Xicen Village, situated in Yongning Town, Shishi City, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, is a small coastal village with a population of fewer than 3,000. Within the town is an affiliated meeting point for Yongning Church in Shishi City—a small congregation but a big family in unity.
In 2019, Xicen Church formed a service group dedicated to serving the local community, a volunteer team of 60 Christian men aged 30 to 80. Locals refer to them as the "119" volunteer team ("119" is China’s emergency number), symbolizing "save as long as needed," who respond to any situation in the local community with timely assistance, like a fire brigade.
In addition to church services such as visitations, receptions on Sundays and holidays, and anti-epidemic initiatives, the service group assists with funeral arrangements for local believers. Over the past five years, their steps to serve have never stopped. Dressed in uniform, they are a familiar scene throughout the villages of Yongning Town, offering support year-round.
Now more and more believers from distinct communities are joining their volunteer efforts. The "119" volunteer team has earned widespread praise from the locals, motivating them to press on toward God’s prize and bearing witness to the gospel.
(Originally published by the Gospel Times, the article has been edited under permission and the author is a believer at a church in Fuzhou, Fujian.)
