嚮光協會很榮幸地能夠有亞中成為大朋友，一起陪著孩子們打籃球！他不畏長途跋涉、持續性花上四個小時往返清泉部落，為的是提供小朋友更多元化的活動。除了擁有高尚的品德與無止盡的耐心，亞中也是少數能夠真正看透優質的陪伴與締結友誼對孩子們的意義。

Daisy: 你是在何時、如何得知嚮光協會？為什麼想參與？
Mohan: 大概是一年半前，朋友介紹我的，說有一個志工協會定期會上山幫原住民小朋友開課，而因為我的外婆是花蓮阿美族的，從小每年暑假回花蓮都跟原住民玩在一起，所以我從小就很喜歡原住民，聽到有個機會能為他們付出點心力，就像協會寄出了申請表。

D: 你認為籃球和運動對人們帶來什麼益處？
M: 籃球對我來說，一直都是一個紓壓及交朋友的管道，在籃球場上，沒有親疏貴賤，沒有地位身分的區別。同場競技，較量的是彼此的技術及身體的對抗性，也因為這樣，在球場上認識的朋友，總是最平等的，也最真誠，籃球的訓練，不只練習到身體能力，也同時訓練到心理素質，團體的配合，也培養人們練習無私，分工，對社會適應也有相當程度的幫助。

D: 看見清泉的孩子們的熟面孔時，感覺如何？他們的遊戲和你們的友誼，有沒有愈來愈好？
M: 每次看到清泉的孩子們，他們都會熱情地叫亞中～我覺得很有趣，因為他們不像一般的學生叫我老師或教練，而是把我當朋友般地直接叫本名，常常邊喊邊跑過來，然後像無尾熊一樣爬到我身上，他們總是讓我想到小動物，無害而溫和的可愛小動物。隨著我去的次數越來越多，他們有些本來有點防衛心的孩子也逐漸卸下心防，我們可以互相分享生活，教學相長。

D: 孩子們見到我時，總是問我關於你的事；得知孩子們希望你能回來時，你感覺如何？
M: 很開心，因為我也一樣常常想回去找他們，人與人之間的感情是很直接的，彼此付出時間心力，就會產生連結、羈絆，知道自己的付出得到了相同的回應，其實真的是蠻高興的。

D: 為何你會持續參與清泉或嚮光協會的活動？
M: 因為對孩子們產生了親情、友情，會想繼續看著他們一天天長大，而清泉的其他志工們，也都非常好相處，慢慢地，去參加協會的活動，變成了拓展視野，結交朋友，探望親人的一個行程，自然想持續參加。

D: 你對孩子們有什麼期望，或是你能夠做什麼?
M: 希望他們健康長大，不要有任何資源及心理的匱乏，學以致用，未來也能成為一個會回饋社會的好人，希望「付出」這件事，能從我身上傳遞到每一個我教過的孩子，幫助到更多人，他們的生命也會因此十分快樂！

我們期盼各位對少年籃球課程的支持，也希望今年能夠擁有專屬的攝影、錄像師，可以聯繫我們以了解更多信息！

Bright Side Projects is honored to have Mohan join us and play basketball with the kids! Making the 4 hour trek to ChingChuan on a regular basis he has diversified the activities we could offer to them. Besides his heart of gold and neverending patience, he is someone I found who has a real and rare understanding of what it means to spend time with children and to build a friendship with them.

Daisy: How and when did you find out about Bright Side Projects and what made you want to get involved?
Mohan: About a year and half ago, a friend introduced me, saying there was an association that headed up the mountains to do workshops with the indigenous children on a regular basis. My grandmother happens to be part of the Hualien’s Amis tribe and when I was a child every summer I would return to Hualien. Because of this I’ve always felt a positive association with indigenous tribes and a connection with my indigenous roots so when I heard about an opportunity where I could get involved, I sent in my application.

D: What do you think basketball and sports brings as a benefit to people?
M: For me, basketball has always been a way for people to develop friendships. On the basketball courts there is no distinction of backgrounds or social identities. Playing together on the same court, contesting each others techniques and testing our physical endurance, then becoming friends in this manner, is one of the truest form of an friendship that’s built purely on equality instead of division.

Basketball is not only about physical training but also serves to strengthen our psychological resilience, aids in team work, selflessness, learning division of labor, and enhances social adaptability to get along with others.

D: How is it to see regular faces of the kids in ChingChuan? Is there improvement in their game or your friendship?
M: I find it very interesting because unlike some of my students who call me teacher or coach, they refer to me as they would a friend. Often they yell my name while they’re running over to me and then climb on me like I’m a tree and they’re koala bears so I always have this imagery of them as these gentle, cuddly, cute animals. And when I started going more frequently, a few of the children who previously seemed to have a defensive wall up began to let down their barriers so we could share our lives, to teach and learn from one another.

D: Kids always ask about you when they see me, how does it feel when the kids ask for you to return?
M: Really happy – because I also often want to go back to find them! The best relationship the ones where people put in the same amount of effort and can be so straightforward with their feelings knowing that it will be reciprocated.

D: Why do you keep coming back to ChingChuan or Bright Side Projects events?
M: I have a sense of friendship and kinship ties with the children so wish to continue to be by their side as they grow up. In addition, others who join workshops in ChingChuan are also very amiable and easy to get along with. I have also joined in various Bright Side workshops which broadened my horizons and made steadfast friends in the process. A bond begins to form as we become one huge family so one naturally will want to continue to join in activities.

D: What are your hopes for the children or what you can do?
M: I hope that they will grow up having accessibility to resources, become physically and mentality resilient, apply their knowledge, and grow up to be good people that gives back to their community. I hope that my own efforts to be proactive will be something that passes on through the kids that I have taught. If they in turn will also reach out others especially when others need help, they will live a fulfilling life that brims with happiness!

We look forward to your support for our youth basketball program and hope to have a dedicated photographer and videographer. Read more on our website or contact us!