In 2025, I met Dr. Wei Li again in Senegal. He was packing medicines with his daughter Victoria. I asked him, “How many times have your family come to Senegal?” He told me that he and his wife, Dr. Shao Yuan, had come with their daughter four times. I asked curiously, “Why do you have to come together every time? Isn’t it okay to let your daughter come by yourself?”
He replied, “There is an old saying in China, “If you don’t correct yourself, how can you correct others?”. You have to do first what you want your child to do.
Wei Li and daughter, Victoria Li
Farthest on the right is Dr. Shao Yuan, who is also leading and training youth volunteers in patients’ consults.
Dr. Wei Li’s words made me think deeply. Many Chinese parents, including myself, often impose their dreams that they have not realized on their children, hoping that they will fulfill them for themselves. This mentality has led to many strained family relationships that even led to tragedy.
Models Leading by Example: Many of the volunteers in our team are parents coming to Senegal with their children to serve the poor. Here are a few examples:
Brother Joe
Brother Joe is a friend of mine for many years, a devout Christian. He has been to Senegal more than 20 times since 2002. His behavior deeply moved me and deeply influenced me, and inspired me to come to Senegal for the first time in 2013. At that time, we lacked medical devices and medicines. I was so limited in treating even the simplest disease by the lack of resources, that all I can do is tell patients, “You need to go to the hospital for this disease”, or tell them that they need to see another doctor- a specialist. Every time, Brother Joe would take the initiative to take out money so some patients can seek medical treatments immediately. At first I thought the money came from the church. After becoming friends with him, I realized that the money came from his own pocket. Brother Joe is only engaged in house decoration in the United States, not a big rich man.
Brother Joe often said, “Love is forever patient and kind. Love is not jealous, not boastful, not arrogant. I don’t have much money, but I am a housekeeper of God. I will not leave all the money to my daughter; she should walk her own way.”
Brother Joe
Brother Joe’s daughter, Sarah, was also deeply affected when she saw her father’s concern for Africa. Although she is the only daughter in the family, under her father’s words and deeds, she understands that love needs to be shared. Despite her busy studies, she squeezed out time and has come to Senegal three times to lead a team of teenagers to distribute medicines, help with organization, and helped doctors and the poor. She is determined to study medicine and is now preparing for the MCAT exam.
From left to right: Leticia, Sarah, Laura, Aline. They all went to Africa again this year. This year we received about $700,000 worth of drugs, which were sorted out and packed by Sarah and Aline.
Dr. Chris Liu
Dr. Chris Liu is an assistant professor at Duke University School of Medicine and has a humble and kind heart. Since joining the “Africa Cries Out” team, he has always adhered to the belief of “doing on the youngest brother” and brought his son Steven to Africa every year. This year is their third time, and the father and son teams up to serve patients together.
Doctor Liu and his son, Steven, at Dakar Airport in Senegal.
Duan Xiaohong
Duan lives in the Bay Area, California, and lives a comfortable life. She does not ask for anything in return, but always practices the belief of “loving others as yourself”. Three years ago, she brought her daughter Rachel to Senegal. She was deeply captivated by a sense of mission, and has since been volunteering to the “Africa Cries Out” team for three consecutive years. As the head of the Africa Cries Out Youth Team, she did her best to infect everyone around her with her kindness and compassion.
Xiaohong and her daughter at JFK Airport, with luggage full of medicines that they brought to Senegal
Dr. Daniel Jiang
Dr. Jiang is also a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Drexel University College of Medicine in Pennsylvania, USA . The philosophy he advocates is “not counting other people’s evil, not liking injustice but only the truth, being patient in everything, and that love never ends.” He opened on-site surgical services for the “Africa Cries Out” team. He led residents and other doctors to perform highly difficult surgeries for three consecutive years under the extremely bare conditions of the hospitals in Senegal. His son Nathan followed his father to participate in the “Africa Cries Out” Senegal volunteer operation three times. Last year, Nathan donated an ultrasonic equipment to a local hospital that he purchased by raising funds from their church community. This year, Dr. Jiang even brought his youngest son Lemuel to Africa.
