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Eden Social Welfare Foundation
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2018-06-11

Spring 2018 Eden’s Volunteers : “施比受更有福 It is more blessed to give than to receive”.

by Bertille Jarry (賈貝蒂)

Spring has come to Taiwan to bring new volunteers to Eden. Last April, Eden received four exchange students from mainland China to achieve volunteering services: Jiang Yangxing(江仰興)from Macau, Zhang Hong(張弘)from Shanghai, Li Shiben(李士本)from Shanxi, and Wu Zhenhua(吳振華)from Hunan.

 

Everything started the 2nd of April, with the orientation day. At that time, these four volunteers had been introduced to Eden Foundation structure and services. During that day, they have been sensitized to the everyday life of the disabled people and have learnt how to take care of people with physical disabilities; how to properly use wheelchairs, how to feed people. They were diligently listening to every advice. Also, when the time has come to talk about their feeling toward disability, they truthfully expressed themselves about what it means for them and how they would react in such physical conditions.

 

They have all been very committed into their task of sharing with the residents of Yishou center, share their local culture, share the moment, and share laughter. Jiang Yangxing said: “for me, it's not only cultural sharing. It's a process of learning from everyone. In the future, I really hope to bring Xinghe, Chuncheng and Lin Han to Macau”. Wu Zhenhua has even brought the cards for them, so Yishou’s residents can remember the time they have spent together. During those two sessions in Yishou center, the atmosphere was comforting and delightful; both residents and volunteers have spent a memorable time together.

 

Also, volunteering is not only a social experience; it is also a life experience. The kind of moment that take out people’s generosity and empathy for the sake of someone else; another way to open people’s mind. Wu Zhenhua explained how taking care of someone can hold different meaning; he said: “Because we don’t live in the same country, we acknowledge that people’s value differ from one another, which encourage us to try something different”. Volunteers’ cultural diversity has brought a new wind in Yishou center, something refreshing to the residents.

 

Eventually, this volunteering service was an opportunity for these four mainland students to acknowledge different aspects of what it means to take care of someone. “I think what is important is not the meaning of our words, but the contribution we make to this society.” Jiang Yangxing said on the last day of their volunteering service. Both care-users and volunteers give to each other; and as the service has come to an end, more than gaining experience, volunteers have acquired some kind of maturity.

 

 

Volunteers' General Events:

We welcome volunteers to help during our general events, such as international conferences or receiving foreign guest. 

More information: https://goo.gl/AmwaF8

For more details, please contact Nina Chu at

E-mail: eden4646@eden.org.tw  or TEL: +886-2-2230-6670 ext. 2104