Showing Initiative as a Civil Servant: A Creative Cog in the Machine
Being so enthusiastic and ambitious when first entering the public sector, I kept in mind our ancestor’s advice when pursuing the role of a civil servant: “You should be virtuous and make use of resources to ensure the people are prosperous.” I wanted to do something good for the public, but soon I realized I was just a small cog in a big government machine. I felt there was little I could accomplish. Then I decided to change my field and bet my future on it. I arrived at my new office in the spring of that year. I was in charge of recommending quality extracurricular books for elementary and high school students. I had to look for book reviewers and select good books. Then I needed to make a book list and send it to elementary and high school libraries. I looked carefully at the sample I got. Like a catalogue, it had book titles, names of the publishing houses, and prices. However, with this scant amount of information available, would school librarians know which book to purchase? I didn't think so. I was not satisfied with the status quo, so I decided to make some changes of my own! I redesigned the application form to include a description, author name, ISBN, and contact information of the publishing house for each book on the list. My changes made the list more convenient for users to search for books and make contacts. Then I asked reviewers to classify those books, establish the criteria for selection, select recommended books, give comments, and sort the books based on suitable ages. For three months, our reviewers sacrificed their vacations to read books, grade them, and make comments. After countless meetings and discussions, we finally presented a satisfying result. We added more information and multiple search items for each selected book until the “list” grew into a “booklet.” During the summer break, parents flocked into the office to pick up a copy of the booklet. This particular case should have ended after we finished mailing out the booklets to the libraries. However, seeing tens of thousands of books filling the archives, I asked my superior for further instructions. ”Give them to the orphanage in the end of the year.” The answer sounded reasonable enough—but I thought I could do even better. My superior gave me free reign to deal with this matter, and I began to think about how to bring those books to kids in remote areas who were less well off in order to promote reading. But the real question was: where could I get the funds? Since this project was not listed in our budget, I had to carry out the plan with “zero budget.” I also needed to ensure that the books remained intact. To accomplish this task, I had to find an organization that took delight in promoting reading. After burying myself in searching for relevant information, I discovered that Hsing Tian Kong Culture and Education Development Foundation was organizing an activity which consisted of introducing libraries to children in remote areas. In addition, “reading good books, saying good words, doing good deeds, and being good people” was regarded as their motto. I knew I found my solution! I told people in the foundation that I had many selected books suitable for children. Since they had volunteer housewives that taught children to know and cherish books, it was possible for us to work together and take those good books to the remote countryside. As a result, the volunteer housewives of the Hsing Tian Kong Foundation brought three truckloads of books and bookshelves to the indigenous tribes in Hsinchu County. They carefully organized a cultural camp for books. They invited the indigenous children, their parents, and teachers to join the camp and held a parent‐child reading activity and a drama performance. The volunteers vividly performed a story depicted in the picture book and made sound effects with simple tricks. Long bamboo tubes filled with sand were used to simulate rain. Suddenly, the door of the old house was open, and two bamboo clappers made a slight crackling sound. Then, the performer said, “Guess who came?” As for the kids, they sometimes cried out or laughed out loud. Happy smiles bloomed on their innocent faces. At that moment, I knew my hard work had not gone to waste. I held this activity the next year. In addition to the kids from the tribes, I also wanted to take care of blind students who had no books to read. This was a huge task! Making contacts with various sectors, I finally reached Tamkang University Resource Room for the Blind Students and the NTHU Society for the Blind. They agreed to help me convert electronic files into braille books free of charge. The only obstacle I had to overcome, however, was authorization. I drafted a proposal, “Read the World with Your Heart,” overnight to explain my plan to publishing houses. Heaven will not disappoint the person who tries. In total, 23 publishing houses supported my idea! Writer Liu Yung even told me he could provide me all the electronic files of his books. To me, it was the best gift! Finally, on the eve of the White Cane Safety Day, the first batch of the braille books was completed. At the presentation ceremony, the principal of the School for the Visually Impaired bowed to the selfless devotion of the public and private sectors. I was emotionally overwhelmed and tears filled my eyes. I am aware that over my long career in public service, I am just another cog in the machine. However, I believe that as a civil servant, when exerting public authority, it is still possible to make a difference with insignificant resources and invisible services as long as you give a lot of thought to your work. These stories may not be glorious achievements, but they are some of the most memorable events of my career. Lastly, I sincerely express my gratitude to my superior who gave me the opportunity to exert myself. Practicing Goodness in the Public Sector
I'm still so grateful for their help. Two years ago, I accidentally burned down some trees along a roadside when I was burning my garbage. They thought I was old and paid the fine for me. I was so grateful for them! I asked for the seeds of some vegetables and sweet potato vines to grow. I could eat sweet potato porridge for days. I set aside the cartons and cans and planned to drag them out to sell later. The landlord came to me that morning, saying that I made such a mess on his land. He asked me to clean up the land in two weeks and return it to him, or he would call the police. Everything was so expensive. I only received my senior annuity, paid my rent, and bought some cans. There wasn't much left over. The landlord came to me again. He was so angry! I supposed I really had to return the land, so I burned the garbage, bamboo sticks, and weeds. It should be okay, right? “Granny, do you know it's illegal to burn garbage? And you've even burned down the roadside trees!” A‐xiang of the District Office asked. “How was I to know it would turn out so badly? I'm sorry! I didn't mean it.” The old woman stood by the roadside, lowering her head and clenching her bag in her hands. Inside the bag were the cans she had collected. “Calm down. It's okay. Just tell me—how did you burn down those trees?” A‐xiang, said in a soft voice, noticing that the old woman was nervous. “I collected unwanted cartons and cans and sold them to a recycling center to make a living. There were too many things, so I stacked them here. I was also growing some vegetables. But the landlord told me to clear up the land and return it to him. I had to burn the weeds and the garbage before giving it back.” “But you also burned down those four trees along the roadside.” A‐xiang scratched his head over this vexing situation. “How could I have known the fire would get so big? But I told my son to water these trees everyday and see if they can come to life.” The granny whispered. “These trees are