It is our pleasure to share this fireside story with you about a man born in 1947 in Shanghai. He grew up in a time and country of revolution and of hardship, of change and growth. He is a father, grandfather and a volunteer affectionately called “Pops” in Manos. Seventy-one-year-old volunteer Yang Liren of Zhuang Tou Village was there at the very start of Manos in China. As a villager, farmer, and a man of many skills, Pops was able to help in countless ways. He is a self-taught electrician, architect,musician, and much more. Pops continues as a beacon of volunteerism and exemplifies our motto “do what you can, when you can.”

He has lent his hand to the reconstruction of the Manos China Community Center, and has chaperoned our annual Beijing fieldtrip in the SEE Program. He has taught Harmonica classes for village children, and has revived the ancient art of Chinese Calligraphy by forming the Manos Elders Calligraphy Association. Pops has also made Christmas very special for the children of remote villages over the past two years, who have never before experienced the spirit of Christmas. That spirit of giving is as ongoing as his story. Pops continues to be a flame that inspires Manos and the children we serve towards volunteerism and education.

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