Swallow in the Nest
Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at 09:34PM | Share Article 
Zhi Rou came to Xining Children's home when she was just a little girl, but her stay there didn't last long. She was placed with a very loving foster family in Xining soon after her arrival. Her memory of being an orphan hasn't lasted long either, thanks to the fact that her foster family seemed to instinctively know how to communicate with a small child.
When Zhi Rou first arrived, her foster family told her that she was like a little swallow that had flown into their home, and into their lives. That's how she acquired her nickname - Yan, which means swallow. Over time the name Zhi Rou was used only on her official records. Zhi Rou has been nesting with her foster family for over 10 years. At 15 she is going through all the normal emotional ups and downs that a normal teenager experiences. She loves to hang out with her friends, and is becoming more independent. At school she's in grade nine, and the pressure is building to choose a career. She has many ambitious hopes and dreams.
She knows her gifts and talents. She loves the arts - history, politics, Chinese literature and languages, but she struggles with the sciences. When the Education Department changed their policies last year, it was a challenge. Zhi Rou now has to perform well in the arts and in the sciences.
She recently took the initiative of contacting the foster care department at Xining Children's Home to ask if they could help find an English tutor. Christian Action was invited to fill that role, so Zhi Rou now meets weekly with our staff. How she performs in her exam will determine her future. Will she be able to go to high school, and then fulfill her dream of going to university and studying literature and politics?
Like the majority of teens, Zhi Rou argues with her parents but she understands how much they love her, and want to protect her. What a blessing it has been to give Zhi Rou a family like this!
Thank you for the role you played years ago when we started the foster care programme. As you can see, it is helping to positively change young lives.
Reader Comments (1)
Fantastic to hear more of the wrap around support that our children receive. What a privilege to be part of the solution.