In view of the shocking incidence in Kang'le, Gansu Province, we draw a conclusion that poverty is never root cause of such tragedy upon a comparative analysis of two mothers' stories.
The tragedy happened on 26 Aug 2016, when a 28-year-old mother named Yang Gaiying murdered her 4 children before committing suicide in her own village in Kang'le. When the father came to know this tragedy, he rushed back to his home and ended his life, too. In the end, the big family was only left with two elderly struggling in loneliness and financial uncertainties.
The news has attracted much media attention recently. Most reporters attribute the tragedy to the root cause of poverty and lack of social support as those four children did not even have new clothing to wear before their death. However, a key factor has been much neglected as lack of psychological support plays an even more crucial role in facilitating this tragedy.
According to the family's acquaintances, the father of the household has been working in the nearby county for a pigs' farm. His busy working lifestyle only enables him to go back home at most during Chinese New Year or the harvest season. As such, the heavy load of raising up four kids and other family's responsibilities has fell on the shoulder of the mother alone. Due to much deprived state of love and care felt by the mother, she slowly starts to lose hope in life and thus, forms the murdering and suicidal thought in order not to suffer any more in her life. However, her action arouses much public criticism as no one can ever believe such deeds coming from a mother.
The Old Testament of Bible also presents a mother's story in the Book of 2 Kings. A widow is struggling with poverty upon her husband's death. She ended up with only a bottle of oil to live with. What's worse, she's forced to sell off her two sons as slaves in order to sustain the family.
Despite such a trial in life, she presses on her hope by praying to God for his provision. Thus, God sends his prophet Elisha to help her.
When Elisha asks this widow, "What can I do for you? Just tell me, what's still left in your house?" The widow replies in a humble and gentle voice," I only have one bottle of oil. " However, God's powerful enough to save the entire household through a bottle of oil.
God directs Elisha to instruct the widow to borrow empty containers from her neighbours and pour oil into them. The widow obeys the instruction accordingly by collecting the empty containers. When she starts to pour oil into each one of them, she was amazed by how the oil fills up all the containers in full. Through this blessing from God, she's able to clear his debt and continue living her life by faith.
Indeed, no matter what kind of trials or tribulation we are facing right now, we should press on the hope in Christ to persevere in this present life. Let's look up to God's grace and diligently work towards our life's needs. God will bless you abundantly and satisfy all your needs in his own way.