Dr. Jiang: Father and sons happily serving Africa together.
Dr. Jiang also leads the surgical team at the Fatick Regional Hospital in Senegal. The members of his team are from the United States, Germany, and China.
Dr. Zhao Zhuangzhi and his wife
Drs. Zhao and his wife are professors at Stanford University. They met while studying at the University of Chicago Medical School. They have two children and go to impoverished countries at least once a year to help the poor. Since joining the “Africa Cries Out” team, they have come to Senegal three times in a row. They are in the medical team, treating villagers, teaching the youth volunteers, caring for others, and setting an example for their children.
Professor Zhao brought his sons, the youngest volunteers in the team, to the student dormitory of the “Africa Cries Out” base.
Jack Yang
Jack is a successful real estate developer in Connecticut. To give back to society, he brought his son Jason to Senegal three times to help in registration and organization, making significant contributions to the team.
Jack Yang with Pastor Anna
There are many more parents that I cannot list. They came to Africa with their children, not to see animals, but to give their love and services.
Love can be passed on. Planting a seed of love in your child, watering it carefully to let it grow, is a precious gift. Parents set examples, and children are influenced by what they see, integrating this love into their lives and passing it on to the next generation. This kind of spiritual inheritance is far more meaningful than material wealth. Children who grow up in such a family usually become successful. This parenting style is like a trickle of water, nourishing every generation.
Enhancing children’s motivation to study medicine.
In Africa Cries Out team, 90% of youth volunteers have dreams of studying medicine. When asked them they chose to study medicine, some answered, “Doctors are respected,” while some said, “To make a lot of money.” When we asked them why they came to Africa, a few of them honestly admitted, “In order to have an attractive resume.” A good resume can increase their chances of getting admitted to medical school in the future.
These children are undoubtedly extremely smart, but the social environment have added various seeds of compassion and goodwill in their hearts.
To help young people find a solid direction, we did the following:
Learn from role models:
At the “Africa Cries Out” base, a monument stands – Dr. Faye. After graduating from the French Medical College, he returned to Senegal. At first, he worked hard to make money in order to recoup his expenses in studying. However, when he saw a patient one day, lying on the street because he needed medical care, the seeds of love planted by his father sprouted in his heart. He gave up on his pursuit of financial gains, and selflessly come and accepted a job offered by Africa Cries Out for only $1,000 a month.
On April 7, 2017, he and I went to a leprosy village 400 miles away from our base camp to see patients. Sadly, due to an illness, he suddenly passed away while serving the poor. He has dedicated his life to the cause he loved. <Please refer to my article “The Fall of the Sun in Senegal”. >
This photo of Dr. Faye was taken on April 4, 2017. He died in the leprosy village three days later.
We tell the children the story of Dr. Faye. He could have been a rich man, but he chose to serve the poor patients and gave up wealth for a lofty ideal. Helping others and pursuing the truth is our original intention of studying medicine and our goal in life.
The doctors and teenagers visited Dr. Faye’s office, which is still the original arrangement when Dr. Faye was still alive. On the wall are photos of Dr. Faye that will always commemorate his service.
On-site medical teaching & practice:
Hands-on work is one of the most important parts of medical practice and is also a key step for adolescents to emulate doctors and gain a sense of participation. Our front-line doctors from American hospitals sets an example and demonstrates how to properly treat patients, while the youth volunteers observes and learns how doctors attends and handles patients.
Our youth volunteers has the chance to put what they have learned into practice. They are given the responsibility of determining which specialty to direct the patients, e.g. internist for stomach complaints, cardiologist for heart problems. They were also taught how to measure body temperature, heart rate, blood sugar, blood pressure, etc. so they are actually handling patients themselves, before directing the patients to a particular specialty.
These youth volunteers follow the doctors while the doctors are treating patients, hence they are learning not only medical terminology and techniques, but also proper manners in dealing with patients. This service may seem humble, but these acts, no matter how little, will sow the seeds of love in the hearts of children, and hopefully bear brilliant fruits in the future.
High temperature outdoors at 110 degrees Fahrenheit, children are temporarily building “battlefield pharmacy” to learn how to distribute medicines.
