When we meet visually impaired people walking towards obstacles on the street, we would naturally step forward and help them but it might disturb their path.  The way to lead these people is to stretch out our arms and let them to catch us, so that they can easily follow us.  In this way, our arm becomes an impression in the eyes of the visually impaired.  Elder Mei names herself and her husband's arms as "Hairy Gourd" and "Eggplant".

One of the main projects of the annual HOPE worldwide Elderly Day is to fulfill the wishes for some elders.  This year, a visually impaired uncle hopes to organize a new book sharing session for his wife in order to encourage her talent in writing.

Elder Mei and her husband, Uncle Cai, are both born blind.  Due to physical imperfections, her childhood was not easy.  However, she was able to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese Humanities while she was at the age of 40 with her hard work.  Mei loves to read and she has a broad range of favorite books.  Being encouraged by her husband and the influence of her friends, her first book named "Hairy Gourd and Rolls" is recently published.

The volunteers of HOPE worldwide visited "Hairy Gourd" and "Eggplant" a couple of times to discuss the details for organizing the new book sharing session.  Through these contacts, the volunteers start to understand the world of the visually impaired people.  They are not living in the dark or even dullness that we, the healthy people, always imagine.  Mei whose pen name is Coffee, shared how she read books without embossed editions, how the visually impaired people "watched" football games, and her electronic-game experience at the new book sharing session.  

The warmhearted volunteers specially prepared a batch of embossed invitation cards for this sharing session to let both "Hairy Gourd" and "Eggplant" to invite friends to participate.

Though his wife was the protagonist in the new book sharing session, Uncle Cai took a seat in front row and listened carefully to every guest’s sharing of his wife.  Among them were not only friends, but also social workers, pastors and volunteers.  Mei specially thanked her husband’s support who also provided the precious information to inspire her to write a book.  Uncle Cai's joyfulness was fully revealed when taking the photos.

More than 700 elders have been the beneficiaries of HOPE worldwide’s "Fulfill A Wish" program, which aims to create delightful memories for the elders in their later years.  Please contact HOPE worldwide for sponsoring this program or if you want to take part in it.