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Lou Xiaoying, right, lies in the hospital with one of her daughters, center. Lou, now 88 and suffering from kidney failure, found and raised more than 30 abandoned babies from the streets of Jinhua, in eastern Zhejiang province, China, where she made a living recycling rubbish.
BEIJING – “What?! No, she is alive in the hospital,” exclaimed Zhang Jingjing through the phone lines.
Zhang was responding to concern on Weibo, China’s popular Twitter-like service, claiming that Lou Xiaoying, her adoptive mother, had died.
The worry was understandable, for Lou, 88, has been hailed a hero in China for reportedly saving more than 30 abandoned babies from trash cans and dumps over the past four decades.
Lou is suffering from kidney disease in the hospital, but, according to her daughter, she's still alive.
"My mother has gotten better,” Zhang, 33, reported. “The hospital has spared us much expense. They have also minimized the kinds of medicines that my mom has to use. Money collected from donations has helped us a lot, too."
Helping others
Lou, who was born in 1924 in Fujian Province, collected and recycled garbage to make a living. She and her husband, who died 17 years ago, had two biological children, a daughter and a son.
Over the years of scavenging, Lou found 30 children who had been abandoned, mostly as a result of China’s strict one-child policy. She and her husband adopted three daughters while the remaining children, mostly girls, were passed to other people to start new lives.
According to an article in Britain’s Daily Mail, Lou found her first abandoned child, a girl, when she was out collecting garbage in 1972.
“She was just lying amongst the junk on the street, abandoned. She would have died had we not rescued her and taken her in,” she said, according to the Daily Mail report. “I realized if we had strength enough to collect garbage, how could we not recycle something as important as human lives?”
“These children need love and care. They are all precious human lives,” she added. “I do not understand how people can leave such a vulnerable baby on the streets.”
Zhang told NBC News that "at one point, there were 12 members in the family” living in a deserted temple on the outskirts of the city of Jinhua, about 200 miles south of Shanghai. "It wasn't until 1987 when they were building a railway and wanted to remove our temple, did [authorities] find out about our family,” she added.
The family’s future was complicated by the rigid household registration system designed to control the movement of China’s 1.3 billion people. Known in Chinese as hukou, the central government classifies people as either city dwellers or rural peasants, which determines not only a citizen’s residence but also what kind of social services and schools they are eligible for.
Because they were living “off the grid,” none of Lou’s adopted children had a hukou. But Zhang said that people in the area soon heard about the family and help came along.
"There were some communal donations which helped two of us adopted ones go to school. But my oldest adopted sister, who is now 40, has never gone to school,” said Zhang.
Even in old age, Lou kept going out to collect trash several times a day. In 2007, Lou discovered a boy, Zhang Qilin, in a dumpster. She adopted the boy, who is now 7, as her grandson; his adoptive father is Lou’s biological son.
The youngster encountered the same problem of not having a hukou. But after a series of reports about Lou in the local Jinhua Daily, followed by other reports in the Chinese and international press, Zhang was granted permission to attend a public school called Jindong District Experimental School in Jinhua. In addition, his hukou registration process is now under way.
‘Grandma Lou deserves her dreams to be fulfilled’
Fang Qing, the principal of the public school, spoke with NBC News about Lou’s youngest adoptee.
“I take for granted that every child in China has a right to education, no matter what his background is like,” Fang said, adding that the school would keep a special eye on Zhang Qilin.
“Grandma Lou deserves her dreams to be fulfilled. Good people should be rewarded with good,” Fang said.
Many netizens have chimed in on Weibo about Lou’s heroism.
“What would the world be like if only we have a few more people like Grandma Lou. I respect you, Grandma,” wrote one user.
Lou’s concern for others lives on in her daughter, Zhang, who agreed to be interviewed as long as no foreign donation appeal would be made through NBC.
“We are not in a very positive position financially,” she said, “but neither do we lack money now for my mother’s medical treatments. … We are very grateful, but we are doing fine now.”
Asked if she has ever thought about finding her biological parents, Zhang answered “No” resolutely. “She has always been my mother.”
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Leave a Comment:
Our throw-away children languish in an over-burdened, under-funded, foster care system. We are no better.
