It is likely that in a few days, Lou Xiaoying will die. Her kidneys will give up, and she will die. Across the world, as people watch the Olympics on their televisions or go shopping for school supplies, her death will not be mourned, her name will remain foreign.

But, this woman will leave a legacy that brings me to my knees.

Living in poverty, rummaging trash to find anything she could sell or recycle in some way, she has changed the world.

The whole thing started when I found the first baby, a little girl back in 1972 when I was out collecting rubbish. She was just lying amongst the junk on the street, abandoned. She would have died had we not rescued her and taken her in. Watching her grow and become stronger gave us such happiness and I realized I had a real love of caring for children. I realized if we had strength enough to collect garbage how could we not recycle something as important as human lives.

Over the last 40 years, she has found and saved more than 30 children abandoned on the streets of Jinhua in Zhejiang province. Four of these children became her own–the youngest of whom is now only 7, found when she was 82 years old. No orphan name for this child; she named him Zhang Qilin, meaning rare and precious. All the others, she nursed to health and then found homes for them with other families to continue her sweet care.

More than 30 children rescued by God’s hand through the wrinkled and weathered hands of an old woman.

If I saw her on the street myself, if I smelled her, saw her tattered clothes, what would I do?

If she tried to ask me a question, would I avoid looking into her eyes and pick up my speed, assuming she was trying to take advantage of me?

Wealthy white American.

How could I?

Xiaoying, you are rare and precious. You have changed the world. Giving purpose and respect and mercy. Sacrificing what little you had for a greater mission. One by one, you have changed the world.