According to their motto - “Love, truth, and service to community” - Xingyang Volunteer Federation works to enhance people’s sense of social responsibility through providing them various volunteer opportunities.The office is in Xingyang, Henan province It is the 5th week that the smiling face program has been done. There’s a birthday celebration for a child—Fu Lixia this week. She attends grade 11 in Henan. We have been planning on how to celebrate her birthday for a few days. I woke up my daughter early in the morning and asked her to go with me. We celebrated birthday for Fu Lixia’s brother last week. The brother and sister were cleaning their room when we arrived on 9:00am. They were expecting us. We had known the family for 3 years. The volunteers received information provided by village health worker and visited the family immediately. I participated in the visit and knew the family. At that time, her father had been suffering from stomach cancer and was about to die. Her mother was handicapped and mentally ill. Fu Lixia just completed her grade 8 and her younger brother was in primary school. It was hard to imagine what the family would become if her father was dead. The village committee also reported the family to the relevant sectors of the government. The family received minimum allowances soon. Her father’s medical expenses were covered. Finally, her father was dead a few months after we had visited. After visiting and discussing with my family, I wanted to adopt Fu Haiyang, the younger brother, for Fu Lixia was 15 and she could take care of herself as well as her mother. Fu Haiyang was still young and needed care. Their relatives did not agree, so I had to give up. The connections between the children and I were built. I was informed when her father was dead. My heart became heavy. I just informed Chairman and did not attend the funeral. I was afraid of handling such situation. I was regret that I had not kept accompany with the children when they were fragile.
When I met them again, it was summer holiday of 2015. During summer camp held by Henan, Fu Lixia came for the activity. I saw her on the playground and she ran to me. We were as close as before. I asked about their situations. Actually I had been paying attention to them. I still regret I missed their process of growing up. I reminded myself do not leave any regrets in the following years. So I attended their birthday celebrations. We arrived at their home on 10;30am. They had done cleaning work. Lixia’s mother was eating breakfast in the yard. She was clean and neat. Lixia told us she had cleaned her mother and the room. We looked around, everywhere was clean. We sang birthday song to her. She made wishes and celebrated her birthday with us. On leaving, Lixia gave me a letter which she had written to her father. I asked my daughter to read to us on the way back. We could see from the letter. She was made a confident, optimistic and self-esteem girl by life when she left her father protection. She expressed her miss for her father, her love for her family members, her gratefulness for the society and her hope for the future. Lixia’s father can be restful in heaven. You daughter is excellent. Henan will accompany her to grow up and witness their happiness. Original article written by Jian Dan , translated by Maggie Li, edited by Yanyan Zhang Comments are closed.
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