CHINA – While all her friends looked forward to playing outdoors, 13-year-old Moseajia’s future held something quite different: she had to get a job.

After both her parents left, Moseajia was preparing to leave school to work as a sheep herder in order to help support her family.

Even worse, full-time employment as a sheep-herder – the only available job for Moseajia – would leave little time for education.

When Operation Blessing learned of Moseajia’s plight, they committed to sponsoring her and her younger sister in the Adopt-a-Student program.

So far, the assistance has proved empowering.

“[Moseajia and her sister] no longer feel helpless,” said Patty Xu, a representative with OB China. “They know many people are caring about them and helping them.”

Such support has been long-awaited. Moseajia and her sister, along with a younger brother, were born into an abusive home— both their father and grandfather are alcoholics.

When Moseajia was only 2 years old, her mother left the family. Several years later, her father moved out as well, leaving the children in the care of their elderly grandmother.

“Their grandmother’s greatest desire was to send the children to school so they can change their lives through education,” said Patty Xu, a representative with OBI.

With both parents gone, there was no longer enough income to pay the bills.

“Their grandmother’s greatest desire was to send the children to school so they can change their lives through education,” Xu said. “But she could not afford the fees. In order to survive, the children had to begin work as sheep-herders.”

Today, however, Moseajia is enjoying life as a sixth grade student.

“When our staff members visited her recently, she happily told us how her life has improved,” Xu said. “She said the experiences of suffering endured throughout her childhood would help to make her stronger.”

Last year, Operation Blessing China helped send more than 2,000 children to school as well as provide educational and nutritional assistance to impoverished students at 47 schools in 7 provinces.

 

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