Soaring Beyond for Children in Out-of-Home Care

One day, teachers and children from Mustard Seed Youth Home at Hualien drove to the furniture store to kick off the home renovation.

It was because a sum of donations was donated and designated to replace the long-used furniture in the Youth Home. Therefore, having measured the size of the space and that of the required furniture, everyone set out their imagination for their "new home".

The children's vision was truly broadened as they arrived at the scene of the furniture store. Looking at the layout of different styles, they realized that the home can be so warm. The atmosphere of the whole home could be quite different as long as there are some proper decorations. Therefore, after the group came back from the furniture purchasing, the teenagers began a heated discussion about the renovation of the home, and finally decided to carry out an overall house cleaning before the new furniture arrived.

In the morning, the teachers gathered everyone and started to divide the labor. Some brushed the floor, some washed pots and pans, some completely removed the gas stove and range hood, and some assisted in cleaning the damaged parts. The furniture was removed and replaced with new ones. Six children and two staff members kept cleaning from morning to 7:30 in the evening. Since beautifying the home environment was a consensus discussed by everyone, there were fewer complaints if the labor was evenly divided, instead all worked together for the goal of home renovation to build a “sweet” home.

After the completion of the cleaning task, the new sofa set and TV cabinet were moved in, the living room had a new look. Sitting in the living room, all felt fresh and comfortable. The children and the staff looked around the small home together and praised the results of joint efforts. Although it was only a small renovation, a deeper understanding and idea about the layout of the Home have evolved in the mind of the teenagers. Hopefully, one day in the future, the small home can be completely remodeled and renewed. This is the little dream of the children. As the environment in the past in which these teenagers grew up was unbearable and beyond their ability to change, this experience convinced the teenagers that as long as they worked hard, they could walk out a new path of their own.

The Mustard Seed Mission aims to take care of the whole person, i.e. not merely to satisfy the basic physical needs of these children in need, but also to supplement the deficiency of their original families. So that the children can grow up in love, live through and accumulate life experiences, and cultivate a kind, warm and independent character. Once their physical and mental health is fully developed, they may regain self-confidence.

Empower vulnerable children to get well prepared for future life!