Indeed. And some are even literally thrown away here, just like in China, even though all states have a safe haven law.
You are so correct. There are approximately 500,000 children nationally that are available for adoption.
“She was just lying amongst the junk on the street, abandoned. She would have died had we not rescued her and taken her in,” she said, according to the Daily Mail report. “I realized if we had strength enough to collect garbage, how could we not recycle something as important as human lives?”
Amazing. I am at work and this story almost brought me to tears!!! And, I'm a 42 year old tough guy (or at least I like to think so. :). How can this happen. This woman, and others like her, are the lights that are in this World. We have some truly demonic people on the face of this planet when you read stories like this. China needs to seriously clean up its act. The one child policy is fine, but you cannot harass people to the point where they will throw newborns on the garbage pile to avoid getting in trouble. And for us to do business with this Country is a sad state of affairs for America now that we know this is happening (Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, etc...). God bless this woman!!
This happens in the US as well.
I have had some terrible eperiences with woman from communist China which has formed a lot of my opinion about people there. I know I shouldn't judge a race/country by one person but my experiences where so traumatic and hurtful that it is hard not to. I found her and what she told me about her values and morals that she shares with all her countrymen to be repulsively unethical, self-serving, and shallow. It appears the chinese aren't brought up to have compassion for their fellowman. They are taught to be opportunists. This maybe because of the struggle they must endure to rise up from the masses and survive.
I find this story about Grandma Lou has softened my heart and my opinion and perception of people in China. Nice to know that even there there are beautiful people on the inside. She has been blessed with her love and loved ones. Way to go Grandma.
The people of China breathe a sigh of relief that this article has made the difference....to you
So the next negative thing out of China will sway you back the other way, right?
No BA, we like the Chinese people. Very much.
Bad Animal:
Not even close to a critical and accurate assessment of my message. The importance of my opinion of course carries little weigh in consequence to you or anyone else in this world. Never stated it did. On the other hand yours carries equal weight. One of the great things about free speech is that we all can share our views legally.
My view is not formed exclusively from one individual. However this individual was very frank with me about the philosophy and values she was rasied to uphold. I didn't agree with them and she didn't agree with anything American. As she stated "Everything American is crap". Pardon the language. I knew her so well becasue we were married for a year. She came here on a student Visa and manipulated a way into getting a green card. I was the sucker. Believe me she was a protrayed a totally different person before our marriage. Being now forty-five I have a large reference of information to form an opinion.
I praise this lady because she was is so different then the person I encountered and markedly different then the culumative information I have obtained over the years.
At the risk of sounding presumptuous, if you're an aging middle aged guy finding a young foreign female interested in you, the chances are, you are being swindled. A girl from mainland China married my uncle in Hong Kong, took all his money and left. I'm not saying all mainlanders do this, but it's common sense to avoid well-known scams (I'm American born Chinese if it matters).
The poorer you are, the more opportunistic you are. It wasn't that long ago that millions of them starved to death under Mao's fanatical rule. The story where bystanders kept ignoring a bleeding infant girl in the middle of the road, is an example of how distrustful and skeptical they are of any kind of tragedy or event. Rumors rule the microblogosphere. Their news and media are state controlled, journalists self-censor themselves. Their food might be counterfeit. Their hospitals might refuse treatment if you don't pay up front, regardless if you're dying. Read: they are a third world country, that's why there are millions of chinatowns all over the world.
There are many decent Chinese, unfortunately you met a scam artist prostitute (there was a 20/20 expose about attractive Russian girls who do this in Florida, find a target, rich older guy, get the money and run).
You should have had the marriage nullified, reported her to INS or something because frankly it's hos like her that make asian women look bad. And the fact she's so disdainful of everything American but had the nerve to come here to study and scam a green card out it. Every time I see an asian chick with a much older gweilo (gringo), it screams of green card scam.
