CRRS's 2016 Annual Fundraising Gala for Poor Rural Students in China

The annual fundraising dinner was held in Toronto recently.

These days, I am hesitant to turn on the TV and watch the news broadcast as it often reports news of violence, war crimes, natural and human disasters and political ugliness and dirty laundries of each other.

For one evening each year, instead of hearing negative news reporting bickering and tragedies,  we were immersed in some joyful news of how love and compassion can change the lives of others and their families and homes.

I am writing about the CRRS' efforts in helping to raise fund to support poor rural children to go to school in China.

The Fundraising Committee getting ready for their thank you song for the guests 

It is such an uplifting and wonderful experience for me each year that I would not miss it for the world.

This year, the fundraising dinner was held at the Premium Ballroom in Markham.

The dinner was very special as we battled economic bad news and fierce competitions from other worthy charities for donors' hard earned dollars.

The waiting staff getting ready to serve the first course at the dinner.

But praise God, we were absolutely delighted when we had almost a thousand guests attending this fundraising dinner last Sunday evening!

Almost 1000 guests gathered for the fundraising dinner.

However, it was no small feat getting so many people coming to the dinner. 

Angela F. performed her songs at the gala

Often when we talk about our project in raising funds to help poor rural children to get an education in China, there would always be this comment: 

China is rich now; it does not need our help!

Yes, China is getting better, but there is another side of the untold story that touches us deeply.

It is this side of the rarely told touching stories that motivate our family to continue our strong support for CRRS’s work in China.

Chinese Canadians funded their volunteer trips teaching in China last summer.

I feel that CRRS’ work in supporting poor rural students in pursuing their basic and higher education is critical. 

Ether takes a group of volunteers to China every summer

As Chinese economy continues to grow, the demand for a skillful and educated work force also increases. Without assistance, the chasm between the have and have not will deepen. 

Dr. Leung, CRRS Founder

While city children in China enjoy all the latest technology and resources to advance their learning, therefore equipping them for jobs of the 21^st century, those children being left behind in the villages will fall behind even further without enough schools, adequate funding, resources and most important of all, love and care of their parents who have left for the big cities for better paying jobs.

CRRS donors fund their visitation trips to visit their sponsored students in China.

CRRS’ twice a year mission visit trips are vital and are the lifelines for many of these children who have been abandoned feeling unloved by parents due to economic reasons.

I applaud those CRRS donors and supporters for their generous donations of the poor kids in China.

We visit and listen to the students' stories in their schools

Having visited the schools and students twice in the past, I was deeply touched and moved by how much the students appreciated our visits.

Some of our out of town guests came to support the CRRS dinner 

I would encourage potential donors to take a further step to join future CRRS mission trips and visit these students and to personally experience how powerful your love and donations could be for China’s young people and its next generation!

R.T.

CRRS Fundraising Dinner

Premiere Ballroom

Richmond Hill, Ontario