A Masterpiece in Xining

Last week I told you I’d share a letter written by one of the KGV students following their visit to our Children’s Home in Xining with the Vice-Principal, Arnett Edwards.  Hsu Wei Chang has the makings of a born writer, so I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading her letter.

The eleven of us who went to the Xining Children’s Home probably learnt more about human relationships than we would ever learn about the rich biodiversity of China’s wildlife.

We were each asked to take care of one child for one whole day. The day was roughly divided into three phases: getting to know the child; trying to get the child to do what you wanted him/her to do, and finally giving up from utter exhaustion. The last one we unanimously achieved. The extent to which the first two were accomplished depended on the child we were responsible for. One looked like innocence personified, but he ran off in all directions, ignored instructions, and generally displayed his abilities at annoying everybody. Most photographs only showed his cute face staring innocently into the camera! Other children were less mischievous, but those who had physical and/or mental disabilities had trouble walking and they had to be carried for a while. The child I was in charge of was a taciturn yet adorable little boy with a perpetual look of confusion on his face and a tendency to grab and hold on to objects.

Playing with a baby in Xining Children's Home

Although everybody was worn out—either from talking to kids who did not respond or responded by doing the opposite of what we told them to do— somehow, after the trip, this was one of the occasions that became the most memorable. Perhaps it was because the whole day was spent bonding with one child only. We really got a chance to know our child. The panda, monkey, and bird exhibits simply served as a pretty backdrop to this. 

This is only a glimpse of what we experienced in Xining.  Like an impressionist painter swiping a single dash of colour to solidify a water lily, mingled with brushstrokes of different hues, and with elements of contrast harmonised in, so everyone’s unique personal experiences; the flowers of welcome presented to us by the village; the puddle of tears we left as we said our farewells to the Home--all this makes a Monet masterpiece – actually an Arnett Edwards masterpiece!

We can list all the other singular moments that touched us, but, as often happens in life, the sum is far, far greater than its parts, and perhaps the only way to truly understand the Xining experience is to go there yourself!

Let me know when you can get your group of friends together and come up!