Kids seem to have grown up overnight after disaster

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-02 09:23

For 13-year-old Wang Zhen from the Mianzhu Middle School, his holiday wish was to see his mom again.

The boy had became introverted and quiet after the quake killed his mother. "She was always nagging and sometimes beat me. But I know what she did was all for me."

When Zhou Lin, his psychological doctor, told him "you can pretend that I were your mom and give me a hug," Wang threw himself into her arms, crying for as long as six minutes.

Wu Kunzhi and Yin Jing were among the children sent to other provinces, regions and municipalities to celebrate the holiday. From Shifang City, they went to Beijing to watch the flag-raising ceremony at Tian'anmen Square.

"How I wish that I could see the national flag fluttering on my re-built homeland," Wu said. "I will put on my red scarf (a symbol for Young Pioneers) and salute."

A LESSON OF LOVE

To children outside the quake zone, Sunday maybe their first children's day when, rather than receiving gifts, the kids and teenagers across China were brainstorming to help their peers affected by the disaster to celebrate the holiday.

At a donation spot in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, five-year-old Liu Yang was counting the coins from his piggy bank, something which was normally off-limits. He then spent five minutes inserting about 300 coins into the donation box.

Xie Chuang, a 10-year-old in Hunan Province, bought 50 carnations to send to a local hospital where several children from the quake zone were receiving medical treatment. "I watched TV and know they didn't cry. But their wounds must hurt. I just want to make them happy."

In Yushan County, Jiangxi Province, 11-year-old Li Jing cut her waist-long hair that had taken her five years to grow. She sold it for five yuan. "Dad is a migrant worker and my mom is working in the field. My family is not rich. But I do want to do something for my ill-fated peers," said the shy girl.

Students from Yuanqing Middle School in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, bought 30 boxes of mosquito-repellent incense and 1,000 bottles of essential balm. As it was getting warmer they hoped the gift could help children in Sichuan sleep well at night.

   1 2 3   


Top China News  
Today's Top News  
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours