Henan Volunteers: We will wait for your return

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.   


Last summer, a fellow staff  member, “High mountain sky blue creek”, became seriously injured in a car accident and stayed in the intensive care unit for 5 days.

Brother Mountain joined our Volunteer Federation for nearly 5 years.  He often participated in various volunteer activities and we become quite well acquainted over time. In my mind, he is like a big brother to us … in various activities, he is our think tank, a hard working partner; When there is disagreement or argument, he is always the impartial mediator, always shows his clear, calm mind. Therefore, everyone knows we have a dear brother called brother “High mountain sky blue creek”,  or “Brother Mountain” in short.

After the incident, I went to visit Brother Mountain, that is his 4th day in the intensive care unit.  My voice was choked up when I saw him lying in bed with so many bandages, tubes, and monitoring equipment over his body. It is not easy for anyone to see such an energetic person turned into this in just a few days. I quickly adjusted my voice to keep spirits high. My tears started to come out again when brother Mountain said this in weak voice : “I was unable to do the haircut”. 


You see, a week ago, the Volunteer Federation issued a message that they are looking for volunteers to help hair cut for elderlies in the nursing home on June 12th.  Brother Mountain signed up for this event and then missed it because of his accident.  I held back my tears and said with smile : “Brother Mountain, I know you’re unable to go.  We all did it on your behalf.  Please take easy and take care”.  Even when he was at his most vulnerable, he was thinking for others. 

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Brother Mountain was out of the intensive care unit on the 5th day and was transferred to a regular patient room.  Several other volunteers came to visit brother Mountain.  The tone of their conversation is no longer those among volunteers, it is more with the care among brothers and sisters in a family.  To allow brother Mountain more rest,  many others called off their hospital visit.  Instead, they showed their blessings in other ways.  The good news is that brother Mountain had a steady recovery and this is what everyone hoped for.

Yes, every time when we get together, our topics are always about Xingyang volunteer group.   Other than our daily job and routine family life, we devoted all the remaining time we have to this group.  I tried to comfort brother Mountain by saying : “Please hurry up and get well.  Our group has so much work waiting for you to do”.  Brother Mountain said : “Most people has a job working for a company.  I got laid off.  And in this group, I feel I am really part of a great company”.  What he said revealed his passion for this group.  And this is why he will never leave this group behind even after someone did him wrong or mistreated him.  For the love he has with this group, the more he puts in, the more happiness he has in return.  So he can grow up together with this group through the thick and thin.  Brother Mountain’s wife said : “As long as someone asked him for help, brother Mountain never hesitated and always tried his best to help.  And this is the ultimate kind action of love.

Love and blessings are like boomerang, it goes out to those who need it and then comes back to yourself.  In the following days, brother Mountain had a steady recovery.   We all feel very blessed.  Wish brother Mountain a full recovery soon.  And back to our love-filled big family of Xingyang Volunteer Federation.

Brother Mountain, we wait for you to return home !

Original article written by Zengliang Zhang, translated by Joe Hsu, edited by Yanyan Zhang