Impressed in childhood by his father’s sharing attitude, Tang is always willing to devote himself to voluntary works. He organized a foreign volunteer team, in which most members are from the English corner. They regularly visit orphans in welfare houses, launching various activities and playing games with the kids. For the Christmas season, Tang dresses up as Santa and gives out candies and other presents.
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Tang Lei plays interactive games with a kindergarten boy. [Photo/wxrb.com] |
Tang always says that the meaning of life is not to take but to give. Voluntary work has now become part of his life. He loves helping traffic police with their work on the roads. He’s helped do translation work for festival celebrations and introduced the city's historical culture to other foreigners. He is the city's first registered foreign volunteer.
Over the years, Tang has been awarded a volunteer star both in the city and in Jiangsu province. Many people think he's about 40 at first sight, but he doesn't really care much about his age. "Age is just a number!" he says impishly.
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A Wuxi resident gives Tang Lei a thumbs-up who is helping traffic police with their work on the road. [Photo/wxrb.com] |
"I do not want people to remember what I have," said Tang, "I just want them to remember what I have done."
Tang is thankful that local people call him "Foreign Lei Feng" (Lei Feng was a Chinese soldier in the 20th century portrayed as an unselfish and modest model citizen who devoted all his life to the people and the country). He said he will continue dedicating himself to voluntary work as long as he lives in Wuxi, and he expects more people to join him.
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Tang Lei donates his money to Wuxi Red Cross on Jan 12, 2006. [Photo/wxrb.com] |
