Bai Fang Li started giving his donation at the age of 74. This is the story how his heart was touched and how he made the decision to do what he was doing.
He saw this little boy carry the heavy grocery bags with a lot of struggle, but he was determined to do the job well. There was a big smile on the boy's face when had completed the duty and receive some change from the lady for his service.
He watched the boy doing it to several ladies who were shopping in the market, and every time he received payment for his services, he would looked up to the sky and mumbled something.
Later, he saw the boy going to a pile of garbage and dug into the garbage looking for something. When he found a dirty piece of bread, he was so happy. He cleaned the bread the best he could, and he put the bread in his mouth and enjoyed it.
Bai's heart was so touched by what he saw. He approached the boy and offered him to share his lunch with him. Bai was wondering why the boy did not buy a decent lunch with the money he earned from providing services to the ladies.
The boy said, "I will use the money to buy food for my siblings." Bai asked, "Where are your parents?" The boy replied, "My parents were separating stuff from garbage everyday. However, one month ago, they disappeared and I have never seen them again. Thus, I have to work to feed myself and my two younger sisters."
Bai Fang Li asked to boy to take him to his sisters. Bai's heart was crying when he saw the two girls, 5 and 4 years old. The girls were dirty and skinny, and their clothes were very dirty. The neighbours did not care about the condition of these three children, because they were struggling to cope with their own lives too.
Bai Fang Li took these three children to an orphanage in Tianjin. He told the manager of the orphanage that he would bring all the money he made and give it to the orphanage to help the children there to get food, care and education.
Since then Bai Fang Li decided to work harder and with more determination in operating the rickshaw to earn money for the orphanage. He started early and finished late to get the extra money. From all his earning everyday, he put aside some to pay rent for his living space in the hut, to buy two raisin breads for his lunch and a small piece of meat and egg for his dinner. The rest of the income was donated to the orphanage to help them to feed and care for the children.
He is very happy doing all these things, despite his limitation. He felt that it was a luxury that he had a place to live, food to eat and clothes to wear, even clothes that he got from a disposal. He was always thankful for what he had.
Bai Fang Li worked as rickshaw operator 365 days a year, regardless of the weather, and often when it was snowing or when the sun was very strong and hot. When asked why he would sacrifice so much for these children, he always said, "It is OK that I suffer, as long as the poor children have something to eat and can have the proper education. I am happy to do all these things."
Bai Fang Li worked as rickshaw operator 365 days a year, regardless of the weather, and often when it was snowing or when the sun was very strong and hot. When asked why he would sacrifice so much for these children, he always said, "It is OK that I suffer, as long as the poor children have something to eat and can have the proper education. I am happy to do all these things."
Giving Without Expecting Anything in Return
Bai Fang Li, died 93 years old, lived in poverty. Yet, he donated an aggregate sum of RMB 350,000 to universities and schools in Tianjin to help 300 poor children in need.
For almost twenty years, he paddled his tricycle earning Yuan by Yuan to save up for his donations.
His lunch was two buns and plain water. Luxury to him was the sauce he put into the water. Dinner was a piece of meat or an egg. What he wore was what he picked from the dump. Any extra piece was luxury. He paddled 365 days a year every year, in the snow and in the soaring heat of 50 degrees C. He started at 6 in the morning and finished at 7 or 8 at night. It’s alright I suffer,” he said, “But let the poor kids go to school.”
At 90 years old, he arranged his last saving of RMB500 neatly in a box and handed to Yao Hua School, saying, “I cannot paddle any more. I am not able to donate any more. This shall be my last …”
Bai Fang Li, died 93 years old, lived in poverty. Yet, he donated an aggregate sum of RMB 350,000 to universities and schools in Tianjin to help 300 poor children in need.
For almost twenty years, he paddled his tricycle earning Yuan by Yuan to save up for his donations.
His lunch was two buns and plain water. Luxury to him was the sauce he put into the water. Dinner was a piece of meat or an egg. What he wore was what he picked from the dump. Any extra piece was luxury. He paddled 365 days a year every year, in the snow and in the soaring heat of 50 degrees C. He started at 6 in the morning and finished at 7 or 8 at night. It’s alright I suffer,” he said, “But let the poor kids go to school.”
At 90 years old, he arranged his last saving of RMB500 neatly in a box and handed to Yao Hua School, saying, “I cannot paddle any more. I am not able to donate any more. This shall be my last …”
All teachers in the School wept … The last image people had of him was his photo inscribed,
“A special Love for a special you."
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