I am from a poverty-ridden mountain area. My name is He Jia Cong and I am a middle schooler. I’ve never seen my parents before and I’m an orphan. Yet, I’m not sad, because I must live everyday to the fullest. Still, there are always challenges to face.
When I was younger, I really didn’t like to study or go to school. Yet now, I want to go to school so badly yet face so many struggles. I don’t have enough money for supplies, the transportation lasts 2 hours with an hour in the mountain roads. Everytime the school asks for tuition, I must tell my uncle in advance so he can find some way of getting money for me. At the beginning of every semester, my uncle and I always worry about how we’ll find enough money. Many times, my uncle urges me to no longer go to school. Yet after further thinking, relents and says I should go. After 9 years of schooling, my uncle wants me to go back and help him with his work. But, I don’t want to.
One day, we finally realized that without education, I will end up like him- a poor farmer. After this, he promised that if I am able to test into high school, he will do anything he can to support me financially. My uncle, using his work money, pays for both me and his two sons’ education. His older son is about to graduate college, his second son requires lots of money for his high school taking even the money set aside for my education for his second son. My uncle works less and less as there is a lower demand for his work. So, my uncle has no choice to find new jobs. At home, I help my aunt with housework- feeding the pigs, finding food for the pigs, making breakfast and dinner. Immediately after eating, my aunt quickly goes to harvest the ground. When I was younger, she was much more youthful and able. However, after these long years, her sickness only gets worse. My uncle, too, also has to frequent hospital visits for his health. I have never seen such a young couple work so hard to save so little money for our education.
Now, I am scared if they will be able to survive and see me graduate. I hope with my heart that one day they will not be shackled by the constraints of poverty. That one day, we will be happy. Regardless of the challenges I face, I will face them head-on, test into a good high school and college. So that I can repay my aunt and uncle and provide them with a happy life.