protected by the government. There may be an administrative sanction and compensation. In other words, you may need to pay a fine.” A‐xiang patiently explained the situation. “I'm sorry! I’m really sorry! I didn't mean it. I didn't know the fire would spread to the trees from the clearing. I make extra money by recycling, but I can barely sustain myself. I don't have extra money to pay the fine!” Granny was so agitated that the cans inside her bag made loud noises with her waving hands. They seemed to agree with her. “Don't worry. What’s done is done. Let us just find a way to deal with it.” A‐xiang tried to comfort her. “I didn't mean it. It won't happen again. I can't read. Young man, you just write them for me. I only know how to sign my name.” Granny could not read the investigation record, so A‐xiang read it aloud to her. The only thing she could do was clumsily hold the pen and slowly etch out the only three characters she knew on the signature field stroke by stroke. On that day two years ago, my experience caring for the aged granny and our cheerful willingness to pay the NT$3,000 fine taught me the true meaning of having a great work attitude. I pressed the button on the fingerprint sensor, lining up to take the elevator. In the crowd I thought about my agenda today: three investigations, two postponed official documents to follow, and some official documents I had just received. After returning to my seat, I glanced over my agenda as usual and stopped when I saw the official document sent by A‐xiang from the District Office. According to the Tree Preservation Bylaw (hereinafter referred to as the bylaw), the District Office should respond quickly to any damage of roadside trees caused by wrongful acts and report the result to the City Government for future reference. Based on the regulations, the granny who earned her living by recycling waste would have been faced with an administrative sanction and compensation amounting to NT$22,000. This was the price of my smart phone—a convenient device that entertained my life. However, this was also the price that the granny had to pay as a result of having mistakenly burned the roadside tree. It was also a number high enough to put her life in trouble. At that moment, I recalled some words my mother often said to me: “Society is made up of all kinds of people.” As civil servants, what could we do to serve our people? We had a lively discussion about this matter. Thinking carefully about this case, our director said, “Let's follow the law!” According to paragraph 1, article 18 of the Administrative Penalty Act, “In the case of imposition of a fine, consideration shall be given to such factors as the culpability of the act in breach of duty under administrative law, the impact resulting from and the benefits gained from such an act. Additionally, the financial ability of the person penalized may also be taken into account.” The granny wanted to return the landlord with vacant land, so she burned the garbage on the ground without knowing that the fire would also burn down four roadside trees. She had not intended to do so and did not gain anything from the act. Moreover, she watered the trees after the accident everyday in the hope of bringing them back to life. She was over 80 years old, yet she sustained herself by recycling and from her senior annuity. She could be considered financially disadvantaged. After we carefully weighed the situation, she was assessed the statutory minimum fine of NT$3,000. We did not request the compensation and issued a verbal warning that she may not commit the same act again. The next day, Xiao‐ping, the cashier personnel came to me and said, "I can afford the fine. Give me the ticket, and I'll pay it for her!” I saw the document in her hand and understood her intention. I then signaled her to see the other side of the office table. On it were three thousand dollars and a post‐it with words written by our director, “Practicing goodness in the public sector.” Genial sunlight glowed outside the window, and we felt warm inside as well. Caring for Foreign Spouses and Creating a Win-win Situation
Originally from Guangxi, Ms. Wei has been married to a Taiwanese man for decades. After she arrived in Taiwan, her husband encouraged her to open a small restaurant to sell traditional food from her hometown. I pass by this humble restaurant diagonally opposite to the train station when commuting every day. It is still filled with customers even though it has passed the dining time. What kind of restaurant it is? What secret does it keep that attracts so many people? In heavy‐traffic flow, I can still hear the owners' chatting and laughing. About four years ago after the Chinese New Year, I was transferred from Xinyi District, a region filled with tall buildings, to the cultural and historic Wanhua District. Wanhua was formerly known as "Bangka" (Mengjia), and is the earliest developed region in northern Taiwan. In the past, it stood side by side with Fucheng (Tainan) and Lugang, which were regarded as the three major towns in Taiwan. People used to say "first Fucheng, second Lugang, and third Bangka." The town was prospering at that time. However, the times have changed. Wanhua has become the district with the most senior population, disadvantaged groups, and new immigrants among the other districts in Taipei City. Approximately 5,000 new immigrants live in Wanhua, and most of them are foreign spouses. It has become a pressing task for government agencies to provide them a complete package of services so as to assist them to adapt to their lives in Taiwan. On the day I reported for duty, the weather was still cold outside in the afternoon. One of my colleagues was very kind and took me for a walk around the district office. In addition to helping me become familiar with the surroundings, my colleague also introduced some unique delicacies. Upon hearing "Luoshi Fen," I had no idea what that was, thinking that it might be a hardware store selling all kinds of "screws" ("luoshi" sounds similar to the word "screw" in Chinese). Wanhua District Office was situated right behind Wanhua Train Station. My colleague led me to walk pass the Bangka Clothing Shopping District and go through the station hall. Then I saw a huge signboard written "Bangka 200 Liuzhou Luoshi Fen" (a special rice noodles dish). The owner, Ms. Wei, welcomed us with a chuckle and explained that she had had a difficult time when she just started the business. She might have given up if it were not for the help of the district office. She said she was very lucky. The reason Ms. Wei opened this small restaurant was simple. She just wanted to share with people the delicious food from her hometown and make extra money to help support her family. With the assistance of the district office, her business was doing better and better. It has now opened for years, for which she was very grateful. To support foreign brides like Ms. Wei, the district office holds a variety of language courses and adaptation programs on a regular basis. It pays attention to their everyday lives through the notification system in each neighborhood. Inside many stores along the street, groups of women talk to each other fluently in their mother tongues. These places are where they like to gather together. The Civil Affairs Section of Wanhua District Office began to combine these existing resources. Based on the concept of "building new gathering places for daily exchanges," the district office integrated these stores and posted their information on the homepage of the district office. By doing so, it helps increase exposure of these stores. The district office, moreover, uses them to promote relevant course information and policies. This measure helps those foreign spouses blend into the environment and know more about the local culture. In the meantime, it also solves the problem of student shortages of those courses offered