2004-03-18 15:36:00大魚
446-46 Our Family Gathers Together Here
Our Family Gathers Together Here
By Yeh Wen-yin
Translated by Yen Pei-yu
Photographs by Yen Lin-chao
The house has collapsed. If we can't stay in our hometown and have to move to earn a living, will we still be able to stick together as a family? No one knows for sure…
The aborigines can still recall the night when Typhoon Doug invaded the mountains in Nantou ten years ago; they describe it as a horrible, challenging night.
Wu Ming-chun, who lives with the Green Mountain Tribe, describes how he kept noticing the sound outside the window that night. At midnight, his tin roof was suddenly torn off by a strong wind and rain poured into his house. Wu, his wife, and children could go nowhere but climb 400 meters (1,312 feet) uphill to a small, makeshift dormitory belonging to his wife's sister.
Unfortunately, the heavy rain caused a mudslide; their house slipped down the slope and completely collapsed.
He says that it is because of Tzu Chi that they can live in such a nice house today. Actually, he would not have been able to construct a house under that kind of situation. Wu's sighs expressed emotion—the house had collapsed; if they couldn't stay in their hometown and had to leave for another place to earn a living, would they still be able to stick together as a family? No one knew for sure…
Tzu Chi volunteers helped distribute relief materials after the disaster and helped them find another place to establish new homes. As a result, 31 two-floor duplex buildings with SRC (steel-reinforced concrete) structuring and tin roofs became new homes for Wu's family and other neighbors.
Living in the mountain about 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) above sea level, Wu and his tribal friends have cultivated arable land to grow vegetables and tea in order to survive. They have earned much money from this in recent years.
With the increased income, the residents have gradually added new rooms to their houses. Many have renovated their houses as well. The house of 26-year-old Kao Chen-chen is an example. By paving the floor in the living room with small wood planks, he was able to make his home feel warmer in the cold winter! The comfortable sofa faces a large-sized television, and the wall is well decorated. The new kitchen is an addition, and the original space has been converted into two Japanese-style rooms: one for his parents-in-law and one for his son. It is hard to believe that this was once a tin roof house! Kao Chen-chen says that the complicated procedures to get licenses to rebuild homes were too difficult for aborigines. They were fortunate to have Tzu Chi help them deal with all of the procedures.
Wu's house is not decorated yet, but he is adding a kitchen to the front of his house in order to prevent grease and smoke from going inside. The living room has thus doubled in size because of the moving of the kitchen. They will also be able to have an extra room in the future on the first floor.
Wu says, "We have warmth only when we have a home!" Having been deprived of his home, Wu feels much more than others about the importance of having a warm family. He now rides his scooter to inspect his gardens on Saturday mornings; meanwhile, his wife finishes preparing meals by then. At about ten o'clock, he and his family go to church for prayer. Their lives are simple and at ease.
"Even after many years, every time we go to church we still talk about Tzu Chi's love in building houses for us. I believe God will forever protect those who have loving hearts." In Wu's eyes, Tzu Chi people are a group of people who will be looked after by God.
Wu's two sons have returned to the mountain after finishing their military service. Both of them work very hard, which comforts Wu. He says with satisfaction that after he grows old, his sons will keep cultivating the farms so that the land will last forever.
Captions
P47 Above: The Green Mountain Tribe lives 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) above sea level. Thirty-one buildings made of SRC dot the mountains below the clouds.
Below: Ten years after moving, the adults have settled down and the children are having fun. The lives of many families have improved and their homes have been refurbished and look elegant.
By Yeh Wen-yin
Translated by Yen Pei-yu
Photographs by Yen Lin-chao
The house has collapsed. If we can't stay in our hometown and have to move to earn a living, will we still be able to stick together as a family? No one knows for sure…
The aborigines can still recall the night when Typhoon Doug invaded the mountains in Nantou ten years ago; they describe it as a horrible, challenging night.
Wu Ming-chun, who lives with the Green Mountain Tribe, describes how he kept noticing the sound outside the window that night. At midnight, his tin roof was suddenly torn off by a strong wind and rain poured into his house. Wu, his wife, and children could go nowhere but climb 400 meters (1,312 feet) uphill to a small, makeshift dormitory belonging to his wife's sister.
Unfortunately, the heavy rain caused a mudslide; their house slipped down the slope and completely collapsed.
He says that it is because of Tzu Chi that they can live in such a nice house today. Actually, he would not have been able to construct a house under that kind of situation. Wu's sighs expressed emotion—the house had collapsed; if they couldn't stay in their hometown and had to leave for another place to earn a living, would they still be able to stick together as a family? No one knew for sure…
Tzu Chi volunteers helped distribute relief materials after the disaster and helped them find another place to establish new homes. As a result, 31 two-floor duplex buildings with SRC (steel-reinforced concrete) structuring and tin roofs became new homes for Wu's family and other neighbors.
Living in the mountain about 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) above sea level, Wu and his tribal friends have cultivated arable land to grow vegetables and tea in order to survive. They have earned much money from this in recent years.
With the increased income, the residents have gradually added new rooms to their houses. Many have renovated their houses as well. The house of 26-year-old Kao Chen-chen is an example. By paving the floor in the living room with small wood planks, he was able to make his home feel warmer in the cold winter! The comfortable sofa faces a large-sized television, and the wall is well decorated. The new kitchen is an addition, and the original space has been converted into two Japanese-style rooms: one for his parents-in-law and one for his son. It is hard to believe that this was once a tin roof house! Kao Chen-chen says that the complicated procedures to get licenses to rebuild homes were too difficult for aborigines. They were fortunate to have Tzu Chi help them deal with all of the procedures.
Wu's house is not decorated yet, but he is adding a kitchen to the front of his house in order to prevent grease and smoke from going inside. The living room has thus doubled in size because of the moving of the kitchen. They will also be able to have an extra room in the future on the first floor.
Wu says, "We have warmth only when we have a home!" Having been deprived of his home, Wu feels much more than others about the importance of having a warm family. He now rides his scooter to inspect his gardens on Saturday mornings; meanwhile, his wife finishes preparing meals by then. At about ten o'clock, he and his family go to church for prayer. Their lives are simple and at ease.
"Even after many years, every time we go to church we still talk about Tzu Chi's love in building houses for us. I believe God will forever protect those who have loving hearts." In Wu's eyes, Tzu Chi people are a group of people who will be looked after by God.
Wu's two sons have returned to the mountain after finishing their military service. Both of them work very hard, which comforts Wu. He says with satisfaction that after he grows old, his sons will keep cultivating the farms so that the land will last forever.
Captions
P47 Above: The Green Mountain Tribe lives 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) above sea level. Thirty-one buildings made of SRC dot the mountains below the clouds.
Below: Ten years after moving, the adults have settled down and the children are having fun. The lives of many families have improved and their homes have been refurbished and look elegant.