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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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These are the stories that need to be put in the headlines. MSN could do the world some good by putting this at the top instead of the smut and celebrity nothingness.
I agree. I cannot tell you how many times I could cared less who was arrested for drunkeness and drugs . We see this in shows and hav e to read it here or see the captions. Most people who are human do not care who 's who in Hollyboo anymore. There are not really good actors or actresses there, because they just don't produce good wholesome shows for the entire family to watch anymore. Days are gone of Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley, Gomer, And Andy Griffith among some of the best shows of our times. They just don't make good shows without having all this kind of sex thing in them and most of the ones they have now aren't funny.
These people are without God. I seriously question what goes in that country. Policies created for the destruction of children. It's a mindset. At least in this country we argue about too much (or too little) money and resources given for welfare programs. I'd rather spend my time dealing with that than to live in a place with blatant disregard for human life. Disgusting. Inhumane....
Suri:), This woman is of GOD. At one time Christian Missionaries were allowed into China. She is old enough to have heard the Gospel and to remember it. They lived in an old church.
Wow! I'm a bit sad for the loss of life when I throw a cockroach in the trash. These people are barbarians!!!!!
Thank God for this woman.....
"being the ONLY member of the Illinois legislature to not support a bill to provide medical care for newborns who survived failed late-term abortions. Now that is Extreme indeed."
I'll take your link from the World Net Daily as I do every link from nutjob right wing sites... as the de-facto bold faced lie it is.
Sounds like the Democrat party's wet dream.
And those 30 babies can grow up knowing they will have a job, since romney will export all the american jobs to china. romney you are a disgrace to mankind and a traitor to america. you will pay in hell for being a traitor fool.
Romney did not say he was exporting jobs to China. I wonder where you heard that? You should be ashame of yourself. Should you be a Christian, bend over and kick yourself. You have no room to speak. Let me see! Are you running opposing Romney in the Presidential Election? I do not recall your name on a ballot.
This story was about a woman dying who saved 30 babies and you want this to be about politics. Not every story isn politics. So go get a life. Geez!
If we can raise almost a million dollars for a woman that was bullied as a bus monitor we can CERTAINLY raise AT LEAST that much for a woman that has done so much with so little to save lives while going against the government's inhumane policies. Truly an amazing woman!!
Grandma Lou is in my prayers. These children are very fortunate for ths woman and her husand to have found them by their profession. Not only this, but China's government of this state did not keep her from keeping these children, whereas they may had sent them to an orphanage to see if they could be adopted into a family without children. These children were very fortunate indeed. I hope they grow up to be just like Grandma Lou.
One question:Define rich
One answer: China's Grandma Lou
That's how people make it to heaven. " The little old lady from China" "Go granny go granny go granny go". God bless you. See people. In this country everyone say's what's in it for me. Instead do something good. There are organizations you can make small donations to help kids and their communities. If not help anyone you see that needs some help. Don't complain. Just do it.
this makes me sad. abandoned babies, biological mothers not loving them? sigh, then for a total stranger, poor and needy herself it seems like, take them in , trying to spare their life and give them more. Touching.
Its nice to be able to comment on a story that is what is good about people. Fantastic story of dignity and I applaude her. And also wish more of her in the is world.
When it has to do with China and babies is that they eat them as a delicacy, if not thrown away as garbage, as the story is told. Just going off of what I read about the subject. Don't believe me? Use any search engine of your choice. Caution - only for the strong-willed and strong-stomached (if new to this type of story, that is).
talk about a woman that should go straight to sainthood. it is really wonderful to read so many nice letters about a person
Just too touching, as I wipe the tear from my eye, watching the little boy touch her hand as she lay upon her hospital bed I can feel the love. There are so many people in China, who would believe that many people live in one country. Over population is real folks, rape is real also and many children come from forcible rapes. But tossing babies into the trash is horrible, on the other hand letting them die from starvation is worse. Give those people birth contron and teach them to use it.
God Bless Zhang Jingjing
Matthew 5
New King James Version (NKJV)
The Beatitudes
5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Oops, I meant to say 'God bless Lou Xiaoying.' I've unwittingly manifested something block-headed that I'd heard, that is 'Why are the name of characters played by Chinese actors different from their own; they're all just gobbledygook (again, oops.)'
The truest definition of humanity! A hero of goodness for all to be. Thankyou, Lou! What a lesson to teach! Your loving light carries through the darkest this world has to offer. Thankyou!