I don't don't mean to generalize so much, I mean if Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas and millions of other younger girls/older guys can work, I guess it can, but dude, make citizenship a PREREQUISITE first. What's wrong with American women?
that country is so disgusting. hey american bigots, instead of harassing rape victims and defunding planned parenthood maybe you should focus your attention on china if you care so much about babies? they slaughter them by the truckloads. the Chinese government performs mandatory abortions regardless of consent or term of pregnancy. they probably abort a thousand babies for every 1 in the US. wait what? can't do anything about it so why bother trying? that's what i thought. maybe try some of that attitude here.
you pretty ingorant if you think, force abortion are happen everyday, in every city in china. suggest you get your fatass of the sofa, and travel abit
Wow! Very heroic! I wonder if those trash-chicks are hot? Hmm, must be strong souls that I'm sure are exemplar adults now who can only top it up by giving healhy grandchildren to that woman... ahem :D
Babies in the trash. Welcome to the USA under Republican rule where all abortions are banned.
Your comment is as well thought out as your username. This country needs fewer airbags recycling putrified politically insulting lies and more cooperation across party lines. That means the silly infighting needs to stop and common ground needs to be found.
This woman deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
Is it illegal in China for someone in the U.S. to help them? Is that why she wouldn't allow an appeal for funds? I would love to help if I could, what a wonderful story about a tragic situation, turned around by one person!!!!
its not illegal, it just she is not greedy, and she already receive enough donation from chinese to pay for her medical bill etc. and she don't someone else money if she can pay for it.
I don't think it's illegal to get international funds. I just think she didn't want to appear in the interview as asking for them. If people were to send them on their own, I think that is a different matter.
They have an award for people like Lou, it is called the Nobel Peace Prize. I wonder how many personal sacrafices she made, of her time and resources, to raise these children on her own. What an extraordinary woman!
OMG! God Bless this lady. Wow. Saved 30 babies. That is awesome. Throw the kids to the curb. Unreal.
In a world gone mad a frail little woman finds some some cold and hungry and scared little babies and says to them do not be afraid You can come and live with me I will feed you and love you so don't cry, you are not trash but human beings I don't have much but what I have is yours and do not fear for I will protect you always, In a world filled with evil and blackness this woman is a shining star of hope and wisdom for all to see...................................
How about, just for one day, we forget politics, stop calling people names, let go of the anger, and celebrate this beautiful woman. This is one of the most inspiring stories I have read in a long time. I looked at the picture and the smiles of everyone, but the thing that struck me was the little boy's hand on on his grandmother's. This lady may have been poor but she was truly loved. I'll take that over money any day. I don't care if I sound soppy, I have had my fill of bad news and this story has made my week.
She doesn't need to be celebrated by anyone. Her deeds speak volumes. Anything else would just sully her work.
And you do sound soppy..
Good for her, taking care of children that not even China's corrupt communist government was willing to take care of. This is the kind of thing that ends up happening when you live in a country where 'government knows best'; they make you almost wholly dependent on them, and will supposedly take care of all your needs whether you want them to or not-- which results in neglect of the masses due to mismanagment and fiscal over-reach by an over-sized, and underfunded bureaucracy. Vote Libertarian; self-reliance, not government assistance, works, as this wonderful woman proves!
you all know its legal to abandoned babies in damn china !!
1 child per family - extra ones get killed - like a wild animal kingdom !!!!!
China and Viet Nam have a REAL "War on Women". Everyone know when you limit children to one or two per parent, a far greater amount of girls are aborted over boys; like more than 100 to 1 ratio abort a female child over a male child. Of course, any genocide of the innocent is horrible no matter then gender.
Nhan Quyen Cho Viet Nam! Human Rights for Vietnam!
Whyme, your twisted half brain is nothing to be proud of, so stop showing off your ignorance and xenophobia about things you know nothing about.
Rasputin, regreattably, Whyme is correct. The Commy Despotic Governments of China & Viet Nam Forces parents to "rid" of children after 1st or 2nd depending on region (thankfully some local districts turn a blind eye on this barbaric enforcement). I know of a few in Sai Gon (the real city name for the city of "HCM City") forced to get "rid" of a 3rd child.
Nhan Quyen Cho Viet Nam!
Rasputin, you say stop "showing your ignorance", while showing your ignorance about the one child policy over there. Everything why me said is fact, given some latitude for colorful adjectives.
