolen, I picked from rubbish any edible things, cigarette butts and unfinished drinks, so my body was very dirty all over.  One day when I fainted from hunger,  a kind uncle gave me something to eat, then I was sent to Salvation Management Unit, and lastly came to LSCH . 

After coming to LSCH , I suddenly think that I am very useful and lovely.  Not only did uncles, aunties and teachers never said that I was useless, they also taught me reading and writing, not even did they hit me or shout at me if I could not do it.  Often times when I sat by the table idle and losing my temper, the teacher then designed an easier assignment, with a gradual increase of difficulty for me to do.  Finally, I have an opportunity to learn with other children and I seem to realize somehow that I am no fool at all.

All people in LSCH are very nice to our group of children.  I think there is one common thing in their lives which is what I desperately hope for, i.e. LOVE!  I told a visitor aunt of my family background and she encouraged me to forgive my stepmom for her hurt on me.  Somehow, when I started to forgive stepmom, I remembered that tears rolled down like the pain of my soul running out.  Now whenever I think of stepmom, I see her as a beautiful woman instead.  Perhaps I will like her someday.

My wish:

To stepmom: I really want to call you as my mom.  Could you not treat me so ruthlessly ever? Although I could not study well, I am clever in some place.     

To Dad: Don’t smoke anymore.  Please give it up.