Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Starving kids in China growing tired of US leftovers
An informal poll among China's starving children has revealed that they're no longer consuming American leftovers with the enthusiasm they once did.
Since 1988, poverty-stricken Chinese youths have received small servings of food from American children via the underground "Leftover Pipeline" that runs from San Francisco to Beijing. In recent times, however, the majority of Chinese kids have been unwilling to consume the half-eaten apples and week-old meat loaf that frequently spills from the pipeline.
Some experts say that globalization is to blame, at least in part, for the Chinese kids' increasingly finicky tastes. No longer content with cartons of almost empty generic "orange drink," the children are demanding unopened bottles of the higher-priced Sunny Delight, a drink they also prefer to the "purple stuff" they're often given to drink.
In conversations with China's starving kids, it's obvious that they appreciate the generosity of American mothers, who issue near-constant reminders about them. Li Xiang, an 11-year-old girl from south Beijing, said through an interpreter, "I love very much the Americans who have fed me for my years. But I no longer wish to eat your last bite of green beans. School lunches I especially detest."
She added: "Are you not home to the McDonald's? Could you not send an entire Happy Meal? Cash, too, would be most welcome."
Filed under: Food and Drink, China, April Fools Posts
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Syd Apr 1st 2008 10:05AM
B@stards! You got me.
LOL
Kirsten Apr 1st 2008 10:29AM
This story just ticks me off. It makes me angry 5 different ways.
People in the US trying to help in any way that they can - even little children. The Chinese kids are now putting in their lunch orders of what they want us to to send them, "send a whole Happy Meal or better yet cash?!?!?"
Hearing this story just makes me not want to send any kind of assistance to them at all - period.
How ungrateful.
Whatever happened to beggars can't be choosers?
I am sure that people with respond with all sorts of comments about how it gross to send leftovers and that they themselves wouldn't eat a half eaten apple.
I'll tell you this, if you were really hungry you would eat the apple core out of a trash can - seeds and all.
Francis Apr 1st 2008 10:49AM
It disgusts me to see your reply kirsten, it is only natural to perceive receiving rotten leftovers as a display of arrogance.
In my own experience, I have seen this with shipments of clothing and old often broken and dirty toys beying shipped from here (Holland) to eastern Europe. The actual cost of sending something decent is minimal compared to the cost of transport and even more important, your income.
If you wish to help people, help them, don't praise yourself for sending them your trash.
ginger Apr 1st 2008 10:52AM
Um, hello, April Fools! Do you really think there's a pipeline from California to China? It's a reference to the old mom standby about how you better eat all your food, there are starving kids in China who'd love to have your dinner!
Kirsten Apr 1st 2008 11:05AM
Actually Francis, in response to your reply, I never "praised myself for sending my trash."
In fact the only thing I commented on was their arrogance in placing orders for what they wanted us to send them.
Also, you don't know me or my income. I have been so poor in my lifetime that I too have gone without food and washed clothes in the bathroom sink that I shared with 3 other apartments. So you should not judge.
Thankfully, because of my hard work and dedication, I have now very successful. I am also very generous in my donations to various charities. I have never donated dirty, broken or half eaten anything.
I was only commenting on the fact that I was turned off by their arrogance in "requesting" Happy Meals and Cash. The statements made in the article were a total turn-off for me and I am sure others.
Again, if someone was truly hungry they would eat whatever was donated to them and they would be grateful. Just like I was when all those years ago, I had to go to my local church and get a food box.
And I certainly didn't stand there and ask for Sunny Delight instead of the purple no name juice. I smiled, said thank you and was grateful that someone had donated all of those items so that I would not go hungry that day.
Martha Apr 1st 2008 11:08AM
There's nothing funny about a starving child! I think that the children in this story aren't really starving, just really hungry.
Starving children are grateful for any handout that they get, unlike spoiled American kids!
DJN Apr 6th 2008 4:03PM
Guess you and "Kirsten" never had mothers who admonished you when you wouldn't eat something that "There are starving children in China (or Africa) who would love to have that to eat." I also guess you didn't realize it was April Fools Day.
That or you and "Kirsten" had all the brain cells dealing with humor undergo laser removal.
SUSAN Apr 1st 2008 11:28AM
My mother used that same ploy when I was a child to get me to eat what she served. Christmas, two years ago, I donated money in her name to World Vision to feed starving children in Africa. That way starving children got fed, they didn't have to eat her cooking, and I didn't have to shop for and give her something she didn't want or need. This past year she decreed that no gift exchange would take place, which was fine with me.
Gina Apr 1st 2008 11:32AM
Kirsten, Just wondering...Did your food box from the church consist of half eaten fruit and half dranked fruit juice? If it did, I guess you were just so gratefull you didn't mind digesting the saliva mixed in.
As an American, I am so grateful to live in a country where its citizens have a chance to improve in life.
Stijn Apr 1st 2008 1:51PM
Haha, that's just plain funny!
Food leftovers dripping out of a pipeline =P
antonio Apr 1st 2008 3:48PM
Kirsten I totaly agree with you!! I understand it is never a good experience to eat someones hand-me-downs, but in your time of need you better be damned grateful that someone took the effort to send you anything!!
Mikey Apr 7th 2008 10:19PM
My mom used that same ploy and I would reluctantly eat what was on my plate. Then one day I got a letter from a kid named Xi Ling and he said he 'felt' better!
ashley Nov 21st 2008 11:04AM
Im confused is this a joke or for real ?? I mean d@$& the kids in the picture look happy not starving !!!!
kalaya Jul 26th 2009 3:58PM
so confused tired of what us leftovers i just dont know what we leave behind