When we were visiting children recently one of the families asked if we would visit another child's family. This often happens because people in the villages can often be quite caring towards one another. So we walked to visit Dou Guo Hao who is a 7 year old boy.
Dou Guo Hao is in grade 1 in the local primary school. As our team approached his home they could easily see this family was certainly in need and living in very hard circumstances.
His parents are divorced, his mother left the home after his father was blinded by shrapnel in an industrial accident in 2007. This unfortunately often seems to happen. Circumstances get so hard that one parent often finds it just too much and leaves.
When our team arrived Dou Guo Hao's father was in bed but readily got up when he realized visitors had arrived.. His room could best be described as dank and smelly and he was very quiet. But he did appear pleased that we were there and seemed to sense we had come to help. He willingly posed for a picture with his son and family.
Dou Guo Hao's grandparents are simple folk and were very grateful for the clothes and vitamins we gave him.
These pictures show Dou Guo Hao with his dad, then his grandparents and dad and lastly his home. These homes are simply dug into the dirt hillside. The internal walls are lined with cement but they are very basic, and often quite difficult to clean in any way.
Imagine if you, or your own child, was facing life from a starting point like Dou Guo Hao.
It takes just $AUD40 per month to make a real difference in these children's lives.