A-Jai's story

A-jai means 'My sister' in Taiwanese.

I am staying at A-jai's house for few days until August 12 when I will move in to Teacher's Lounge in Taichung. My nephew, VanTsai, and his wife, are visiting US on July 30 and are coming home to Taiwan on August 11. On August 12, VanTsai (A-jai's son and an electrical engineering professor at Formosa University in Yuen-Lin.) will help me move to the new place.

A-jai's house is a 4-story-brick-and-concrete house. The house used to be occupied by her sons' families and by her and her husband. Now, her sons' families had moved out; she also lost her husband few years ago. With several rooms vacant, A-jai rented out to several tenants with bargain monthly rents. She made small profits in the winter-months when the utility cost is low; during the summer months when it is hot and the utility cost (e.g. air conditional utility cost) is high, she was just making even with the rent to pay for the utility.

The rental offers A-jai several things: (1) the companionship of young tenants so that she is not completely alone by herself. (2) a small but a definite income that she uses for her 'mission', financially helping out the children of her deceased second son, VanTsung.

A-jai lost her second son, VanTsung, few years ago. Van Tsung had kidney problems for many, many years. He finally succumbed to kidney failure few years ago. VanTsung left three children, all in the school age. VanTsung's wife is a nurse, hardly can support her three growing children.

A-jai told me today, " The (rental) income is small, but steady," she said, " I use part of the rental income to support VanTsung's widow to support her three growing children."

"I will be 80 years old this yaer." she said, " When I die, I don't take the money with me. Giving the money to my grandchildren now when they need it is a good use of the money."

Attached is a picture of the garden that A-jai helps cultivate. The land belongs to the Chang-Hua City Government. Part of this land is now a garden which is cultivated and cared by volunteering senior citizens. A-jai is one of the volunteering senior citizens who take care of the garden.