A Miracle in China

The lengths that parents will go to protect or help their children often seem like miracles. Here is an example of how one father has sacrificed to make it possible for his child to get an education.

The article ends with Yu Xukang saying, "I know that he will achieve great things." His son, Xiao Qiang, has the possibility to achieve those great things because of Yu's efforts. It truly is a miracle that Xiao is able to go to school and have the opportunities now available to him.

A Father's Love & Heroism

--by Eleanor Goldberg, syndicated from huffingtonpost.com, Apr 10, 2014

Single Dad Carries His Son With Disabilities 9 Miles Every Day So That He Can Go To School

Let’s all agree to extend a [late] Happy Father’s Day to this Chinese dad who will do just about anything to give his son with disabilities every opportunity in the world.

Yu Xukang, 40, a single dad from the Sichuan Province in China, walks 9 miles every day with his son, Xiao Qiang, strapped to his back so that the boy can get an education. The 12-year-old has a disorder that has caused his arms and legs to become twisted and his back to be hunched over, and there is no public transportation available to take him to class, Central European News (CEN) told The Huffington Post in an email.

To support himself and his young son, Yu works as a farmer, according to China Daily. Since last September, Yu has woken up every day at 5 a.m., prepared a lunch for his son and then secured Xiao Qiang -- who is about 3 feet tall -- in a basket that he attaches to his own back.

The pair makes the 4.5-mile trek to school across the rugged terrain, then Yu walks back home so that he can work. The devoted dad then returns to pick his boy up from school and carries him all the way home –- an 18-mile round trip, according to CEN.

The single dad estimates that he’s walked about 1,600 miles since he started taking his son to school.

"I know that my son is physically disabled but there is nothing wrong with his mind," he told CEN. "However, I couldn't find any school here with the facilities to accept him and was constantly rejected."

Once Xiao Qiang was accepted to the Fengxi Primary School, Yu vowed to do everything in his power to make sure his son would get there every day.

His dream is for Xiao Qiang to one day go to college.

After word of the father and son’s daily journey got out, authorities decided to step in to help the two. They agreed to provide a small room near the school for them, according to CEN.

Xiao Qiang has already climbed to the top of his class.

"I know that he will achieve great things," his father told CEN.

The Miracle of Selflessness

Selflessness is described as "having little or no concern for oneself, especially with regard to fame, position, money, etc.; unselfish," or, in my words, putting others before yourself. Selflessness is truly a miracle, because it requires you to control your natural impulses and instead cultivate charity. Examples of selfishness are everywhere, but selflessness is harder to find. I did find some selflessness recently, in an article on ksl.com. It said, to me, that it is possible to think of others before ourselves- we just have to do it.

Here's the article:

Teen wins car, gives it to best friend

By Devon Dolan

June 25th, 2014

WOODS CROSS — A Woods Cross High School senior entered a contest to win a car, but her eventually winning it wasn't the biggest surprise. Instead of keeping the car, she gave it to someone who she thought needed it more.

Jessica Faasavalu's English teacher asked her to enter an essay on ‘Why You Need a New Car’ into a yearly contest held by the school. The winner would receive a Mazda 3 2007 from Bountiful Mazda.

Faasavalu, however, already had her own car.

“Then my English teacher offered extra credit, so I said 'OK, I’ll do it,'” she said.

As Faasavalu began writing she decided she couldn’t submit her entry on her own behalf.

“This isn’t right. I can’t say I need this car, because I don’t, and I just twirled around in my chair and thought, 'Ya know, Kennedee needs this car,'” said Faasavalu.

Kennedee Black, also a Woods Cross High School grad, and Faasavalu have been friends since they were 2. Kennedee doesn’t own a car.

“I erased what I had written and wrote another one,” said Faasavalu.

This is what Faasavalu wrote:

While a new, stylish car would make us all happier, we don't need it.

–Jessica Faasavalu

I Would Love to Win… But Not For Me

"I would love to win the car, but if I did, I would give it to my friend, Kennedee Black. I understand that that is not what I’m supposed to write about — I know I’m supposed to tell you why I should win the car, but as I was beginning my essay, I realized that I don’t need the car, Kennedee does.