by the district office. This way, those valuable programs may continue to help those in need. The district office then designed "The Food and Culture Map of Wanhua." Through various marketing activities, the district office largely increased the number of guests of these stores. These simple acts largely improve the lives and careers of those foreign spouses. These pioneering policies make them recognize and trust our land, creating a win‐win situation. The district office set up "new gathering places" and designed "the food map" without increasing the budget. Such pioneering work completely altered people's stereotypical thinking of the rigid and conservative public agencies. It increases exchanges between our foreign spouses and helps them solve their problems in their everyday lives. By providing deeper, wider, and more diverse services, the district office hopes they will come to see Taiwan as their second home and lead a confident and beautiful life here. Customers still flock to the restaurant even after dining hours have ended. Ms. Wei, the owner, who lives happily inside the region that glows in its cultural diversity, is making "Luoshi Fen" in memory of her hometown. By maintaining the food quality, she successfully runs the small restaurant of only several pings. If possible, when passing by Bangka Blvd and seeing "Bangka 200 Liuzhou Luoshi Fen," don't forget to slow down your pace to take a bite of the delicious dish and share with Ms. Wei her joy of starting a business. The dish only costs a few dozen dollars and will satisfy your appetite and show you the active working attitude in modern public agencies. You will definitely be impressed by the proactive and enthusiastic spirit of our virtuous foreign spouses. The Possibility to Change
Civil servants must act according to the law. To a civil servant, legality can mean the guiding principle to follow and to serve the people, or on another level, can be chains that keep them from reality or their conscience. My first agency was in charge of holding various skills certification test. I had received a complaint issued by an examinee from the “Test for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Installation and Repair" who accused the judge of not following the rules during the test, causing him to fail the test and therefore not get the license. Thanks to the instruction of my section chief, who reminded me to read the test flow and relevant regulations before asking the commissioned test unit to explain the doubts raised in the email. I knew nothing about refrigeration and air‐conditioning, so I forced myself to read those confusing diagrams and memorize those unintelligible words. Step by step, I clumsily crossed the fence of the specialized knowledge and threw myself into this strange area. Confronting the senior instructors of that field, I knew I could not have exceeded them in terms of technical ability. Such being the case, I could only help my examinee with "administrative" measures. Just as expected, there was something wrong after I scrutinized the judge’s response. The test appeared to have held in conformity with the regulations; however, the judge performed the test without following the method as specified in the reference. As a result, I fought for a re‐test. In a just and open testing environment, my examinee passed the test as he had hoped for and successfully obtained his license. Hearing him sharing with me the joy of passing the test on the phone and thanking me for taking his complaint seriously, I first experienced the happiness in serving people, which was a beautiful feeling that stayed in my mind for a long time. After this event, I realized the importance for seniors to pass down their experience. If my section chief had not possessed the technical background and explained to me the logic of the refrigeration and air‐conditioning test, I wouldn't have grasped the point my examinee had described in his complaint. In order for a civil servant to have a passionate working attitude, I believe that the first step should be the acquisition of professional knowledge in order to be more capable of serving people. People often say they have to learn things from scratch when entering the employment market. While civil servants are not a part of the private sector, they still need to learn new things that are relevant to their job duties. The etymology of passion comes from Latin; it means to experience, endure, and suffer. In other words, only by suffering and enduring the challenges in work can one truly acquire the passion for work. Passion is not enough, however. The sense of responsibility is the professional ethics of a civil servant. It would be superficial to explain the sense of responsibility as "doing your part." A civil servant should bear the responsibility of the foreseeable result caused by his actions. This attitude may therefore root out the attitude of "mind your own business," which is a faulty sense of responsibility in the public sector. The concept of "minding your own business" often lacks the "sense of judgment" that a civil servant should possess. Inside an extremely rational hierarchy, civil servants often become bureaucrats. Following the law is interpreted as being "indifferent" and not sympathizing with the people, let alone the determination to bear the responsibility of striving for the happiness of the public. If civil servants are unable to distinguish right from wrong and cannot be responsible for the consequences of their own actions, how can they become aware of flaws in the law and try to fix them? Lastly, in light of ethical responsibility, it is important for civil servants to have courage. Performance evaluations, promotions, awards, and punishments can lead to a lot of pressure, but civil servants should still have the courage to fulfill their responsibility to serve the people. When I just entered the public sector, I noticed that my usual response to people’s complaint via the phone was "Sorry, there's nothing I can do because the laws say so.” In the end, I could not provide any substantial assistance to them. As mentioned above, then, how can a civil servant change the law at the grassroots level? I think this is not a question that can be solved with a "specific" suggestion or answer. Most civil servants, conditioned by the hierarchical power relationships inherent in bureaucracy, end up having a similar fatalistic outlook: "There's nothing I can do if the law does not change. I'm just a civil servant who has to follow the law, or I will be the one that breaks the law.” German socialist Max Weber noticed this depressing situation in Germany. He called for countering the bureaucratic system and asked civil servants to preserve a little bit of humanity out of the comprehensive dominance of bureaucracy. Civil servants not only face the "law" but—more importantly—the "people." It has become a lifelong topic for civil servants to seek an alternative solution between following the law and meeting people's need when they put forward reasonable but illegal demands in order to pursue happiness. A Story That Fulfilled a Man's Wish
