2019.11.15
“In 20 years, all children with hearing loss in Taiwan will be able to listen and speak.” This is the lifetime vision of the founder of the Children’s Hearing Foundation (CHF) Joanna Nichols. During Joanna’s lifetime, thousands of children with hearing loss have came out of silence and are now reaching their full potential and creating a meaningful life. The book The Sound of Love is published in memory of Joanna’s first anniversary of death.
Time flies, it has been 18 years since Joanna left us. Since then, CHF has been continued Joanna’s legacy by helping more than 4,000 children with hearing loss and their families.
This year, as approaching to its 23th anniversary, CHF invited Chi-Jun Hsieh, the author of the book The Sound of Love, to republish the book by exploring more touching stories of the hearing loss.
The bonding counties after 17 years
After 17 years, Chi-Jun Hsieh, the author of the book The Sound of Love (left), visited Xu’s brothers again. Dai-Xuan (right) talked about his life journey.
Dai-Xuan is now a graduate student at NTUN. After the interview, he walked the production team to Hsinchu station. On the way, Chi-Jun Hsieh talked about the time when he first met Xu’s brothers. At the time, Dai-Xuan was only 6-year-old, he loved sharing what he read in the books.
As a profound hearing loss teenager, Dai-Xuan is no different than other graduate students. He participates in schoolwork and club activities. In fact, Dai-Xuan has been actively involved with club activities since high school; he was often elected as directors. For him, speaking on the stage or coordinating event was never a challenge.
Although Dai-Xuan is now very busy with school, every time when he received an invitation from CHF, he always promised his attendance right away. Why? “Because I want to help those hearing loss children who are just like me.” Whether it was hosting events, filming documentary, guiding other children with hearing loss or involving in the republication of the book, Dai-Xuan is more than willing to be a part of it.
17 years ago, when Chi-Jun Hsieh first interviewed the mother, Dai-Xuan was the only child in the family. As time goes on, Dai-Xuan and his hearing loss younger brother are now able to speak fluently and reach their full potential as an independent teenager, which all thanks to their mother. The persistence and the effort that their mother put into raising them are truly admirable.
The family who walked their way out of depression
Parents of Zhong brothers almost committed suicide.
“It has been a long time!” the conversation between Chi-Jun Hsieh and the Zhong family started with a warm greeting. There was a time when Zhong parents almost commit suicide with their two hearing loss boys. As time goes by, the hearing loss has strengthened family bonds; the family is now happy and strong.
The family brought the production team back to the beach where they almost committed suicide.
On the day of the interview, the family was waiting at the door to welcome the production team. Yi-Ting and Yi-Jun are both profound hearing loss and has entered workplace for several years. Right after Zhong brothers met the production team, they recalled 17 years ago when Chi-Jun Hsieh came visit. At that time, Yi-Ting and Yi-Jun were still students in elementary school, but now, they’ve come to the marriageable age.
The setting and the decoration are still the same, but the atmosphere of the house is whole lot different. Yi-Ting and Yi-Jun have just celebrated their parents’ 30th wedding anniversary and they couldn’t stop sharing about all the great things happened these years with Chi-Jun Hsieh. Just like old times, there’s nothing happier than seeing “old friends” come so far.
