Cheerful children in brightly coloured tracksuits walk by us as our bus trudges through thick layers of waterlogged mud to go to a new village school. Smiling, these lively children chat to their friends as they make their way down the narrow mountain path, one of many that hundreds of children trek every day to get to and from school. This was a five day Gansu trip where volunteers taught English to underprivileged Chinese children at a different school each day. The five days spent in Gansu province, China, were truly a humbling experience for me when I saw how passionate they were about learning.  
Throughout the course of five days, we visited three schools. At each school, we taught these lovely children some basic day to day English, such as self-introduction and how to describe the weather.  We also helped them with some art projects, as well as build lego cars. These children also chatted to me in Mandarin about themselves, their family, and their dreams. 
Most of these children come from families of farmers, and have been expected to become farmers when they grow up. However, despite these expectations, most of the young children I talked with have dreams far beyond farming. Some want to be doctors, lawyers, firefighters, etc. They are all willing to work hard to achieve their dreams. These children inspire me, that despite their poverty, they possess hope and determination. Despite living in one of the more rural parts of China, where the majority of the population are farmers, they still have their dreams.
Dreams just like you and I have. However, because of their limited financial resources, they need a helping hand, your helping hand. After all, as Edith Piaf, the famous singer, once said, “When you reach the top, you should remember to send the elevator back down for the others.”   I feel so grateful to have met all these wonderful children, and I need your help to help them.  The generous donation that you make today will impact hundreds of young lives and change them for the better. These young lives will further  improve the lives of their families, relatives, and the villages where they live. 
Thank you for your generous donation.