Little Y was born prematurely and diagnosed with a hypoxic brain injury. We shared her story last year, and if you missed it you can find it here. Y is now a beloved daughter in one of our foster families.
We’d like to tell you about something remarkable that Y achieved recently, but before we do that, we have to explain a little bit of Chinese history. There is an ancient poem called the “Thousand Character Classic” that is… exactly what it sounds like. It was written in the 6th century, and has been used since that time as a literacy primer for generations of Chinese children. Each of the 1000 Chinese characters is used only once, and they are arranged into 250 four-character rhyming lines. Children in China have traditionally learned to chant this poem the way children in the West sing their “ABC’s”.
Last month, we decided to challenge the school age children in our care to see if they could memorize and recite the “Thousand Character Classic”. We were surprised at how enthusiastic they were to take up this challenge. The sound of children memorizing these lines became a familiar echo in each of our foster homes. Without any pressure or demands, even the younger children got caught up in the excitement and asked if they could do it – and Y was no exception. For weeks she memorized and practiced, one line at a time.
After many hours of practice and preparation, Y approached the project director and asked if she could present her recitation. Much to our joy and surprise, she was able to recite the entire “Thousand Character Classic” from memory!* To say that we are proud of her would be a profound understatement! We are so grateful to all who support us with their prayers and financial contributions - you are truly making a difference for little ones like Y!
No comments:
Post a Comment