ongtong loves to laugh, but she didn’t crawl until she was one year old and couldn’t speak at the age of three. Her mother took her to several hospitals before she was finally diagnosed with cerebral palsy. But due to her parents’ poverty and the remoteness of their village, Tongtong didn’t receive any treatment for her medical condition nor any special care for her disability.

Recently, her mother learned that World Vision China was organizing a training course for parents of disabled children, and she decided to attend. She took Tongtong to a rehabilitation center that World Vision China had set up in conjunction with the local Federation of Disabled Persons. “Why not try it out?” Tongtong’s mother thought.

Before starting rehabilitation therapy, Tongtong could not stand nor even properly crawl. She could only understand simple words and gestures but couldn’t express herself in any clear way. After three months of weekly visits to the rehabilitation center, Tongtong can do all this and can even climb on her own. Her mother was thrilled with the results.

Tongtong’s parents live in a remote village and have burdensome demands to maintain their family farm, so it’s not practical for them to keep up the routine of visiting the rehabilitation center every week. Knowing that many families are in this situation, World Vision’s training equips parents to conduct simple rehabilitation therapy in their own homes. “Every day we spend 1-2 hours on therapy,” explains Tongtong’s mother. “It’s hard work, but I finally see hope that my daughter’s condition can get better. No matter how tired I become, I will stick with it!”

Tongtong’s teacher at the rehabilitation center affirms the effectiveness of her treatment. “Tongtong is one of our greatest success cases,” she says. “Because of the commitment of her parents, Tongtong can write a little, she can eat by herself, and she’s starting to be able to talk, at least to express her needs to family members.” When Tongtong shouts, “Mom!” her mother cannot help but cry. “I never thought I would hear Tongtong calling me Mom.”

Along the journey out of poverty, many everyday people create beauty out of ashes, like Tongtong's parents. They are not afraid of hardship but persevere to make dreams happen for their children, creating a better and a more meaningful life for their family.