In 2025, the children learned to manage the pharmacy under the guidance of licensed pharmacists Dr. Wang Hongmei (middle) and Dr. Sun Yun.
Every half a day, children will rotate in different doctors’ clinics, triage front desks, pharmacies and other jobs to strive for comprehensive exercise.
After the outpatient clinic, doctors and teenagers will hold meetings to summarize and put forward suggestions for improvement.
Classroom teaching:
Lectures are an important part of our youth education. Every doctor prepares carefully, and the lessons are sometimes taught while we’re in a bus, and sometimes in the mess hall of the “Africa Cries Out” base.
Doctor Ma explained some operating details of dental surgery at the “Africa Cries Out” base.
Professor Zhao Zhuangzhi and his wife talk about human physiology at the base.
Doctors Zhong Zhihong and Jun Xu talked about the diagnosis and treatment of leprosy on the bus.
Doctor Shi Hong talks about lung disease. When he hears something interesting, a child stands up and listens to the class.
Dr. Chen Huiyi talks about ophthalmic diseases.
Highlights:
Last year, we also invited two film directors, Professor Rozette and Professor Choi Yi, to explain film production to teenagers, opening up a whole new horizon for them. We also arrange for teenagers to help in the kitchen, which is consistent with our philosophy of serving the underprivileged, and needs to be taken seriously.
Witnessing poverty:
These youth volunteers in the “Africa Cries Out” mission trips are housed in the camp base, where a high wall separates them from the outside world. In the camp base, they have access to food that we provide. But when they take the bus and go to the surrounding villages, they can see the real living environment of the poor.
This is a very poor patient who goes to the free medical consultation in Leprosy Village every year. She lost both hands due to illness and had leprosy nodules on her face.
In the poor areas of Senegal, there is a mountain that cannot be avoided before adulthood: girls are subjected to female genital cutting or circumcision (a traditional ritual), while boys face Malibu, a ritual of passage into manhood. <Please refer to Dr. Xu Jun’s article “Africa Cries Out Study to Light Hope”>
The Malibu children searched for discarded food in the trash can and reached out to beg for it.
Our youth volunteers may completely change their lives after seeing and experiencing all of these with their own eyes. Dr. Xu Jun’s son came to Senegal when he was in first-year medical school. After returning to JFK Airport, he said, “Dad, I will never complain.”
I am not saying that only children who study medicine are the best, but that every child needs to have the right pursuit of life. And here, we just provide the right soil so that every seedling can thrive under the sun, rain and dew.
“Africa Cries Out” youth volunteers who pursued medicine:
Amy Guo is now in the fourth year at New York University School of Medicine.
Jimmy Xu is now an interventional radiologist.
And there are several children/youth volunteers who are still working towards their dreams.
From left to right: Rachel Li, Joshua Li, Kenneth Xu, Jason Yang, Eric Wang. After their trip to Africa, they became good friends for life, and parents also took their children to “visit relatives” with each other. Four of these five children want to study medicine, and only Kenneth Xu is currently studying at West Point Military Academy.
When one reaches middle age, his life trajectory has been determined, and life is heading towards the end step by step. However, when we witness poverty and realize that we have the power to help them, our lives are rejuvenated, and our lives are changed.
Dear friends, love is a song, and only the sincere can sing it loudly. Camels look for water to continuate life; if a thirsty person drinks the sweet spring of love and understands the truth, he will never be thirsty again.
A journey to Africa not only changes oneself and helps others but also creates a brand-new family. Why not try once and join our team?
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If you are moved and willing to support our African ministry, please write a check to Africa Cries Out and send it to Jun Xu, MD, 1171 E Putnam Avenue, Riverside, CT06878, USA. You will receive a tax-free receipt recognized by the IRS.
Online Credit Card Donation: https://africacriesout.net/ (credit card company will charge a handling fee)
Zelle: Africacriesout@gmail.com
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Jun Xu WeChat: jun9174343767
Email: Africacriesout@gmail.com
Public WeChat account: LifeExploring (人生天路)
Web page: https://africacriesout.net
Translation: Nina
Reviewer: Wang Jingzun
Editor: Doris Cruz
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