High schoolers are spotted (動詞:被看到) biking along the road. As they pass the small houses built of stone, they exclaim (動詞:呼喊) names in joy; they have seen their students. The younger students run towards their teachers in surprise. This was the last day the students would spend together before parting ways. To come to such a joyous (形容詞:喜洋洋) moment, we must start from the beginning.
In July, nine nervous (形容詞:緊張,不安) students from California meet each other for the first time. For most, it was the first time travelling away from their parents. The students fly to Taiwan, are brought to a bus, and are driven to Bethany Home. Bethany Home is a facility in Taiwan that cares for mentally disabled people. The Californians will be involved in the daily activities of the residents (名詞:居民), which include farming, playing, and therapies (名詞:治療).
My name is Cynthia. I am a Christian， and a student that attended Project Ascent’s Trip to Taiwan and China. My experience in Taiwan was incomparable to anything I have never done in my entire life because I have never interacted with mentally disabled people for such a long time and in such close proximity (名詞:接近). In addition to helping residents during therapy, I milked a goat, played Frisbee (名詞:飛盤), and developed my Mandarin speaking skills. My stay at Taiwan made me extremely (形容詞:極度,非常) thankful for my physical and mental condition. I was blessed with a healthy body and brain. After seeing the condition of those at the Bethany Home, I was humbled. I was not better than anyone because I was healthy, rather, I had something that should not be taken for granted, but I had done exactly that. Since then, I have become charily (形容詞:謹慎) aware of every demeaning (形容詞:失體面,有失尊嚴) word spoken or thought about myself because my memories remind me of how grateful I should be.
We then board a plane to Xi’an, China and sit in on a short car ride to Herald Children Village. We are welcomed by a beautiful campus with and a large play structure. The following morning, we meet a plethora (名詞:過多) of exuberant (名詞:熱情洋溢) children. It is a day of first meeting our students, having a full day in China, and teaching our pre-planned curriculum. The children are eager (形容詞:渴望,熱切) to utilize (動詞:利用,應用) the skills they learn at the program. They enthusiastically (副詞:熱情地,熱烈地) participate in the games and art activities the teachers have prepared.
My experience at the Children Village was necessary for me to develop a sense of how others lived. Seeing the living conditions of the energetic students was a sharp slap of reality. The students are so joyful because they have never experienced better than what they have, therefore, they do not expect more than what they have come to know. While Taiwan made me appreciative of myself, China made me appreciative of the physical possessions I had. Many of the children wore the same outfit for the majority of the five-day program. They were overjoyed when we gave them colored papers and scissors. As a child of God, I understand that materials are not everlasting, but I was still shocked at how little the villagers had.
Now that I am at home, I have noticed the effects of my Taiwanese-Chinese trip. I have learned how to be a strong leader and am grateful for everything I have. The things I have learned cannot wear away with time, for they have become a part of me.
一群高中生騎著腳踏車在阡陌上奔馳，當經過一所小石屋時，他們興高采烈地喊出一些名字來，原來遇上了自己的學生！年幼的學生帶著驚訝的走向他們的老師。這是他們相聚的最後一天。要知道這快樂時刻的因由，我們必須從頭說起。
今年七月，九個局促不安、來自加州的學生，首次相遇，首次離開父母，結伴遠行，飛往台灣，再坐巴士到了一所特別為智障人仕而設的機構——伯大尼之家，和校裡孩子一起，參與活動，包括：下田、遊戲和復健冶療。
我叫曾雪倩，是個基督徒，是展翅台灣和中國之旅的學生。我在台灣的經歷，跟我一生所做過的，是無法可比的。因為，我從未試過跟智障人仕有這麼長、這麼近的接觸。除了幫助駐院的學生做復健治療外，我教他們玩飛盤、跟他們一起擠羊奶、改善我的華語。
台灣之旅讓我深深地為自己的身心靈狀況感恩。能擁有健全的身體和智力，是何等幸福。伯大尼之家的學生，使我不得不謙卑下來。健全並不代表我比別人優越，而是，叫我不要把它變成理所當然似的，但，過去我卻一直是這樣。此行以後，我對自己每一句貶低人的話，或是每個妄自菲薄的念頭，變得特別小心謹慎，因為我的記憶在提醒我，我是何等的幸福！
接下來，我們飛往中國西安，然後坐車到角聲的兒童之家。迎著我們的是一所美麗的校舍，一個蠻大的遊樂場。次日早晨，我們跟一群熱情洋溢的孩子相遇了。這是我們在中國的頭一天，我們看到自己的學生，也開始按預先計劃好的課程來教導他們。孩子們都很樂意地把所學到的技巧應用出來，很投入、並滿腔熱情地參與老師為他們預備的美勞活動及遊戲。
兒童村的經歷，加深了我對別人的生活狀況的認識。這些活力充沛的孩子的生活環境，是對我的當頭棒喝。孩子們之所以如此快樂，是因為他們安於所有，因此，他們不會期待一些過於他們可以得到的東西。
若台灣讓我學會愛惜自己，那麼，中國就讓我學會珍惜所擁有的東西。許多孩子一連五天，都穿著同一件外衣來上課，孩子們會為我們給他們的顏色紙和剪刀而興奮。作為神的孩子，我深知物質的東西不能長存，然而，村裡的學生所有的，卻仍然少得叫我震驚！
回家以後，我才發現這趟台灣和中國之旅，對我的影響。我學會怎樣成為一個好的領袖，我學會為所擁有的感恩。時間不能沖走我所學到的，因為，它已成了我的一部份！
◎ Cynthia, 16 years old ◎翻譯：秦黃業玲