Despite deafness, Jilin man finds way to communicate

Despite having some trouble communicating with others, Fei Jincheng has been volunteer ever since he became a member of the Changchun Blue Sky Rescue Team last winter.

Born in Jilin province's Dehui city in 1997, Fei has lived in a world of silence since he was 5, when medicine he was taking caused irreparable damage to his hearing.

With the help of a hearing aid, he now understands other people by reading their lips.

In 2020, he went to the provincial capital, Changchun, in search of opportunities to earn more money.

"It was not easy for me to find a good job due to my hearing impairment. However, I was very lucky to meet Pei Zhiyong, manager of the transfer center at J&T Express Company," he said.

"When he found out about me, he gave me the chance to work maintaining equipment at the center, like the package sorting machines and the electrical system. Also, he gave me lots of help in both work and daily life."

From then on, Fei decided to try his best to help other people in need and to repay society.

In November, he joined the Blue Sky Rescue Team, an NGO founded in 2008 that helps people affected by natural disasters.

"I had known about them for several years and hoped to become a member," he said. "A friend in Changchun helped me get in touch with the rescue team last year. Fortunately, I passed evaluation and became a member. During the training courses, I learned lots about things like water rescues and first aid."

Fei began to participate in volunteer activities around the city together with his teammates.

When the city suffered an outbreak of COVID-19 at the beginning of March, he was given the task of assisting in nucleic acid testing in Ziqiang community. He began on March 8.

"Coming off my night shift at the center, I'd still manage to get to my volunteer position in the community on time. From March 13, all delivery services were suspended and the center was temporarily closed," he said.

"At the time, more volunteers were needed for epidemic prevention, and I had more spare time. So, I decided to stay in the community rather than go home."

To keep safe and save time, Fei spent his nights at the community office. Every day, he got up at around 5 am and worked till around 10 pm.

He was responsible for disinfecting, assisting in nucleic acid testing and delivering daily necessities, as well as epidemic prevention and control work like delivering rapid antigen test kits.

"The hardest work was disinfecting with the 20-kilogram machine, especially in old residential buildings that didn't have elevators," he said.

"It was quite cold in March in Changchun, but I had to wear thin clothes under my protective suit to be able to climb the stairs more easily. When I went outside, I shivered with cold."

Another difficulty was being unable to read lips because of masks.

"I had to communicate with them by typing on my phone, which took longer. However, no one complained. Everyone replied warmly, with a smile emoticon or a 'thanks' typed onto the phone," he said.

"I have felt the warmth of my colleagues, leaders and society. As long as someone still needs my help, I will try my best."