One of the most inspiring pro-life stories ever told

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
8/3/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Elderly Chinese woman saves over 30 children from garbage bins.

A dying Chinese woman is finally gaining recognition as her work to save children has come to public light. Lou Xiaoying, 88, has apparently rescued and raised no less than 30 children, rescued from trash bins around her neighborhood.

Lou Xiaoying, who despite living in poverty saved and raised 30 children discovered in garbage heaps.

Facebook Delicous MySpace

Twitter Stumble Digg

More Destinations

JINHUA, CHINA (Catholic Online) - Now suffering from kidney failure, Lou Xiaoying has saved her last child. She found each of the children in trash bins while earning a meager living recycling garbage. Some of the children she kept and raised herself, others were passed to relatives and friends who accepted them.

Xiaoying saved her last baby seven years ago, when she was already 82. In a report to the Daily Mail, she said "Even though I was already getting old I could not simply ignore the baby and leave him to die in the trash. He looked so sweet and so needy. I had to take him home with me."

She added, "I realized if we had strength enough to collect garbage how could we not recycle something as important as human lives. These children need love and care. They are all precious human lives. I do not understand how people can leave such a vulnerable baby on the streets."

Child abandonment is an all too common practice in China where abortion is not only widespread, but also mandated by the state. However, the country's one-child-policy, much maligned for its forced abortion procedures, is only the latest in a widespread disregard for human life. The practice of abandonment, especially of girls, has been common since ancient times, since the culture greatly prefers boys.

The Chinese people, for centuries, have also had to deal with the tremendous pressures of overpopulation and resource management. Yet, despite their dangerously intuitive allure, hard-line anti-life policies are not the solution to the country's problems, and never have been.

Those policies have been recently met with growing criticism from the Chinese people themselves who are repeatedly horrified with the details of forced abortions and severe punishments for women who become pregnant in violation of the one-child policy.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this story is the fact that one woman, in a single neighborhood, uncovered more than 30 children in trash bins over the course of her life. That suggests this is a far more common problem that presently understood. It is horrifying to think that at any given moment, babies are being discarded as trash.

Can there be any wonder why China has problems in so many other areas? Certainly, the country has been successful economically, but at what price? The people cannot be happy, and the economic boom fueled in part by a systematic disregard for human life and dignity, appears on the verge of collapse.
A country that throws its children into garbage heaps cannot stand long in the eyes of God. It may prosper for a short while, but inevitably, the sins of its past will haunt the entire nation and a day of reckoning will arrive. On that day, woe to the mothers who threw away their children when they were most vulnerable. And blessings upon those who saved all the innocents they could.

One unnamed fan told the Daily Mail this, "She is shaming to governments, schools and people who stand by and do nothing. She has no money or power but she saved children from death or worse."

The rest of the world can only aspire to her level of humble greatness.

� 2012, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Abortion, pro-life, China, Lou Xiaoying, inspiring

NEWSLETTERS »

Rate This Article

Was this helpful to you? Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful at All

Would you be interested in more articles like this? Yes, I am Interested No, I am not Interested

