It feels so dear to meet them

Ran Shucang, Gansu Province

Everyone has his own family relationship, family relationship is divided into blood and non-blood, the two kinds of relationship on the surface of the "blood is thicker than water" consanguinity. However, some non-consanguineous family relations are more prominent and deeper than consanguineous family relations. The personnel mentioned in the following article is an example of the latter kind of relations.

 

The annual distribution of scholarships by Care Action Macao and my occasional meetings with the students at the Care Action Macao Orphanage always evoke strong emotions of nostalgia and excitement within me. During my meeting with sisters He Juhong and He Juheng, who came to collect their scholarships at the beginning of the year, I became unsure which one was the elder sister and which was the younger one. The elder sister explained that the taller one was the younger one. I could not help but take photos with them and ask them a lot of questions. Standing together, we were almost the same height! Through conversation with the sisters, I learned that the elder sister was doing an internship, the younger one had become the class leader, and their mother's mental illness had improved significantly.....

 

On the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, Li Guoqian came to my house. Seeing his height of around 1.8 meters and his well-dressed appearance made me very happy. We chatted and caught up, and I learned that he had bought a new car. I was pleased to see that he had grown up and become independent, and that he no longer needed to worry about the basic necessities of life. He also told me about a recent midnight overtime work accident that he had experienced, in which an explosion caused metal debris and shattered glass to fly around. Fortunately, no one was injured and the factory had since strengthened its safety measures. I expressed my surprise and reminded him to always prioritize safety no matter where he goes, and never have a sense of complacency.

 

On November 16th last year, I received a phone call from Cai Xiaoyan, whom I hadn't seen in 15 years. She gave me her address and told me to expect her arrival. When she came, she was accompanied by her father, sister, and brother-in-law, among others. The atmosphere immediately became lively, and I felt like a big family gathering. We all chatted and shared stories from our childhood and our experiences living together. Xiaoyan tearfully recounted the unforgettable scene of meeting her long-lost mother at the entrance of an orphanage and embracing each other with tears. Her sister Xiaohe reminisced about the happy times they had playing together at the orphanage and how they never had to worry about food or clothing. Then, their father also spoke about his experience of sleeping in caves and living with me during the 1980s when he was homeless. His story made everyone burst into laughter.

 

Life is full of challenges and obstacles, but if we persevere, good fortune will eventually come our way. For over 10 years, Care Action Macao and Mr. Albert Lai have been dedicated to nurturing these wonderful children and helping them thrive. We frequently discuss our classmates' progress, offering each other support and motivation to keep moving forward. I feel lucky to have formed a bond with these children through our shared experiences of living together for an extended period. We have developed deep emotional connections, and I always worry about their well-being, both past and present. Seeing them again brings me immense joy and a sense of closeness.

From left, He Juheng, the author and He Juhong (2022)
From left, CAI Xiaoyan, CAI Xiaohe and her son and the author
Li Guoqian and Mr. Lai are in an orphanage
Li Guoqian and the author
Li Guoqian takes a photo next to his car
Second from left, CAI Xiaoyan, CAI Xiaohe, the author, Xiao Yan's father, Xiao He's husband and Xiao Yan's husband