Help a village care for its left-behind children

Thank you for supporting our village model in rural China! We hope you enjoy this report about a young girl named Yutong, who we’ve been following for some time. Read on for a special tale about a little girl who loves to paint and dreams of birthday cake...

Yutong’s parents did not come home for the New Year holiday.

Nor did they come home for the spring harvest. Despite Teacher Li’s best efforts, Yutong began to struggle in school and spent more and more time alone. When the summer holiday came, Yutong reminded her grandpa that he’d once promised to take her to Shanghai. Grandma’s health was getting worse; perhaps a summer away would be a good thing.

So Grandpa called Yutong’s father and asked if she could spend the summer with her parents. Yutong’s father said it would cost too much money. And what if Yutong decided she liked living in Shanghai and didn’t want to leave? Grandpa said maybe it’s time for Yutong to have a relationship with her parents. “She really misses her mama.”

Finally her father said, “Yutong, bring your school books with you. If I have time, I will help you get ready for first grade.”

And so, the next morning, Yutong and her grandpa boarded a bus for the two-day trip to Shanghai. The plan was to stay for the whole summer, but in the end, they stayed only ten days. Yutong’s parents were away at work until late at night and left early in the morning. Finally Grandpa suggested they go home. Yutong’s mama cried when they left.

When Yutong started first grade, no one had remembered to buy her a new book bag, so Grandma washed the old one and her beloved OneSky Teacher Li bought her a pencil box, some pencils and notebooks.

When Yutong’s first grade teacher handed out the new textbooks, she wrote her name on every one. Though the books were a little difficult for Yutong, that didn’t stop her. From the start, Yutong was very serious about her schoolwork—even practicing characters while the other children played or napped.

Teacher Li also decided to help Yutong thrive in grade school by working with a social worker to create an art class for her and other village children passionate about art. On the first day of the class, Yutong introduced herself haltingly, but with the help and encouragement of her teacher, she said: “I am seven years old. I like to draw pictures and I am very happy to attend this art class.”

Soon Yutong started sharing her paintings with the other children. One day after she created a painting she was particularly proud of, Yutong said, “I drew this picture very well.” All the children applauded her. Perhaps best of all, Yutong stopped watching TV and drawing pictures alone at home, preferring instead to play with her friends from art class.

Again, OneSky stepped in when Teacher Li learned that Yutong’s secret dream was to have a cake for her birthday — we decided to make that dream come true!

On the big day, our staff found Yutong playing in the Children’s Park on the square with her friends. After changing into a dress for the party, Yutong took them to her home where her grandmother was harvesting peanuts. Yutong best friends arrived and sang Happy Birthday for her. Then for the first time, Yutong made a wish before blowing out the candles.

After giving some birthday cake to her grandparents and friends, Yutong sat next to her best friend Tian Tian and started to eat. Teacher Li playfully put some cream on Yutong’s face, making her look like a cat. Yutong laughed happily and put some cream on Tian Tian’s face. Yutong’s favorite birthday gift was a bicycle, which she rides every day, rain or shine.

Though she doesn’t see her parents often, Yutong is determined to make them proud. And thanks to the adults who have stepped into her life to support her and her grandparents, she is making her parents proud by becoming a self-confident, joyful little artist who, despite their absence, knows she is loved.

Be sure to check out this link for more stories and videos about the Village Model on our website!