VBS News Net: Love makes the world that VBS students live in bright and shining. 45 cardboards of donated items were loaded into the truck with love in the afternoon of 22nd October. They were sent to the boarding school at Cuochi village, Qumalai County, Qinghai Province for students to withstand the long, harsh winter season.

Boarding School at Cuochi village is situated at altitude above 4,500 metres and barely has residents living around 30 kilometre radius. Stationery, medicine and clothes that students use all come from donations or teachers' personal expense. The school is 420 kilometres away from the town centre of Qumalai County and it takes 10-hour driving from the town centre due to poor road conditions. Students reside by the nomadic regions and are sent to school by a day of travelling on motorcycles. The school has 30 students from Primary 1 to 3 levels. Cuochi starts its winter season in September and its temperature in December will be down to -30 degree Celsius. Water from the well inside the school has been frozen and will not defrost until next June. The living condition is extremely poor - cellphone has no signals and inaccessible traffic which improverished the local residents. 

As the donation proposal was sent out by VBS Young Pionners' Company, all winter clothes such as down jackets, sweaters, scarves, boots and shoes were collected at VBS. Teachers and students volunteered to sort and pack items, student journalists helped out in moving the cardboards when taking photos. 

Students also sent their regards by putting notes inside the donations, 'wish you well and safe!' and 'may this elf bring you good luck'.

Helping others also give yourselves some joy. Establishing a school with full of love is important to develop students' character and sense of social responsibility as well as teaching them moral ethics. 

Here is the letter to students from boarding school in Cuochi village from VBS Young Pioneers' company.

Dear students,

Hello.

We are students from VBS, Shenzhen in Guangdong Province. The weather here is still warm but we are . We understand the fact that you are bearing with cold wind now and you are 420 kilometres away from the town centre. As compatriots, we are devastated by the remoteness, inaccessibility, and harsh weather that you are suffering from. Over 700 students and teachers donate items such as gloves, boots and blankets as well as lip balms made by students from 4C. Hopefully these things will keep you warm in the winter. 

Our classes are named by the words 'grit'. 'Grit is the most reliable predictor to overcome difficulty,' we would like to share with you this statement. What does not kill you make you stronger and life, in future, will pay you back more than the effort you put in now. It is still a long way to go, but we are here with you. 

Life is bright and lovely. Life is worth a living. Love unites us all for a better future.

May you study well. 

Author: Linda

Photographer: Linda

Student Journalists: Zhu Haochang from 8D, 

Cai Mingxi from 7D, 

Jia Yunfan and Zhang Yue from 7E, 

Li Sirui from 4C, 

Wu Yuxin from 3C

Formatting: Judy

Translated by DC Lai