A Farewell That Came Too Late—Yet Still in Time
It was a phone call that came too late—
and yet, just in time.
The child lay in a hospital bed at National Taiwan University Hospital.
Doctors had already said there might only be one or two days left.
His life was nearing its end,
and his only wish was to see his father one last time.
His father loved him deeply.
But his father had made a mistake—
imprisoned for drug trafficking and serving a severe sentence.
For the social worker, this was almost an “impossible mission.”
In an effort to fulfill the child’s final wish, she contacted every possible authority, prepared all required documents, and made countless appeals—only to be turned away again and again.
Prisons, hospitals, and related institutions—
after two exhausting days of running back and forth, no one dared to approve the request.
The social worker later said that, in that moment, her heart had already given up.
After visiting the child and heading home,
just as her car exited the highway, the phone rang.
The prison authorities spoke quietly:
“This must not be publicized. He is a high-risk inmate.
We will discreetly bring the father to NTU Hospital.
Please return to the hospital immediately.”
That day, the hospital room was silent.
The father was brought in.
He cried as he held his child, kissing him again and again.
The child—long unable to speak due to cerebral palsy—
opened his eyes with great effort and smiled.
The social worker took photos for the family.
Doctors and nurses stood nearby, unable to hold back their tears.
This was not a loud reunion.
It was a farewell—
one that the world chose to protect in silence.
Three hours after saying goodbye to his father,
the child quietly became an angel.
He left this world carrying the memory of being held tightly and loved deeply.
And that love remained with everyone who was there.
In that moment, we witnessed a profound truth:
Love does not disappear because of past mistakes.
And sometimes, companionship simply means ensuring
that no one leaves this world alone.
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Seeing with Our Own Eyes—Beyond Our Original Assumptions
Before the visit, many of us carried a certain image in mind:
rows of hospital beds, patients lying still, surrounded by tubes and medical equipment,
a quiet and heavy atmosphere.
But walking into Shih Guang Care Center, the reality was entirely different.
At lunchtime, more than a dozen residents sat in wheelchairs,
gently fed bite by bite by caregivers.
Some waved to us; others formed heart gestures with their hands.
Though many could not communicate verbally,
each had their own rhythm, expression, and vitality.
It was a very real picture of what it means to be alive.
In that moment, we also came to deeply understand
how much physical strength, patience, and emotional commitment
this work requires.
Every resident has a different condition.
Every need is unique.
There is no template for care.
This is work that is both physically and emotionally demanding—
and work that must be carried out with immense love.
We left with the deepest respect
for every teacher and caregiver who chooses to stand beside these lives, day after day.
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Shih Guang Care Center: Safeguarding 24 Hours of Daily Life for Those Who Need It Most
With more than 35 years of history,
Shih Guang Care Center began as an after-school tutoring program for Indigenous children.
As social needs evolved, it gradually transformed into a 24-hour, full-time care institution serving adults aged 18 and above with severe to profound cerebral palsy (multiple disabilities) and high-support-needs autism.
In Taiwan, only a limited number of institutions are capable of providing care at this level of intensity.
Shih Guang Care Center is one of them.
An Invitation to Become Part of This Companionship
As the year draws to a close and we reflect with gratitude on the moments that have shaped it,
we sincerely invite our colleagues and partners to learn more about and support Shih Guang Care Center.
Perhaps we cannot change the length of a life—
but we can choose to ensure that it is well accompanied.
★ Shih Guang Care Center – Supplies & Donation List
https://www.shihguang.org.tw/Download.aspx?tid=122
If you are willing,
we welcome you to walk with us—
to step into Shih Guang,
and into these unseen yet profoundly precious life stories.
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