On July 21, it was a hot summer day, but the scorching heat did not stop the volunteers from caring for single-parent children and the elderly who were lonely. The Volunteer Service Committee of Henan Photographers Association and the Light of Photography Volunteer Service Team walked into Ren Village, Shangdian Town, Ruyang County, Henan Province and Shibapantongtianling, to carry out the volunteer service activity of "The scorching heat does not reduce the warmth, and the heart is warm for single-parent children and lonely elderly people", this activity was led by Li Qishuai, member of the Volunteer Service Committee of Henan Photographers Association and captain of the Ruyang Detachment of the Light of Photography Volunteer Service Team, and more than 10 photography volunteers participated in the event.
The first stop of the volunteers came to Ren Village, Shangdian Town, and Chang Zizi, an "old friend" who had been visited many times, had already greeted him at the intersection. In the face of the volunteer uncles and aunts who have always cared for her, Chang Zizi's eyes are full of happiness and joy, and she happily shares her recent situation with everyone.
Seventeen-year-old Chang Zizi is now a student at a vocational and technical school, where she studies art and culture classes and shows off her art and painting work to the volunteers. Chang Zizi said that when she was 12 years old, she met her uncles and aunts who volunteered at Photography Light, and everyone gave her a lot of care and help over the years, and everything is developing in a good direction. The picture shows Chang Zizi sharing the painting "Zizi in the Eyes of Friends" given to her by friends to the volunteers.
Bidding farewell to Chang Zizi, the volunteers took carefully selected condolences and full of care and warmth, and drove on the road to Shibapantongtianling for another return visit. The old man who returned to visit was over eighty years old, had no children and no daughters, had never married in his life, and lived alone in a small house deep in the mountains. The old man understands medical skills, is kind and simple, and often helps the surrounding villagers. In the scorching summer, the figures of the volunteers are like a breeze in the summer, blowing through the heart of the lonely old man on the Tongtian Ridge.
The arrival of the volunteers made the old man smile, and he warmly invited the volunteers to come in, "Hey, the house is dirty, I'm really embarrassed." The volunteers put down the condolences and immediately took action, everyone picked up brooms, some cleaned the yard, and some tidied up the house.
The volunteers brought a hiking bag, a thermos cup, toilet water and a big watermelon for the elderly, and the old man thanked him again and again, saying that he couldn't eat the big watermelon alone, and invited the volunteers to eat it together. With a happy smile on his face, the elderly talked with the volunteers from time to time, sharing the past years and life.
The companionship of volunteers is the most precious gift for the elderly who live alone for a long time. The old man said gratefully that the care of the party and society made him feel the warmth of home, and every help and visit of the volunteers made him feel warm. The happiness and satisfaction on the faces of the elderly are also the biggest harvest of the volunteers.
The moment of separation always comes so quickly, the sun sets, and the volunteers are reluctant to say goodbye to the elderly. Before leaving, they did not forget to carefully advise the elderly to pay attention to water and electricity safety, maintain good eating habits, and take care of their health. At the same time, the volunteers told the elderly that they could always come to them for help whenever they encountered any difficulties. This commitment made the elderly feel unprecedented peace of mind and dependence.
The old man kept the volunteers to stay for dinner many times, and the enthusiasm and gratitude were deeply imprinted in everyone's hearts, and the old man watched the back of the volunteers go away, with tears flashing in his eyes, which was the best interpretation of the warmth of this unexpected encounter. Every return visit made the volunteers deeply feel the loneliness and expectation of the elderly. This emotion and expectation transcends the boundaries of age and distance and builds a bridge of love. In the days to come, the Volunteer Service Committee of the Provincial Photography Association and the volunteers of Photography Light will continue to focus on the disadvantaged groups, convey love with practical actions, and send warmth and hope to more people in need.
Review: Wei Yafei
Editor: Yang Junqi
Source: Volunteer Service Committee of the Provincial Photography Association