Politics involves a multitude of things, among them, “serving the people” includes almost everything concerning their everyday lives. This category is seen as an invisible bridge that brings the government closer to its people. One of the best ways to achieve the goal is to lead them to trust the government. Working in the Land Development Office of the Land Administration Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, I encountered a difficult task when dealing with the business of moving the public cemetery. Being honest and sincere, I carefully handled this case and successfully fulfilled the wish of a family of three generations. In 2012, I was dispatched to the Land Development Office of the Land Administration Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government. I was dealing with land ownership rights issues (superficies) in the redevelopment zone with my colleague one afternoon as usual. I had been so excited about working here. However, being there less than a year, I was feeling depressed and began thinking about my future because the work content was way different from what I had imagined. Then one day I unexpectedly received a phone call from our chief secretary. As I walked into the secretary’s office, I felt very nervous and uneasy. But as soon as I saw the person I had served, I knew exactly why I had been called in. Several months prior, this hopeless man came to the secretary office and begged us to look for his ancestor's cinerary urn. I was assisting my colleague levying and moving the columbarium located at the east side of the naval college in Nanzi District. Because my colleague happened to have the day off, the impetus of having to attentively listen to this distressed man’s appeal fell on me. He said, “My ancestor's urn has been lost for decades since it was moved to Houjin Columbarium. I have visited all the relevant agencies but still cannot find it. Before she passed away, my mother specifically urged me that I must find it and settle this matter. To fulfill her last wish, I have come to you for help. “I totally understood his anxiety and eagerness to fulfill his mother's wish and retrieve the remains of his ancestor, not to mention that “reverence for the ancestors” signified the ethics of carrying on the familial legacy in Chinese culture and the essential principle of continuing the family line. Upon seeing tears begin to well up in his eyes, I felt a wave of sympathy for him. After inquiring the relevant information of his ancestor, one by one, the chief secretary and I checked the names on the resettlement list with him. However, we were unable to find the urn. Then we searched for the name he gave us using the electronic files, but still the result was fruitless. We then decided to run a search for his special surname to see if there would be a match. We managed to locate one that almost completely fit into his description. However, we couldn't be very sure about the result because acknowledging and worshipping the ancestor should not be taken lightly. Any mistake can be a laughing stock to others. In the old days, information left at the Funeral Management Office was hand‐written, and it was easy to make a slip in writing. When the information was handed over to our office, we made repeat confirmations of hand‐written data before creating the electronic files. The written documents dated back to the remote past. If the people who came for worship didn't leave any contact information, it would be impossible to contact them. Therefore, it was likely that some mistakes were made. However, I speculated that the unidentified urn we located might in fact be his ancestor. Since 2009, the resettlement business had began moving those unidentified urns to Niaosong District, including the one we targeted, which was moved there in the end of 2010. I wanted to give it a try and reported the result to my secretary chief. Then I handed over the address of the columbarium and the contact information of its keeper to him and promised that if he needed help for further clarification, he could ask the keeper to contact me anytime. I would do my best to help. Buried in work ever since, I had long forgotten this event. I did not expect that when I saw him three months later, he was sitting there telling us how he had retrieved his ancestor’s urn. “When I got the information, I rushed to the columbarium. Explaining my intention to the keeper, he helped find the suspected urn. Although it was inscribed with the right name, to be sure, I recalled my mother used to tell me there was a scarlet scarf placed inside the urn after my grandmother passed away. I saw it inside the urn, and that meant I had found her.” In tears, he said he had finally completed his duty. He then stretched out his hands to hold mine, expressing his sincere gratitude. I shared his deep joy upon seeing his grateful eyes and feeling his warm hands. It was beyond words to describe his crying tears of joy. I suddenly realized that perhaps that was the mission I was set to fulfill in my position. After various causes, he came to me, a rookie, in that particular time. Taking this business coincidentally, I managed to help him fulfill his wish. Then I asked myself, “Wasn't my original reason for becoming a civil servant to do my best to serve the people?” “Practicing goodness in the public sector, you should be discreet about yours morals and careful about your behaviors. The size of your future depends on the size of your act.” This is the saying my father always reminds me. As long as you take your position seriously and serve the people thoughtfully, you are practicing goodness and accumulating your merits. If the person in charge could have been more careful and patient, the man who came to me might have long fulfilled his wish. It may just be one story among the countless incidents I have encountered in the course of my career in public service, but to me it is very meaningful and inspiring. As the saying goes, “Serving the people does not require a particular way. The only thing to make it right is to be honest and sincere while being patient and mindful of the complexities and details. By doing this, you can see your task through to a successful conclusion.” The More You Do, the More Likely You Make Mistakes: Breaking the
Stereotypical Thinking of Civil Servants
Filled with ambitions and aspirations when stepping into the public sector, I was so disappointed to find that my job was completely different from what I had imagined. Civil servants must follow the law and the rules. They are often conservative, and it is not easy to push forward new policies. In the public sector, people keep in mind a well‐known but unsaid secret: “The more you do, the more likely you make mistakes. The less you do, the less likely you make mistakes. In other words, if you do nothing, you don’t make any mistakes.” A good policy relies on a right measure to promote its merits, and such a measure will double the effect and halve the effort. For example, our department delivered a creative proposal called “Feel the Benefit of the Preferential Tax Rate on the Land Value Tax.” Since many people didn't know they should apply for the preferential tax rate of the owner‐occupied housing for their land value tax, we decided to promote this policy throughout the whole county with the minimum amount of budget. By using the connection between property and land, we placed more than 330,000 promotional materials inside the envelopes for the property tax bill in May, including the application forms. We broke with the conventional one‐way policy promotion that only distributed brochures. With our creative design, people just filled out the form and mailed it back to us without having any supporting documents attached. We called it a two‐way communication. In addition, to better highlight our materials, we used pink for the paper. However, many people associated pink bills with tickets, so they were clueless and nervous upon receiving the “pink” sheets. Our colleagues were therefore overwhelmed by the increasing phone calls. An avalanche of return mails flushed into the office, which largely increased the amount of our official documents. For the convenience of the people, we told them proof documents were not needed. The verifiers, then, had to access the information themselves. What’s more, many people came to the office in person, which doubled the loading of our counter staff. This crazy situation continued for three to four months. Our colleagues began to complain about the increasing workload: Why do we have to promote the policy besides completing our own duties. It is their own business if they don't value their rights! Our