Hey friends, it’s Rebekah here.
I want to share with you an incredible story from my recent trip to China, about how XiaoHang’s life was changed.
It all started back in 2019, when the first few families joined our then-new Family Strengthening Program. One of those first families was XiaoHang’s family.
His mama shared their story with us during our very first visit to their home:
When XiaoHang was young, he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. They were already struggling to put food on the table. They couldn’t leave XiaoHang alone at home, and he couldn’t go to school or daycare because he had Cerebral Palsy. They were afraid they wouldn’t be able to feed him… let alone provide the therapy and resources he needed for his disability.
So, they made the heartbreaking decision to bring him to their friend’s countryside home and leave him there—they both would go to work full time and send money for his care. But the decision plagued them—and eventually they went back to get him, determined to stay together as a family somehow.
It was soon after that that XiaoHang’s family heard about Hope Station.
In 2019, our team came alongside them to support their entire family. We brought rice, oil, and milk every month and encouraged them in all their hard work. We offered career solutions, parent training, equipment for XiaoHang’s disability, and opportunities for physical therapy.
Their lives completely transformed before our eyes. No longer wondering if they would be able to put food on the table. No longer stressed about providing their son the specialized care he needs. No longer feeling isolated, alone, or hopeless.
This summer, I had the honor of visiting XiaoHang’s family again.
XiaoHang turned 18 and it was time for their family to graduate from our Family Strengthening Program. It was a sweet and simple last visit:
We brought cake for XiaoHang and flowers for his mama. We reminisced about the past 4 years and all the victories that their family experienced. We talked about the amazing donors that supported XiaoHang and his family throughout their time in Hope Station. And we congratulated and prayed for them as XiaoHang moves from childhood into adulthood.
Life as an adult with disability in China can also be difficult.
So we’ve connected them with as many other other organizations and resources as we can to send them into this new season of life well equipped. We’re so proud of how far they’ve come as a family.
I’ve linked a video message here from XiaoHang’s mama below. I hope her words will speak to your heart as much as they do mine.
XiaoHang’s life was changed thanks to his sponsors and our incredible donors. His story is one of many whose lives are forever changed by the generosity of others.
