In China's freight transport industry, husband-and-wife driving teams are not uncommon. It is learned that more than one-third of long-haul trucking operations were run by couples by 2024. Traveling together allows spouses to reduce costs, share the burden of long-distance driving, and care for one another on the road.
But the couple featured in this story is different.
They, too, make a living in freight transport—yet they do not share the work. The wife is seriously ill and has lost nearly all ability to care for herself. She can no longer take part in any aspect of the job and requires constant assistance in daily life. Even so, the couple continues to travel together, becoming a rare and deeply moving example of a "trucking couple" shaped not by efficiency, but by commitment.
Unlike most husband-and-wife teams who take turns driving and resting, almost all the responsibility falls on the husband alone. Each time a delivery call comes in, his first task is not loading cargo but caring for his wife. He wheels or carries her to the truck, carefully settles her into the passenger seat, adjusts her posture, and ensures she is safe and comfortable before starting the journey or handling the freight.
Those who witness this scene often ask the same question: if his wife's condition is so serious, why not leave her at home? Would that not ease his burden and spare her the strain of travel?
The reality, however, leaves little room for choice. His wife cannot live independently; even a minor medical issue left unattended could become life-threatening. Compared with the hours spent on the road, the visible part of their work is only a small fraction of a day filled with round-the-clock care. Much of the husband's labor remains unseen.
The couple is in their early fifties—an age when many families are carrying the weight of both livelihood and responsibility. Although their children are grown and employed, pressures related to marriage, housing, and finances have not disappeared. Under such circumstances, their situation would be devastating for any household.
Friends, relatives, and church members who know their story respond with compassion and prayer, offering practical help where possible. Yet alongside sorrow, there is also gratitude and deep respect. Many point to the husband's decision to remain with his wife, care for her daily, and ensure she continues to live with dignity as something truly rare.
In a society where stories of devotion often fade in times of hardship, his choice to stay, to shoulder responsibility, and to provide for his family commands admiration.
Both husband and wife are devoted Christians. Despite their difficulties, they continue to attend church gatherings. During major church festivals, the husband can still be found serving in the church kitchen, preparing meals for fellow believers. Before her illness worsened, the wife also participated in church service, helping with cleaning and hospitality.
Traveling between cities and villages, the couple has become a "living testimony." Their faith is expressed more through their daily choices than through words.
(The article was originally published by the Gospel Times, and the author is a minister in Jiangsu.)
- Edited and translated by Poppy Chan