"I have a car. It’s old, but it works. My family is not financially sound, but we have enough to make us happy, and while a new, stylish car would make us all happier, we don’t need it.

"Kennedee is a senior at Woods Cross High School. She was never on the high honor or honor rolls, she was never on the honors citizenship roll, and she doesn’t have a great attendance streak. She is not what teachers would call the “stellar student,” but she has been through more than any of the students and teachers realize.

Credit: KSL TV

"Many people judge her, but she is doing everything she physically can. Kennedee has had substantial medical, family and other issues that have made it so that her financial and filial situation is rocky. She has taken classes at Viewmont High School to complete her CNA certificate so that she could begin working at The Legacy House Retirement Home in Bountiful. She has worked with her school counselor to enroll in classes so that she could work towards graduation. She has missed a lot of school because of medical reasons and work, but she has gone to her teachers and works hard to complete as much missing work as she can in order to keep her grades above failing. She has worked more than 30 hours, and sometimes more than 40 hours a week to help her mother support her brothers at home.

"I know that I might not win by telling Bountiful Mazda to not give me the car, but to give it to Kennedee. Kenn has been my friend for so long and she’s been through so much, that I feel like the least I can do is try to give her a chance at owning her own car to get her to her job, help her mom run errands or carpools, and have a little freedom for herself."

During the teen’s senior school party, an announcement was made that Faasavalu’s essay had won.

“I didn’t have words to say,” said Black. “I bawled for two days straight.”

The only problem, Black didn’t know how to drive a manual operated car. Faasavalu spent the next week teaching her.

“She’s more than a friend to me," Black said. "She’s definitely a sister."

Changing the World, One Glass of Lemonade at a Time

"Every single person has the power to change the world and to help people," Laura Marano said. This statement couldn't be truer. It doesn't matter if you're 12 or 112, there is some little way that you can impact someone or something and make a difference for good. There is some daily miracle that you can cause. And who knows? Your small actions might lead to something bigger. This happened to 10-year-old Vivienne and it could happen to you.

Here's Vivenne's story:

10-year-old entrepreneur strives to stop child slavery through lemonade stand

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Compiled by Megan Christensen, Deseret News

Published: Tuesday, May 20 2014 1:05 p.m. MDT

Updated: Wednesday, May 21 2014 4:47 p.m. MDT

   

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Vivienne Harr sells lemonade in an effort to end child slavery.

Screenshot, YouTube.

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Summary

In May 2012, then 8-year-old Vivienne Harr set up a lemonade stand hoping to end child slavery. Now, Harr is the founder of Make A Stand Lemon-Aid, a business that has earned more than $1,000,000.

Be one person: Vivienne Harr at TEDxFiDiWomen

Most lemonade stands are spearheaded by children looking to earn extra cash for their toy fund, but 10-year-old Vivienne Harr set hers up for a noble reason: to end child slavery.

When Harr was 8 years old, she saw a heartbreaking picture of two young Nepalese slaves. She decided to start a lemonade stand in May 2012 and charged "whatever's in your heart," donating all the proceeds to charities fighting to end child slavery, according to Business Insider.

She made a commitment to sell lemonade for 365 days in hopes of earning $100,000 to free 500 slaves.

When New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg heard about her cause, he invited Harr to sell her lemonade in Times Square, where she earned more than $101,000.

"You did it, honey, you're done," Harr's parents said when she reached her goal. Harr asked if child slavery was done, and when her parents shook their heads, she replied, "Then I am not done."

Now, Vivienne's once small lemonade stand has turned into a small business called Make A Stand.

"I know I might be small, but I have a big idea," Harr said in her TEDxFiDiWomen presentation.

Make A Stand is now the subject of a children's book and a documentary.

Harr's certified organic, Fair-Trade lemonade has been bottled and is now sold in more than 150 stores in the Western United States and in Texas, according to Make A Stand. She has raised more than $1,000,000 to free slaves.

The Harrs give five percent of gross revenues to their seven recipient organizations.

"It's a giveness, not a business," Harr told the NBC Bay Area.