To lend money to a friend

Would you do this? I guess the answer depends on who the friend is and how much money? I encountered this with what I would call an acquaintance - between a stranger and a friend - this week. A Chinese (formerly) student (not of mine) whose relative worked at my university and could arrange cheap uni housing for her. The girl we will call A. She had a full time job and a boyfriend and occasionally joined my American students on a day excursion as a volunteer cultural companion (get to know a local). This week A found me in a uni cafe and told me she had lost her job and her boyfriend's family had told him to stop dating her and he did! Thus she needed to find a job and had no money. She said many times: Can you help me? Well, I offered to help rewrite her cv as she was looking for a job in a foreign company. However she urgently needed 1000 rmb to pay some room rent and eat while looking for a job. Perhaps A got me on a good day but I decided to lend her the money although I little know her. Would you have done so? What are your principles? I have one: although she said she would pay it back, I am not expecting that. Never lend money you cannot afford to not see again. The situation illustrates how a sudden change in life can leave a person desperate. Yet where do family come in? Where was the relative? I will keep you posted.

The original blog is: http://bbs.chinadaily.com.cn/blog-1348107-26475.html