Rate Article

1 - 6 of 6 Comments

Teresa Connolly
9 months ago
History repeats itself. Moses in a basket among the wreaths in the river Nile and these babies in a bag among the rubbish of the Chinese people. I wonder if the word had become known that this lady would rescue these babies and save them. Shame on the Government and God Bless all the Mothers who begot these babies in such difficult circumstances. I have heard some horror stories of authorities aborting babies full term. There are many people including myself who would gladly raise one of these abandoned and found babies. Our prayers are with this kind lady and if there is anything that can be done to carry on the works of Lou please contact me. God Bless.
Peter Ramsey
9 months ago
Recycling is often touted as a prime example of respecting the earth's resources.
Many governments have a department called the Ministry of Human Resources!
What greater miracle than this - that an elderly woman in China rescued 30 children
from garbage bins!
PRAISE THE LORD - THE HOLY SPIRIT - JESUS CHRIST
Ben Biddulph
9 months ago
Yes, it is unfortunate that the article should use the term Overpopulation. If man is made in the image and likeness of God, surely it is insulting to God to say there are too many people. If there is a problem of overcrowding, the culprit is a homes shortage, inadequate infrastructure, poverty or flight to the towns due to a decline in agriculture. These are all things that governments and others can address. Let us not forget also that while China has many people, it also covers a vast area not much smaller than Canada. It happens to be one country, which makes it a single statistic.
Joseph Mathew
9 months ago
Liike Mother Theresa of Calcutta, Lou Xiaoying is a living saint! May God bless her and keep her!
The Rose
9 months ago
Good morning brethren: ditto to the comments of Paul-Emile. One freedom we have is to speak truth to our neighbor no manner the mode of presentation. This is a beautiful human interest article for a time such as this. Could others just get inspired to do something good to change our world as it is today? Jesus said, "Love thy neighbor as thy self." The question is who is my neighbor? As we pass others on the street, see others at the library and the grocery store, and even as we find others in the garbage can, these are our neighbors. The Holy Scriptures say, "Love covers a multitude of sins." In the purity of the heart, believer or not, this little old lady of China has made more of an effect on mankind by going with her heart and rescue the least of these, the innocent little babies cast aside as garbage. This is a true mother. Her boldness in a world of such condemnation on womanhood, procreation, and the unborn child is such a heroic measure, to do something to save mankind, just around herself . She is a hero in my eyes and I believe, too, in the eyes of God, for God sees all. She is an example, in a world of such selfishness amid stone cold hearts, that she can do something to rescue even one of the least of these. O, that our world as a whole could have such courage, such boldness, such love to reach out against what appears the worse odds to do such action, and still follow the promoting of her heart. That movement of her heart into her actions is God calling each to be the hands of Jesus Christ to reach out to a dying world, starving for the knowledge in Word and in Deed of Jesus. Salvation comes to all who seek justice in a world where such injustice is occuring. Salvation comes to each heart and soul when thru our daily choices we choose to do the will of God and to the best of our knowledge follow The Way of Jesus Christ even in the innocence of comprehension. It is the condition of the heart. Jesus said, Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and the door will be opened unto you. Today, all the more be encouraged to be the mouth of Jesus, be the hands of Jesus, be the heart of Jesus and be the mind of Jesus and then, and only then will you see yourself and the world around you change, step by step, event by event, emotion by emotion, hour by hour. Today is the day of salvation. Do you know Jesus Christ? Look around you and seek the gates of compassion to walk through and in all things give glory to God for this is the right thing to do...Peace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Rose
Paul-Emile Leray
9 months ago
What a wonderful woman! Thank you for writing this article. This article aligns very nicely with your mission (Catholiconline) to inform-inspire-ignite. Asians are beautiful people. Governments ought to be celebrating life instead of destroying it. Overpopulation is a myth. Food shortage is a myth. Water shortages, this too is a myth when viewed in a larger contextual setting with the proper perspective. There is a problem with food distribution, often due to corrupt governments and some ruthless corporations and multinationals; as some examples. Also, if China prefers boys to girls (if this is true) then exactly how are they going to have baby boys if they abort their girls? Will the boys try reproducing with other boys? In the world I live in, nothing gets reproduced when mixing boys with boys or girls with girls. True? True. Now, I suppose the gay and lesbian crowd will attack me for being so honest. As they say in one country, if you listen too much to all the dogs barking as you walk down the street on your way to the grocery store then you will not make it often to get your food since you will rarely leave your house to begin with. Let the dogs bark and throw their low level, emotionally immature, temper tantrums and make noise. This woman is inspirational! Whoever wrote this article, compliments to you for sharing it.
Paul-Emile Leray

Comments submitted must be civil, remain on-topic and not violate any laws including copyright. We reserve the right to delete any comments which are abusive, inappropriate or not constructive to the discussion.

Though we invite robust discussion, we reserve the right to not publish any comment which denigrates the human person, undermines marriage and the family, or advocates for positions which openly oppose the teaching of the Catholic Church.

This is a supervised forum and the Editors of Catholic Online retain the right to direct it.

We also reserve the right to block any commenter for repeated violations. Your email address is required to post, but it will not be published on the site.

We ask that you NOT post your comment more than once. Catholic Online is growing and our ability to review all comments sometimes results in a delay in their publication.

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Send me important information from Catholic Online and it's partners. See Sample

Post Comment