On January 31, 2026, VIVA partnered with Yanliutun Primary School in Fenghuang Town, Hunan Province, to host a gratitude-themed life portrait workshop titled “Thank You for Lighting My Way.” Through drawings and written words, the children expressed their longing for and gratitude toward their volunteer teachers, sharing heartfelt stories from their mountain community and spreading a warmth that felt especially powerful in the winter cold. Here, we move beyond the label of “s