I’m excited to share more stories from our team in China! Today’s story is about a boy with autism.

(You can find part 1 of the stories here.)

Chun Juan’s story

Angela (our therapist) and Margarete (our China Director) both shared about a little boy nicknamed Chun Juan, which literally means “spring roll” — is that not the cutest?! 

Chun Juan is a sweet 7 year old. He was diagnosed with autism after his behavior at school got to a point that teachers suggested he take a break because he was becoming too disruptive.

Angela explained,

“Teachers frequently reported that Chun Juan tightly hugs classmates or friends he likes—sometimes even causing them to fall and get injured.

“Furthermore, when emotionally agitated or excited, he loses control of his behavior and ignores instructions, causing significant distress to both teachers and classmates.”

In Angela’s words: 老师常常投诉，春卷在学校紧紧拥抱自己喜欢的同学或朋友，甚至导致同学跌倒受伤。情绪激动或兴奋时，会行为失控，无视指令，让老师和同学十分困扰。

Chun Juan’s parents have been incredibly patient and supportive, finding him help and support as soon as they learned about his needs.

He’s now been in therapy with Hope Station for the past few months. He’s worked hard and made such great progress.

And the proof of that became evident during an incident that happened at a classmate’s house recently.

The incident

I love the way Margarete tells the rest of the story:

“For a long time, Chun Juan’s family had hoped that he would find a friend who could accept him and enjoy spending time with him.

“At the beginning of his second-grade school year, something very meaningful happened. One of his classmates took the initiative to invite Chun Juan to his home to play. During their time together, his classmate kept telling Chun Juan how smart he was and admiring how well he could make and build things with his hands.

“For a child with autism, moving from one environment to another can be challenging. When Chun Juan’s mother came to pick him up, he became overwhelmed and had an emotional meltdown.

“At first, his mother felt embarrassed and uncomfortable because of his impulsive behavior in someone else’s home.

But then Chun Juan used the social-emotional regulation strategies that he had learned from Hope Station’s therapist, Angela. He was able to calm himself down, recognize what had happened, and apologize.

What happened next deeply encouraged his mother. The other child’s mother comforted her and told her that Chun Juan was welcome to visit their home again. She also shared that she understood how difficult it can be to raise a child with additional needs.

For Chun Juan’s mother, this new friendship represents much more than simply having a classmate to play with. It is a small but meaningful step toward greater social inclusion—a sign that her child is beginning to find his place in the community.“

Margarete’s closing words

“From my perspective as the China Director of Hope Station, the deepest lesson I’ve learned over the years is this: to change the fate of a child with disabilities, you must first hold up the family behind them.

We’ve seen too many parents struggling in despair—some have considered giving up, some have already hidden their children away. 

Through sustained support and empowerment and companionship, parents move from isolation and helplessness to having methods and a support system. Children move from being hidden to being accepted. When the family is stabilized, the child stays.“

Every dollar given, every home visited, and every therapy session held is one step closer to every child growing up safe and loved.

Chun Juan and other kids like him are still waiting for sponsors. Read about their stories here.