Written by Rain
One moment he grins, the next moment he throws a fit. Sometimes he screams and other times he dances… We are so glad we got to meet this expressive little boy — Xiaolei! This summer, Xiaolei is three and a half years old. Shortly after birth, Xiaolei was diagnosed with Down syndrome and congenital heart disease. For his parents, it was a double blow. Even so, Xiaolei has the unique, cute, and imitative qualities unique to a baby with Down syndrome. About a year ago, Xiaolei came to the Children’s Welfare Institute & Rehabilitation Center funded by Rainbow Missions to receive professional rehabilitation training. From initially being unable to wa
lk, he can now wobble a few steps without any support. For his family, teachers, and classmates who love him, it is a great comfort and encouragement. In the welfare homes and rehabilitation centers, Xiaolei is recognized as a “living treasure”. It is a pleasure for parents and teachers to tease and play with him every day. His rich and varied expression also makes him a true “expression king”. However, because of congenital heart disease, Xiaolei also constantly suffers from the physical discomfort and various reactions caused by the disease. For example, he often does not breathe smoothly, he needs to sleep on the floor to dissipate body heat in order to fall asleep, and his immune system is weak. It is very easy for Xiaolei to catch a cold or get sick.
Although Xiaolei has been plagued by illness for a long time, he has always been surrounded by teachers, classmates, and family members who love him, especially his family. Although his family is very poor, his parents and sisters love him very much. Xiaolei’s family mainly relies on planting sugar cane for a living. Last year, his father finally had the opportunity to build a small, simple house near their sugar cane field. However, because of the cost, the roof could not be fully built and completed well. The stairwell is only covered with a plastic tarp which partially shelters the family from the wind and rain. Because Xiaolei’s mother needs to take care of him and his sister, she cannot go out to work. His father has become the pillar of the family. Like a hardworking ox, he works hard in the sugar cane field 365 days a year to support the family. This past year, Xiaolei’s sister went to town to start elementary school. She is very clever and sensible. When she comes home from school, she always remembers to help her mother look after her younger brother. Xiaolei and his sister are very sweet and affectionate with one another.
In the face of Xiaolei’s disease, the family has never given up. Since last year, they have been applying for government support to help pay for surgery for Xiaolei’s heart condition. By God’s grace, the family was able to receive support, and in mid-June, Xiaolei went to the Cardiology Hospital to receive a series of preoperative examinations and finally, surgery!
The short-term service team (STST) of Rainbow Missions raises love on its banner and believes that lives can be used to impact other lives. Every year, we regularly visit our disabled children and families from mid to late June. This past June, on the day we arrived, we went directly to the hospital to visit Xiaolei and his mother who were preparing to undergo a series of preoperative examinations. As a pastor, I have often had the opportunity to visit patients in different hospitals in Seattle. Relatively speaking, the overall medical facilities, sanitary equipment, and service quality of the hospitals in the field are rough. Seeing these conditions often make foreign visitors feel shocked and sad.
By God’s grace, Xiaolei’s heart surgery was successfully completed a few days after our visit. After receiving support from the government and Medicaid, their family still has to pay about 15,000 yuan (about US$2,500). Rainbow Missions is trying to fundraise the cost of the surgery for them. Please pray for support and generous help! The love of Christ Jesus inspires us. Are you willing to open your life and live this love as a blessing to others? Rainbow Missions sincerely invites you to walk with us. If you are willing to donate money to support Xiaolei’s surgery, please go directly to our website at www.therainbows.org, call (206)-734-7000 or send a check (payable to Rainbow Missions) to Rainbow Missions, PO BOX 40145, Bellevue, WA 98015, and please indicate “Xiao Lei’s surgery cost”. In order to facilitate the issuance of the year-end dedication receipt, please fill in your email address. Thank you!
「磊」程需要您！
一會兒撅嘴，一會兒眯笑，一會兒滾地耍赖，一會兒又手舞足蹈……這個表情豐富的小男孩—-我們就叫他小磊吧！這個夏天小磊便三歲半了。出生不久，小磊便被診斷為唐氏综合症，且伴有先天性心臟病。對他的父母來說，實在是雙重的打擊！即便如此，小磊卻具備唐氏寶寶所特有的可爱、呆萌、並極具模仿能力的特質。大概一年前，小磊來到彩虹工程資助的兒童福利院及康復中心接受專業的康復訓練，從最初的不會走路，到現在已經可以在不需要任何支撑的情况下摇摇晃晃的走上幾步了。對愛他的家人、老師和同學而言，不失為一個很大的安慰與鼓勵。在福利院及康復中心，小磊就是大家公認的“活寶”，每天逗他玩是家長和老師們的一個樂趣；而他豐富多變的表情，也讓他成為名副其實的“表情帝”。只是，因為患有先天性心臟病，小磊也需要不斷承受著疾病所帶來的身體不適和各種反應，例如他會經常呼吸不暢順、體熱需要貼着地板才能入睡、抵抗力弱而容易染上感冒咳嗽……
儘管小磊不幸的長期被疾病困擾，但他的身邊總有愛他的老師、同學及家人。特别是他的家人。他們雖然家境非常貧困，但父母和姐姐都對他疼愛有加。小磊的一家主要是靠種植甘蔗為生，去年終於有機會在自家甘蔗地附近建了一個簡陋的小平房，卻因為費用緊張，天頂楼梯口始終無法建好，只能將就著用一塊塑料布臨時蓋着以遮風擋雨。就如一般有殘障孩子的家庭。媽媽因為需要照顧小磊和姐姐，無法出外工作，爸爸就成為一家的頂樑柱，像一頭勤勤懇懇的“拓荒牛”，一年365天，他都在甘蔗地裡辛勤忙碌地耕作。小磊的姐姐今年來到縣城上小學了，姐姐乖巧懂事，平時放學回來總不忘幫助媽媽照看一下弟弟，姐弟俩的感情非常融洽親愛。
面對小磊的疾病，一家人從未放棄。
從去年開始，他們就一直申請先天性心臟病的手術補助名額，上帝恩典！家人收到了通過申請的告知，並於本年六月中旬，到心臟科醫院預備接受一系列的術前檢查，然後進行手術！
彩虹工程的短期服務隊（STST）也是以愛為旗，用生命影響生命，每年定期在六月中下旬到國內探訪我們資助的殘障孩子與家庭。因此在我們抵步當天，就直接到醫院探訪在預備接受一系列的術前檢查的小磊和他的媽媽。作為牧者，我在西雅圖經常有機會到不同的醫院探望病人；相對而言，國內醫院在整體的醫療設施、衛生設備及服務素質都顯得簡陋粗糙，令我們這些外來訪客感到心寒又心酸。
上帝恩典！小磊的心臟手術在我們到訪幾天後便順利完成。除了政府的傷殘及醫療補助，他們還要支付大概一萬五千元人民幣（約為US$2,500）。彩虹工程會盡力為他們籌募這筆手術費用。請代禱支持，慷慨損助！
基督耶穌的愛激勵我們，您願意敞開您的生命，把這一份愛活出來，成為別人的祝福嗎? 彩虹工程摯誠邀請你與我們同行，倘若你願意捐款資助小磊的手術費用，請直接到我們的網址www.therainbows.org ，致電(206)-734-7000或把支票（payable to Rainbow Missions）寄往Rainbow Missions, PO BOX 40145, Bellevue, WA 98015，並請註明「小磊的手術費用」。為方便寄發年終奉献收據，請填寫閣下的電郵地址。謝謝！