design increased the loading of verification, and people of the other departments also blamed us for asking for trouble and increasing everyone's workload. Our executive also criticized us for not checking thoroughly the people who had already applied for the service. I was extremely frustrated. In the meanwhile, I came to deeply understand what “doing nothing and making no mistakes” meant. Civil servants should have just done their own parts. Doing too much might cause trouble to others. This notion is completely different from the encouragement of creativity and innovation in private enterprises. I then learned that creativity and innovation promoted in the public sector were just pseudo‐slogans. Grassroots civil servants are all whispering, “Innovation is never about increasing your workload. The cleverest way is to keep others busy.” Fortunately, our superior supported us wholeheartedly and taught us to take steps to solve those unexpected problems. We provided simulation questions for the undertakers which taught them how to respond properly to the people and enhance our calling service. We also dispatched people to support the counter to accelerate the service speed. In the end, we successfully resolved the crisis. To understand how people felt about this innovative service and the degree of satisfaction for future reference, we conducted a survey for the 3,869 people who used it. Most of them recognized our efforts, and the overall satisfaction rate reached up to 94.8%. They gave us many suggestions, and there were people who even wrote thank‐you letters to our colleagues, saying that few civil servants nowadays were willing to do the things “beyond the scope of their duties.” This is a successful policy marketing, which shattered people's stereotypical thinking of civil servants that they tend to do less in order to make fewer mistakes. It also dispelled the image that tax agencies only know how to levy taxes. People did feel this thoughtful service. We took the initiative, provided multiple promotional materials and simplified the formalities, and people were satisfied as well. However, there was room for improvements, and we humbly accepted criticism. In 2013 we participated in the Selection of Innovative Achievements held by the county government and was awarded “Excellence in Innovation.” As a famous advertising slogan once said: “Nothing happens if you do nothing—but if you do something, it can make all the difference in the world.” We encountered obstructions and setbacks. Perhaps the result was not as good as what we had expected. However, we at least gave it a try and did our best. We are worthy of our positions. Looking into our hearts, we feel no shame. Amid the wave of criticisms over the civil servants, we don't have to take the blame. The Power that Changed Meinong: A Role Model Who Showed Initiative as a
Civil Servant
Meinong Township Office took out a loan of NT$60,000,000 from the Land Bank of Taiwan to build a new administration building. However, the bids for the old buildings and land failed many times, so the district office accumulated a debt of NT$130,000,000. Since 2000, the staff working in the district office were often unable to receive their paycheck on regular basis. By the end of 2002, the deficit swelled to NT$182,000,000. During that year, from June to December, the office staff were not paid their salaries, which went on to become a national scandal in Taiwan. At this point, Kaohsiung County Government Secretary Qiu stepped in. He was appointed as the acting town mayor in August 2003. At that time, the district office was NT$130,000,000 in debt, owing the Land Bank NT$78,000,000 (principal plus interest). Another reason that caused the district office’s poor financial health was the interest of NT$460,000 per month. To reduce the interest expense, the acting township mayor and the Financial Section chief went to the Meinong Branch of the Land Bank to discuss the possibility of lowering the interest. They wished to lower the interest on the principal of NT$60,000,000 from 8% to 3% and pay the debt with the NT$287,500 saved from the lowered interest. The Land Bank refused, because the township office had not paid the principal or the interest for years. After Qiu tried to return some amount of the interest, the bank finally allowed the rate to be lowered to 2%. They agreed to pay the difference in interest of NT$5,000,000 to the Land Bank. The manager of the Land Bank head office in Taipei initially agreed but was also worried whether the next town mayor would fail to execute the agreement. Therefore, they added a special clause: “If the next town mayor fails to execute the agreement, the interest rate shall return to the original rate.” The next elected town mayor paid back the money with this method. Not only did the town office pay off all of the debt, but it also saved NT$180,000,000 by increasing its revenue and reducing expenditures. This successful result has since become a role model for all indebted townships in Taiwan. Being the acting town mayor, Qiu accepted people's opinions, planning flower farming instead of allowing land to go unused. He also asked advice from journalists about whether they should choose canola flowers or cosmoses. Since cabbage worms can eat up the sprouts of canola flowers, and pesticide is not eco‐friendly nor economical, they decided to grow cosmoses. Then, Meinong became the town that spent the least but earned the most in “Painting the Land,” a promotional activity held by the Kaohsiung County Government. Visitors flocked to Meinong and brought enormous business opportunities. The other townships competed to copy the idea, and flower farming has become the most popular economic activity in winter. When Kaohsiung County was merged with Kaohsiung City in 2010, to prevent local factions fighting for the position of the district office director, the City Government again pointed Qiu, the advisory officer, as the acting director of Meinong District. Meinong was the earliest township to carry out farmland rezoning. At that time, Qiu was responsible for managing the rezoning business under the direction of Huang, the Land Administration Section chief of the county government. Each piece of square land directly faced the road, which was why the land in Meinong was two to three times more valuable than the neighboring towns. The rezoning funding was again available from the Centre during Qiu's term as the acting director. He was well aware of the benefits after land rezoning, so he fought for the farmland rezoning case in Ji’an. However, members of the rezoning committee debated for more than two hours at the director's office. They were unable to reach agreement. The journalists there shared what they had seen and heard in the neighboring townships, which prospered in agriculture due to the farmland rezoning in Meinong. The land price also surged. “If Meinong does not want the funding, why can’t you spare it for the other townships?” This question stopped the committee members from arguing with each other. In 2010 the farmland rezoning in Ji’an was announced and implemented. West of Meinong's Zhongzheng Rd. Sec. 3, this farmland was bounded by the three side roads of Shizitou Canal. The total area of rezoning in Jixiang, Ji’an and Jidong was 109 hectares. After rezoning, every complete block of farmland faced a waterway and an agricultural access road. This case solved the problem of property rights disputes and complicated ownerships. In October 2012, the rezoning construction was completed. In March 2013, the district office made an announcement for land allocation and the landlords all obtained their shares. Two days before Qiu retired from his position, he saw a petition about returning the funding of the Meinong Flat Rice Noodles Old Street Revival to the superior government. He asked the undertaker for further detail and learned that the three