Child Protection Taiwan Project #35777

Sprouting Dream | Sponsor a Child in Taiwan

by The Mustard Seed Mission

Project Report | Aug 30, 2022
My Great-Granny Is My Heaven and Shelter

By Chou Chia-Yi | Project Leader

"I hope that in the days to come, Yuriana can grow up in a stable environment." Said the great-grandmother of Yuriana, a child of Mustard Seed Mission's Children Sponsorship program, with tears in her eyes.

Her constantly trembling hands held ours tightly, telling the heart-wrenching story of skipped generation parenting.

In a rural tribe in northern Taiwan, an old house loosely fitted with metal eaves is the home of Yuriana and her great-grandmother. Yuriana was born out of wedlock and her mother was unable to raise her. Leaving little Yuriana behind to be taken care of by her elderly 70-year-old great-grandmother, she left and hasnt been heard from since then.

Couldn't bear to see her great-granddaughter being abandoned, the great-grandmother took on all the responsibilities of childcare. Due to her advanced age and the scarcity of jobs in a remote village, they only got by with the government's minimum monthly allowance. Knowing their hardship, neighbors would sometimes give them vegetables and fruits. The sweet-natured Yuriana never complains but cherishes and is content with what they have.

Yuriana is 10 years old and a fourth grade elementary school pupil. Although her family is poorer than her classmates', it didn't dent her self-confidence. She has an outgoing and bubbly personality and is very good at dancing. She would sign up for every performance competition in the school. To share the burden of her great-grandmother, she would help with house chores every day when she came home from school. In the evening, she would take the schoolbooks to the living room on the first floor and accompany her great-grandmother while doing homework on the long table and chairs donated by kind people. Compared to other children her age, she is much mature.

Yuriana's room is on the second floor. Although every item in the room was polished clean and neatly placed, it was difficult to hide the fact that this is an old building desperately needs some tender loving care: the walls were cracked and molded, the windows were in disrepair, the ceiling was damaged, the roof also suffered from leaking that rainwater seeped through the cracks. To say it mildly, this is a living environment which needs to be improved.

It is a common sight in rural villages that poverty and despair in disadvantaged families and skipped generation household are evident. However, in the face of busy everyday life and the pressure of reality, they have no time for self-pity. Through the visit from social workers and the financial assistance from the Mustard Seed Mission, as well as the material provided by the food bank service, Yuriana and her great-grandmother received the help they needed. They are full of gratitude.

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May 4, 2022
Help Seeds in Barren Land Have A Chance to Sprout

By Ting Ting Yu | Project Leader

"As long as I can watch my kid grow up happily, it's worth of any hardship. "

This is the reason that keeps Lun Lun's mother strong.

Lun Lun is the youngest child with an older brother and an older sister in his family. For a long time, Lun Lun's mother suffered domestic violence in the hands of her husband and lived her every day in fear. Eventually she chose to divorce her husband to give her children a childhood with peace. Since the divorce, the father of the children simply vanished out of their life and paid nothing into child-support. As a result, the mother had to carry the financial burden of raising three children on her own. In order to meet Lun Lun's pick-up time at the nursery, his mother chose to work as a delivery worker. Although the working hours are more flexible, her choice of taking orders are limited to relatively unpopular times because she has three kids to look after at night and unavailable to work. Although life is hard, the family lives happily together and the older siblings also help to look after Lun Lun which makes their mother very pleased.

After learning about Lun Lun's family situation, the Mustard Seed Mission's community partner helped Lun Lun to apply for the "Children Sponsorship" service. In addition to the monthly financial subsidy to relieve the financial pressure of Lun Lun's family, it also provides the youngster regular companionship. With support like this, it starts to show positive changes with Lun Lun's family. The Mustard Seed Mission responds to where we see the need is. Through our care and financial assistance, we help those less privileged to have a chance to grow and thrive so that the positive forces of goodness in the society flows to the families in need and fills every corner of the society.

Lun Lun likes to draw. Although he is still young and only able to draw some irregular lines, he always looks happier when he draws with his mother. Away from the fear and anxiety brought by his violent father, he smiles more and finally enjoys the sweet parent-child time he deserves. Even though life is still hard, for this little family their spirit is rich.

Lun Lun likes drawing with his mother

Raising three children on her own is an admirable task and the social workers pay their respect to Lun Lun's mother, but she said, " As long as I can watch my kids grow up happily, it's worth of any hardship."

In the society where we live, there are children who do not have enough to eat, cannot get basic education, or traumatized by being mistreated for a long time. . . Through the Children Sponsorship program with monthly financial subsidies, regular home visits and telephone contacts to monitor the youngster's life and needs, these young people can obtain the support they need despite being in such poor environment. They will have the love and care to accompany them to overcome the difficulties they may face.

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Jan 9, 2022
A Grace Forever Preserved in The Heart

By Ting Ting Yu | Project Leader

It all started with a conversation between the social worker and a sponsor.

The Sponsor" My sponsored child, Ben, is about to graduate. I want to give him a pair of sneakers. How shall I do? Or, if Ben has any needs, please just let me know. " So, the social worker conveyed his message to Ben's family...

Ben's mother not only has to take care of his grandfather who is disabled due to illness, but also his cousins who are elementary school kids. The five of them were cramped into a small rented suite, very crowded and harsh. They all rely on Ben's mother who is working in the factory, earning a meager wage barely enough to support five mouths. In order to save money, the whole family shares the same space. As such, there is not enough space on the only bed for all of them to sleep in the suite.

When Ben was asked by the social worker, "What do you do now that there is not enough space to sleep?"

Ben replied, "I can sleep on the floor!!" The very considerate Ben chose to sleep on a puzzle floor mat topped with a quilt placed over it every night.

His mother told the social worker that although Ben did not say anything, she could feel that Ben wanted to sleep in the same bed with his family. However, he knows it's not easy for his mother so he never mentioned it.

When she was asked by the social worker what she needs, she plucked up the courage and said, "If I may, I would like to request a bed." Ben's mother shared her wish with MSM community partner and then through the Mustard Seed Mission sponsorship program, Ben's sponsor decided to donate a bed to the family.

When Ben learned that the sponsor is going to give them a mattress, he looks forward to the arrival of the mattress every day. The usually quiet kid sits on the bed happily when he sees the mattress and the sheet, and records a video to express his gratitude to the sponsor. Ben's mother also sent a message to the social worker, "Ben is so happy. Thanks very much for the loving care of the sponsor^^."

In addition to delivering practical assistance to the families in needs through MSM community network, the sponsorship program of the Mustard Seed Mission also provides the opportunity for those sponsors who have love in their hearts and willing to give, to send their good will to each underprivileged family. While seeing Ben's family filled with the joy of grace, the social worker who serves to pass such blessings are also deeply moved and filled with happiness.

Thanks for the love of sponsors. We believe that such blessing will continue to sprout in Ben's heart which one day will grow into a big tree to shelter others when his life turns around.

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