At a university near Linyi, China, Beau Sides blew on his freezing hands and shivered as he taught the students English. He could see his breath fog the air each time he spoke. His cold students sat at rapt attention without gloves, and some without enough warm clothing, carefully listening to his instructions.

“I went to China in 2003 to teach oral English in a university and to learn about their culture and people,” said Sides, a resident of Fayette County, Ga.

But what Sides soon discovered in the agricultural province of China changed his life and profession forever.

“The classrooms are not heated. The students get red and blue hands from the cold. And yet they never complain…they don’t expect anything better! But poor, as many students are, the village people band together to share what little they have to help educate their children.”

Seeing a doctor or dentist is not a common practice for these students either.

Sides, with a background in IT management, was touched emotionally by the students and the kind people of the surrounding villages. The university encouraged him to stay on as an instructor in 2003, but Sides declined after the semester and made the long 18-hour trip back to the United States.

“On the plane trip back I started thinking about my life and realized I’d been guided to this job to help people. Then I also thought: ‘What is it going to matter to anyone ten years from now if I go back to the States to my previous job…or should I try to help students and children of the villages who have a far greater need than I ever realized.’”

Back in the United States, Sides started action on his plan by contacting family and friends in Fayette and Coweta counties. After many trips back and forth to China, Sides finally got Global Partners in Life up and running. Today Sides works full-time on expanding aid to children and college students in China. The non-profit organization supports his efforts.

“We’ve found a dentist three blocks from the campus who cleans students’ teeth for $5 each. We support 21 orphans in a rural village. We pay for warm clothes, food, school supplies and school fees.”

The organization also contributes English/Chinese dictionaries to schools, and helps female students who might otherwise never go beyond grade seven in China. Yet, according to Sides, something more is always needed. “I have met and started supporting 18 special needs orphans in another city. A group from Canada built a bigger building for these orphans but the interior needs to be completed. The area where the special needs children are now kept has 11 cribs, and two sleeping mats in a small room approximately 12x14,” said Sides.

He says the work done for the students and children is worth every effort because, “They are very grateful for everything we do.”

Sides plans for his dream for the children to have a lasting effect.

“The university where we teach is basically a teachers college and most of the students we influence will influence many other students for many generations,” he said.

“We do speaking engagements to groups, maintain an online Web site, but can’t sell things to make money for the organization,” Sides continued.“There are so many people in our country who want to reach out and help. It can become a reality within this program,” said Sides.

More information about Global Partners in Life may be obtained by visiting the website at www.globalpartnersinlife.org or from Sides at 404-217-4970.

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