planning companies were in such disputes that they kept holding off the plan, and the deadline had passed. . Qiu thought it was such a pity to return the funding of NT$15,000,000, so he immediately invited the three companies for negotiation, hoping they could continue undertaking the construction. Finally, he reached an agreement and kept the funding. This plan is now under construction. Doubts and various opinions had emerged during the early stage the Zhongshan Old Street Revival Project in Qishan. After a decade, however, thanks to the supports of the promotion association and media reports, it is now flourishing with crowds of visitors on the weekends. The blooming business opportunities are everywhere to be seen. As a result, it is also possible to expect the prosperity of the Meinong Flat Rice Noodles Old Street Revival, and of course, Qiu's contribution cannot go unnoticed. From the acting township mayor to the acting district director, Qiu always obeyed the law and handled business seriously. However, he was a kind senior when dealing with colleagues. Instead of being domineering and arrogant as a senior government official, he always wore a friendly smile on his face. Having stepping in and out of Meinong twice, Qiu finally accomplished his missions and ended his career in the public sector that he had devoted for 36 years. On behalf of all the colleagues, chief secretary and the division heads presented him a plaque gilded with gold leaf inscribed with the words “Meritorious Service to Meinong” in gratitude for his sacrifices and contributions to Meinong. He is the perfect role model for every member of the Meinong District Office. Building a Generous and Open-minded Attitude for Modern Civil Servants to
Courageously Bear Responsibility
Diplomatic personnel stationed abroad have one special task: to provide emergency relief to our citizens traveling abroad. I was stationed in Guam and Chicago, where I handled countless cases involving shipwrecks, smuggling, murders, missing persons, and car accidents. Facing various emergency cases, I always followed my principles: Clearly explain my authority and resources to the person(s) involved. And I always kept my promises. However, situations sometimes became very complicated, and the person was isolated and helpless, and I could barely make any promises. In such situations, I still had a bottom line. Whether I could be of help or not, I always made it clear that I was willing to bear the burden of the case. This "super empathy" that allowed me to stand side by side with my people enabled me to win their trust time and again and certainly helped me solve their problems. During the long Labor Day weekend in the U.S. in September 2010, I received a phone call. I was informed that a Taiwanese college student, Zhou (anonym), who went to Cincinnati, Ohio for a working holiday, bought stolen property from an amusement park and was handed over to the police. I immediately contacted local overseas representatives and a Chinese pastor and asked them to visit the boy for me. I learned that the first court trial would be held on Monday. The prosecutor might indict him for a misdemeanor. He might have been fined thousands of U.S. dollars and ordered to perform community service. Zhou said to me, "Uncle, I'm afraid I might miss the first day of school on September 25 in Taiwan if I go to jail in the U.S. What shall I do?” With a preliminary understanding of this case, on behalf of my office, I mailed a letter to the court to express our concern. I also reached consensus with the pastor that we should hire a lawyer to speed up the case. After the first hearing, Zhou's father called me from Taiwan. I could fully understand his worries for his son, and I was also aware how difficult it might be for such an inexperienced kid to be put in jail. It must have been an unbearable heaviness for him. "Where's your birthplace, Mr. Zhou?" "I'm a teacher in Taipei, but my hometown is Xihu, Changhua." "Oh, I've been there before. The mutton hot pot stew there is famous. I come from Changhua as well. We are from the same city. I have two sons. They are about the same age as your boy. Young people having an accident abroad without parents around must be difficult for both the parents and the child. I can totally understand how you must feel." "What do you think about the result? Will my boy be able to make it back for school in time?" "I can't tell you whether he can make it or not, but I have handled a similar case before. I know that the U.S. court is friendly to foreign students. They won't give him a hard time. I speculated that the court would take the case seriously but close it lightly. However, we must respect the law there and go through the proceedings. Besides, the pastor and I both think it's better to hire a lawyer." "I totally agree with your opinion and decision." "I will do my best to bring your son home." However, after the first trial, the court did not announce the date for the second one. A week had passed, and Zhou became anxious and called me. I said, "I'm afraid that right now no one should interfere with the judicial procedure. It will be inappropriate for the pastor and me to make the phone call. However, it is your case, and you should have the right to know the process. Why don't you make the call to the court yourself? The pastor may sit beside you to offer help.” Zhou did what I said. On Monday, he told me excitedly that the court notified him the second trial would be held on 11 o’clock in the morning on Tuesday. On that day, Zhou appeared in court on time with the pastor and his lawyer. He was sentenced a legal cost for US$750 and released immediately without any criminal record. This was such good news! In the end of September, Zhou called me and said he and his father had left Taoyuan Airport and were on their way home. I congratulated Mr. Zhou for his son's return from adversity. Mr. Zhou insisted on having the phone number of my home in Changhua, saying that he must find time to express his gratitude in person. On the first day of the Chinese New Year in 2011, Mr. Zhou returned to his home in Xihu to celebrate the New Year. He took his wife and two sons to visit me. At our yard, we drank tea and talked about the past, and then we embraced a new beginning together. People nowadays demand more and more from government agencies. However, many government officials complain that "people have more and more requests" and "it is hard to be a civil servant.” Some civil servants just want to do their part and passively follow the law. Some, moreover, are afraid of making mistakes. These kinds of civil servants can neither adapt to exterior changes nor positively respond to people's "tough love." In the end, they tend to procrastinate or make excuses such as “we are understaffed,” "our budget is limited," "this does not conform to the law," or "a superior must be consulted for further instructions." People, of course, criticize civil servants' ineptitude and blame them for not being thoughtful and causing inconvenience. I was appointed as the deputy head of the Central Taiwan Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in April 2013. Again, I exert my "super empathy," knowing that the people expect more from the public sector. I am also willing to show initiative as a public servant by shouldering the government’s mission to provide quality services to the public. Civil servants should be able to examine the past, plan for the future, and face problems. When serving the people, they must not look for excuses or impose restrictions on themselves. They must keep up with the times and have the courage to change. They vow to show initiative as civil servants and bear relevant responsibilities, and in doing so make an active spirit a part of the organizational culture that illuminates the way to the future like a glowing torch. Shouldering Responsibility
