Study abroad in China--Learn Chinese language with homestay

Charity Excursion July, 2006

On July 30, 2006, Lotus staff and students, along with some other Chinese volunteers, totaling about forty, went on a charity excursion to a senior center in rural Hebei Province. Volunteers took leave from Beijing at 8:30 in the morning. It took about two hours driving from Beijing to the senior center.

There were about twenty seniors, and the condition of the senior center was poor. When seeing the volunteers coming, the seniors were very delighted. Although it was scorching the whole day, the volunteers were in high spirit, fully rewarded by the happiness of lending help to others.

Caring Services

After arrival, the volunteers set out to do caring services for the seniors such as cleaning and washing immediately. They were divided into five groups. In every group, there were both Chinese volunteers and foreign students, with a group leader to guide the members to do work as:

n Clinic and shaving by volunteer doctors and hairdresser

Right: Hairdresser volunteer Nian doing shaving for a senior.

Left: Volunteer doctor Ji inquiring of a senior about his health condition.

n hair wash, feet wash, massage and etc

Australian student Thomas (left) and Chinese volunteer Guan washing and rubbing a senior’s back.

US student George (right) and Chinese volunteer Huang washing a senior’s hair.

n cleaning up bedrooms and bedding, washing bed sheets and clothes

As there is no tap water supply in the senior center, volunteers washed bed sheets and clothes with water from a shabby reservoir.

Australian student Thomas ( in red) washing bed sheets and clothes for the seniors with Chinese volunteers.

Simple Lunch

After finishing the caring services, it came to the lunch time. Volunteers enjoyed a simple lunch of “Su Baozi”, vegetarian steamed stuffed buns, which were sponsored by a Beijing vegetarian restaurant.

Photograph by Spencer Jemelka

Companionship and Entertainment

After the lunch, volunteers chatted and played games with the seniors to give them companionship and entertainment.

Although many Lotus students can only communicate with seniors in simple Chinese, they still enjoyed the interaction greatly.

Left: Canadian student Irene showing a senior how to use her camera.

US students Fred (left) and Heather talking with a senior in simple Chinese.

Volunteers also played games in the courtyard with old men as:

n balloon volleybal

Us student Fred is playing balloon volleyball with seniors

n Chinese game “Jigu Chuanhua”, in which a flower is passed around as one hits a drum with eyes covered. When the drum stops, whoever gets the flower will give a piece of show, be it singing, dancing, or whatsoever.

A worker in the senior center performing “Yangge” (Rice Sprout Dancing), a traditional Chinese dance to entertain the volunteers.

US student George showing the seniors a gesture play

Gift Distribution

The games were ended with a chorus “Yijia Ren” (A Family) by the volunteers. Finally gifts prepared by Lotus staff and some Chinese volunteers, including fruits, honey, Chinese medicine, slippers, shampoo and other daily necessities were distributed to the seniors.

US student Spencer handing out some
fruit to the seniors

Enlightening and Fulfilling experience

A group picture after the gift distribution and before the volunteers’ departure

After gift distribution, the charity visit was ended at around 5 in the afternoon. The volunteers took the return trip to Beijing; both volunteers and the seniors felt unwilling to say goodbye to each other.

Having spent a day never experienced in their life for most of the international Students, Lotus students appreciated deeply the charity excursion and interaction with Chinese volunteers and seniors. As US student Spencer describes, it is “an event that proved to be one of the most enlightening and fulfilling experiences yet during my stay in Beijing.” For more of students’ stories and their thoughts, please click on Students’ Stories .