Wonderful but sad story. This woman should be woman of the year to save all those lives. It's a crime that Chinese parents are limited to one child and they only want boy's. The girls are treated like trash so very sad. I imagine this is the same mind set Casey Anthony had when she killed Caylee and tossed her in the woods as trash. Thankfully that is rare here and sad because she got away with murder. Thanks to the dim witted jury from Pinellas County Fl.
Prophet Mohammed ( PBUOH) have predicted things like this long time ago! those are signs of Judgement day he said.. mothers will abandon their children.
For those who did this! I have no word how to describe you. May God have mercy on you.. that s all I have to say!
Those Homocide Bombers in the name of "Jihad" also abandon their children.
Maxeemas, I could come up with a response about children with bombs strapped to them, but I'll assume you're a "good Muslim" who isn't on that radical side.
Not a big Mohammed fan (may he not live forever), but he's right. Bad sign for us as a human race.
I dont agree with suicide bombers blowing up women children.
with that said.. at war everything is possible! Japanese committed suicide by crashing their air planes to take as many US lifes as possible. because it s call War. during W.Bush invasion of Iraq.. many babies / children were killed by US war plane missiles. During 2009 Israel bombed Palestine.. most of victims were women and children and elderly people! but all of this is not so bad to us neither evil!!!!! But, when you think about Muslim blowing / suicide bomber that s the real evil bad guy in our mind!
I dont know what to say after this!
No matter how Muslims would do it.. it s still going to be bad and evil so!
Those Kamikazee Japanese Pilots only targeted military (rare exception they had civilian targets). The Vast Majority of Islamic Homocide Bombers in the world (and Iraq) are NOT against Military but Civilian targets ...and most against other Muslims. US Combat Troops now out of Iraq but there are STILL homocide bombers (yes, mostly targeting civilians), so your agruement that Islamic Homocide Bombers is due to "War" only is very misguided at best. Inshalla, the people of Iraq will get rid of Homocide Bombers. The vast majority of Iraqi Cilivians only trusted the US Military/Coalition Forces when there as they independent of Muslim sectarian strife.
Kurt s : if you were to read again my comment from start.. I said I am against Suicide bombers who targets women and children.. when it comes to war / fighting enemies, Christians and Jews and Muslims have their own way how to kill.. to me that s all pure Evil. it makes no difference to me.. all bad and evil. get that inside your head and accpet that none Muslims are as evil as them.
BY THE WAY.. U DONT HAVE TO BE A SUICIDE BOMBER TO KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE LIKE WOMEN, ISRAEL KILLED MORE WOMEN THAN HAMAS DID! BUT THAT S OKAY! AS LONG AS YOU DONT DO IT THE SUICIDE WAY.
This is an amazing human being. Not only did she and her husband bring in and bring up these children, they taught them their ideals, the children will carry this on, what a wonderful gift this family has. Not enough people like this in the world, thank God that their inspiration will live on...
This is the kind of story that we should be reading about ... the kindness and compassion of one human being for another ... this is news !! this is inspirational. she is a remarkable person and so is her family and supporters. this story and her life should give us all a shot in the arm and hope for humanity. Thank you Grandmother for your kindness and unconditional love.
Just the Tax returns Please Mittens,.....just the tax returns!!!!!!!!
What in the world does this have to do with this story??
There is a name, or title, from China that I heard of as a child. It is Jen-Ai (I hope the spelling is at least close) and it means "she who loves the people." I can't think of anyone who deserves it more!!
She tries to stop babies from being thrown in the trash? So she's the opposite of a Democrat then?
prayers for her
but shes already on her way to jesus
ya something about being above humans that god wants you directly by gods side
Romney must be Chinese.
I have an elderly gentleman who comes by once a week to go through our recycling bin to collect soda cans. Stuck up a conversation with him and found out he recycles them to pay for his medications and food. He's 82
In response to "Mark-3140636
Sadly Kevin C-752389 if abortions are made illegal in the US many more babies will most likely be found in garbage cans."
1.5 million babies DO end up in garbage bags (as biohazardous waste) every year in the Unites States. Whether a child is regarded as disposable trash before or after birth makes no difference in its inhumanity.