Before I went to elementary school, my father was always very busy. He seldom had time to sit down and finish a meal. Mother said to me, “Daddy has a great job. That's why he's always so busy!” I adored my father and admired his job when I was young. I wanted to do the same job when I grew up. However, I wasn't exactly sure what kind of job he was doing. While studying in elementary school, our teacher asked us to write down our parents' occupations and introduce our family. It was only then that I learned that my father was a civil servant. Like our teachers at school, they were both civil servants. They worked for the government and their salary was paid for by taxes collected from the public. However, the salary was meager. It was barely enough to meet our everyday needs, so Mother still needed to do part time work to support the family. While I was in junior high, I went out early and returned home late. I spent time studying in a cram school, and I often did not return home until nearly midnight. I ate snacks at night warmed by Mother while looking over my endless assignments and thinking about my countless exams. Father often showed up at that time, however. Our family of three sat at the dinner table, but Mother was always the one doing the talking. Father often kept silent. He was not very talkative. When I entered senior high school, I spent most time commuting rather than being with my family. Before I went to school in the morning, Father often put some coins on my desk as my pocket money. I always carefully put them into my piggybank. I knew civil servants were not paid well, so I should save money instead of spending it all. When I began studying in college, one day before school started, Father took a day off from work and rode with me on a bus up north. We had a hard time carrying the heavy luggage to the dorm. Before leaving, Father helped me take care of everything. He then put some money into my pocket and said, “It's not easy to live on your own. Don't scrimp on necessary expenses.” Father walked unsteadily out of the dorm. As I watched him go, I began to miss home and feel strong waves of nostalgia. After graduating from college and serving in the army, I waited for job interviews at home. I was free, but I didn't know what to do. Father said, “You can be a temporary employee at the township office. You can work while you look for a better job.” I didn't refuse, thinking that I could also make extra money. The next day, I went to the township office with my father and saw him put on his work clothes. Then I realized my father was a member of the cleaning squad. Father had been a poor kid since he was young, so he never received higher education. However, he took his job seriously and worked very hard. He could have applied for the cleaning squad close to our home, but he didn't want my neighbors and classmates to know that his job was to drive around in a truck to collect garbage. He purposefully transferred to a remote township where no one knew him. This was why father always left early and returned home late — because he worked so far away from home. Watching Father skillfully put on his work clothes, On the outside, I appeared indifferent. However, inside I felt emotionally overwhelmed. Working from a young boy to almost sixty, He never grew tired of his job; He never complained about the work; He paid little attention to salary raises, and He never cared about the social status of his occupation. Under his inconspicuous appearance, Father has selflessly devoted his life to his hometown. He never demanded a promotion, wealth, or to become illustrious and influential. I quietly put on the work clothes Father handed to me, enduring the strong smell of sweat on them, and began working with him. I have joined the ranks of those people who work in the government to serve the public — a line of work my father always held in the highest regard. No Matter What Happens, Passion Remains Forever!
Mother Teresa — a woman who dedicated herself to the poor and sick in India and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978 — once said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” On the way to achieve something great, we don’t always face a smooth road ahead. There must be a bumpy path overgrown with brambles. Sometimes, we may even encounter a steep cliff and have no choice but to stop halfway in front of the obstacle. However, that does not mean the light of life is extinguished. Mother Teresa’s words of encouragement showed us that when we do small things with our passion for mankind and devote our selfless love to the world, the great love that achieves great things will not be worn down by reality. It will continue to live on and spread warmth to every corner of the world! I was so lucky to have the opportunity to take part in a research project at a public nursing institute located on the Chianan Plain, which is a beautiful land filled with the sweet scent of rice fields. It was there that I met a group of young civil servants who embodied the spirit of great love! The government set up this institute to promote the welfare of people with disabilities. Under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, it is used to shelter and educate intellectually disabled people. When it was first established, due to the more conservative social atmosphere at the time, the caregivers focused on taking care of people inside the institute. When the concept of community service was introduced to Taiwan, a group of civil servants, social workers, and caretakers who mocked themselves for being stuck in the institute for six years because of the Special Examination began to think about whether it was appropriate to provide such closed and conservative services to disabled people. With various educational backgrounds — including special education, social work, and public health — they arrived at the nursing institute as a result of the admissions placement. Although it was not their dream job, they shared the same ideals and had the same passion for “wanting to achieve good in the world.” After communicating with the administration of the institute and discussing various possible approaches, they began to change the old ways and even took disabled residents out for walks beyond the confines of the institution walls in order to better assimilate with the community! To avoid a big impact when dismantling these “traditional barriers” and to encourage people from the community to better understand and accept the disabled, the caretakers began by leading disabled residents to carry out basic community services, such as cleaning the streets. In the beginning, people responded differently to this activity. Some welcomed them while others worried that they might cause damage; still others showed their disgust outright. One caretaker recalled hearing a man holding a hoe in a rice field saying a cruel phrase: “It is a shame to waste good rice on these ‘dimwits’!” Upon hearing this sentiment, the caretaker wanted so much to defend them. “They live happily here! They don’t ‘waste rice’!” he thought. However, recognizing that the community service program was only in its initial stages, and knowing that it was important to maintain a good image to earn the support of local people, the caretaker forced himself to swallow his pride and desire to refute the farmer’s biased statement. He could only hope that local people would continue to become more accepting. After more people became willing to accept the disabled residents into the community, the administration of the institute began considering the possibility of allowing those who were better able to care for themselves to reintegrate into society. However, the administration had a hard time finding places that were willing to allow disabled residents to live there. When local landlords heard that the people who would use their houses were intellectually disabled, they all shook