“The salty sea breeze brushing against their faces is the most beautiful memory of the Eluanbi Lighthouse.” Before graduation, sixth-grade students from Yanping Elementary School were led by their homeroom teacher Huang Shujuan on a visit to the Chiayi Branch of the Eden Social Welfare Foundation. Using their eyes and feelings, the children shared how they could take a trip with vegetative patients. After the visit, they donated all the receipts collected from the entire school to help fund the daily care of the residents.
Huang Shujuan pointed out that these students had just finished their graduation trip. Taking advantage of the last outdoor lesson of their elementary school years, she brought them to visit Eden. Through their actions, she showed everyone how to learn to care for people in society who need help. Even with just a small amount of power, one can do many things. At the same time, she taught the children to take care of themselves and cherish life.
In addition to sharing travel diaries from the graduation trip, the students also brought their favorite musical instruments and storybooks. Through playing instruments and reading aloud, they accompanied these uncles and aunties through this rare morning.
Cai Hanyu from Class 6-C said with emotion, “Although I know they don’t have any reactions, I always feel that it must be very sad for vegetative patients to end up like this. Thinking about this makes me very sorrowful, so I want to do something for them as much as possible—whether it’s collecting receipts or playing music—hoping to bring a bit more joy to their lives.”
Lin Aihua, director of the Chiayi Branch of Eden, admitted that after the increased prize amounts for unified receipts, fundraising has become increasingly difficult. She hopes that through student visits and small activities like blessing postcards, not only will love continue to be passed on, but more care funds will also be raised for the center.
(China Times)