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>> Shin Shin Story : Grandpa Shao’s Journey
>> Twelve years ago, Grandpa Shao said,
>> The children in the ravine need a classroom with sunshine,
>> not a leaky roof...
>> and Shin Shin went there and built it.
>> Show a little compassion towards education, and many children will benefit forever.
>> Shin Shin Educational Foundation constructs, remodels and rebuilds primary schools
>> in the remote, rural and despondent regions of China.
>> We believe that the basic education is deserved by all children
>> and our mission is to improve their learning environment
>> and reduce the disparity in the quality of education received between metropolitan
and rural areas in China.
>> 325 schools and 8 reading rooms have been constructed since 1997.
>> Give children an opportunity, and they can strive for a brighter future.
>> Grandpa Shao said, "A beautiful, empty classroom is not good enough."
>> Shin Shin sent computers, books, athletic equipment,
>> and other necessary educational equipment to the schools.
>> The Follow-up Fund is accumulated through small donations from hundreds of donors,
>> helping the school to improve their educational equipment and teachers’ qualifications.
>> Shin Shin sent computers to the schools, received funding from Cupertino Rotary Club
>> for the book program, held English Teachers’ Training in Hunan,
>> recruited Chinese Americans as teaching assistants,
>> partnered with SOAR Foundation for the scholarship program,
>> and granted many Shin Shin schools funding for their particular needs,
>> all in the hopes of providing schools with the long-term assistance needed
>> to reduce the gap between city and rural schools.
>> Granpa Shao sold his restaurant, mortgaged his house, started his school visit journey
in April of 2004.
>> Grandpa Shao said, "I returned to my homeland (China) every May and September
>> to visit my children, Shin Shin students,
>> the hugs and warm exchange with them is the reason I continue this journey at the
age of 80."
>> In a typical family in rural China, often times parents are required to travel
>> to the city to work, while the children become the family adults.
>> In poorer families, inevitably, the children are forced to grow up faster
>> and become independent very quickly. Volunteers from Shin Shin, who are in essence,
>> strangers from far away, were able to help these children understand what it meant
>> to be cared for and loved. With this support, the children were able to find their own way
>> and gained the confidence needed to move forward with their lives.
>> I had the honor and pleasure to accompany Grandpa Shao for his annual school visit trip
between September and November of 2009.
>> We visited 48 schools in Jilin, Liaoning, and Hunan Xiangxi across 31 days.
>> Throughout our trip, we experienced a wide range of emotions
>> from happiness to sadness.
>> We learned so many life lessons in such a short amount of time.
>> Although the visit is over, the emotions of the trip still remain with me.
>> This experience has touched my heart deeply.
>> Shin Shin not only gave the children strength and courage, but also strengthened me as well.
>> This trip received the support from the local and provincial governments,
>> and we received an overwhelmingly warm welcome from every school we visited.
>> What Shin Shin has brought to these schools is evident,
>> from the computer technology, the athletic equipment,
>>to the books and school supplies.
>> It is very comforting to see the children grow up happily in a healthy environment.
>> children are singing "a grateful heart"
>> The first time I met Grandpa Shao, Grandpa Shao swiftly approached with a big suitcase.
>> After a few exchanges with the provincial officers, Grandpa Shao decided he wanted to
visit Shin Shin schools immediately, without resting.
>> This school visit covered 9 schools in 6 cities of Jilin province, and 15 schools
in 7 cities of Liaoning province.
>> The school visit went very smoothly, and we had a much better understanding of the
problems Shin Shin schools are facing.
>> The moment I will never forget was when I tried to help Grandpa Shao climb up the
steep stairs to the fourth floor at one school visit.
>> Grandpa Shao then quietly whispered in my ear, "You don’t need to help me
unless I fall."
>> During the visit I noticed that Grandpa Shao never had any unreasonable requests,
and always handled everything himself.
>> He treated others with patience and tolerance.
>> At the age of 80, he acted as if he were 50. Young at heart, he brought vitality and
hope to the children.
>> The Shin Shin spirit illustrates that life comes from inner strength, and it is an unstoppable natural force.
>> Grandpa Shao is an exceptional example of that spirit.
>> Climbing up mountains, crossing rivers, and tracking through dangerous terrain, is
the best way to describe our trip to Hunan Xiangxi.
>>
Hunan Xiangxi Miao and Tu minorities are situated in the northwestern part of the Hunan province.
>> It has the most natural beauties of any province with cliffs, stonewalls, waterfalls,
and forests, which is why it attracts many tourists here.
>> On the other side of these tourist spots lies the lesser-known, destitute area. Due
to the rain, the road conditions were very muddy and dangerously slippery.
>> We successfully visited 24 schools in this region and couldn’t have done it without
the assistance of the local government officials, to help us navigate through the trip.
>> We were very thankful that the local government officials were so immensely helpful.
>> We spent many hours on the roads driving through steep cliffs everyday.
>> Everywhere we looked all we could see were mountains and cliffs.
>> We overcame some of the worst road conditions , the narrowest roads possible, the enormous
potholes, the unpaved gravel.
>> Yet these didn’t stop us from reaching every Shin Shin school hiding in the mountains.
>> All the discomfort and exhaustion disappeared all at once in an instant moment.
>> The moment that Grandpa Shao saw all the children studying in the bright classroom;
>> the moment he chatted with the children; the moment he held the children’s hands;
>> the moment he heard the children sing; the moment the children clung onto the corner
of his clothes to ask him when he would be back;
>> these moments touched everyone’s heart and soul deeply.
>> The children said, "When I grow up, I want to spread love to others, just like you."
>> There is an old Chinese saying: traveling 10,000 miles is better than reading through
10,000 books.
>> Grandpa Shao traveled over 60,000 miles. He left his footprints in nearly every province
in China.
>> On average, Grandpa Shao has visited each school 2 to 3 times.
>> The journey through the winding country roads is certainly tiring, but in the eyes
of the children in remote countryside, Grandpa Shao sees the future.
>> With love and compassion, the children will grow up as stronger individuals, who
are willing to serve their community with courage and knowledge.
>> It takes ten years to grow a tree, but hundred years to foster a talent. Unity is
strength, which will lead to prosperity. The next generation will be even better.
>> Show a little compassion towards education, and many children will benefit forever.
Give children an opportunity, and they can strive for a brighter future.
The future generations will become better than before.