their heads and flat out refused. Moreover, neighbors also protested the plan. “Housing here is fairly inexpensive. Why don’t we just buy a house for them!” A member of the training and caretakers joked, “We were so desperate — hopeless even — that we were willing to donate our own money!” Even though it is nearly impossible to make such a change, in the course of taking the disabled residents to the community, these caretakers saw the cheerful looks on the highly functional disabled residents and their need for a “normal” social life. They also recognized the importance of community service. Therefore, they still maintained a regular schedule every day: morning exercise, breakfast, job training, and self‐care training in groups based on their abilities. Day by day, they repeated the same procedure to train residents to live independently. On one hand, they hoped one day that the people in the community would be able to accept these residents. On the other hand, they were increasing the possibility that these residents would be able to live in the community. As for the social workers, they continued to search for more opportunities and miracles in the process of communicating with the people in the community. I deeply felt the true meaning of “service” and “passion for life” with these civil servants. They expended great love into each of their daily routines and sincerely completed every detail even though they were fully aware of the huge hurdles to achieving to their goal. Returning to my post, I realized how difficult it is to “do small things with great love.” We must all admire and learn from Mother Teresa. From the bottom of my heart, I am fully convinced that we also have a lot to learn from these civil servants. Understanding and Fulfilling Your Duty: How Civil Servants Show Initiative in
Public Service
Tao Xing‐zhi, a well‐known Chinese educator, once said, “Know your duty, understand your duty, and fulfill your duty.” This wise saying accurately illustrates the duty of civil servants. Civil servants should show initiative to fulfill their responsibilities. It is very important for them to realize this and agree with these phrases. Only by knowing their own duty and understanding how to fulfill it can they take full responsibility for themselves. It cannot be denied that some civil servants are still ignorant of their responsibilities, unknowingly dodging them and being indifferent to them. It is not hard to change, yet it is hard for one to be aware of the need to “change.” To reverse the adversity, “change” is a necessary step, which is something that involves everyone in the public sector. As for people’s impression of civil servants, “indifferent,” “hurried,” and “relaxed” are the descriptions mostly heard. However, many civil servants disagree with these negative terms, thinking they are mislabeled and misunderstood. Some believe they just steal a moment of leisure under the pressure of heavy workload. There can be joys and sorrows in the vicissitudes of life. When unexpected things happen, it is normal to feel a bit impatient and distraught. But the truth is that they all ignore one important fact: habits are developed through repetition and reinforcement. Over a period of time, they gradually become indifferent to their services and have long forgotten their passion and ambition when first entering the public sector. Treated by such an attitude, people turn from being thoughtful to patient, and eventually they just don't want to be tolerant. Perhaps someday those civil servants may find that “change” had been so close to them. Because no one came forward to remind them, they just missed those precious years. It is also unfair to deny the contribution of all civil servants. In addition to those undesirable civil servants, there are some who are thoughtful and considerate. I have encountered many kind‐hearted civil servants, and I was very grateful to their working spirit. I remember it was the last day to make a tax declaration. I checked the time and headed for the Taxation Bureau. However, one can never be fully prepared for the unexpected. I was stuck in heavy traffic. When I arrived, I just saw an empty hall. Being so anxious, I looked around to see if there was still a chance. Then I saw one man filing his tax return, so I ran over and stood behind him, and there were three more standing behind me. To my surprise, when the one in front of me completing his tax return, the lady who handled the work just gave us a despising look, quickly turning off the computer and left the desk. Even though I tried to call her, she still ignored me and took up her purse. She just left. The rest of us looked at each other, wondering if we were invisible to her. Feeling exhausted and thirsty, I could sense myself almost flaring up. “Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times! I've finally witnessed the true attitude of civil servants!” One of them said angrily. Meanwhile, everyone else shook their heads in dismay. At that moment, I heard a melodious voice ask me, “Excuse me, Miss, are you filing tax return?” “Yes!” I looked at her gratefully. This nice lady then replied, “I'm sorry, but you have to wait for a moment. The computer has been turned off. I can only serve you when it is on.” Then, she said peacefully, “Please don't be mad. She might just been troubled by family affairs and leave in such a hurry. Usually, we are very happy to serve.” It turned out that she had witnessed the whole scene. In addition to helping me file my tax return, she also checked to ensure that all of the numbers were correct. Being polite and friendly, she always had a smile on her face. She even tried to put in a good word for her colleague. I was calmed by her smile and felt warm and moved by her attitude. Instead of being impatient, she maintained her friendly attitude to the other three people. One said to her, “You are so kind and enthusiastic. It would be nice if every civil servant were like you!” She just smiled again and replied, “I like this job, so I changed my attitude and told myself to be happy and fulfilled everyday.” The Taxation Bureau was no longer a cold public agency but a warm and delightful place. The Power to Change: Showing Initiative as a Public Servant, the topic of this essay contest, might take fourteen minutes for some to understand its meaning. Some might spend fourteen months, while still others may continue in their own way without making any changes after fourteen more years. According to a psychology study conducted in the United States, an unfamiliar action must be repeated 21 days before it becomes a new habit. Change is not difficult; what is difficult is to recognize when change is necessary. Knowledge is power, and change is the energy. When understanding the meaning of showing initiative as a public servant, “change” is poised to take off. Such a power to change leads civil servants to love their job, show initiative and commitment, take delight in offering support, and create a better tomorrow. Accountability: The Motivation for Improving Service Quality
Several years ago, a four‐year‐old girl suffered from a severe brain injury and was rushed to the emergency room. However, the doctors there transferred her to another hospital because there were not enough beds. The emergency operation dealt with this case passively, and in doing so sent this dying little girl to a hospital over two hundred kilometers away. In such a big city, this poor girl had no place to go. During that critical moment, civil servants shirked their obligations. She died as a result of their apathy. Recently, an eight‐year‐old girl was suspected of dying from hunger. She should have been enjoying life at school at that age. However, the failed notification system between the school and the household administration agency led to this tragedy. Such bloodless killings by bureaucracy have become commonplace nowadays. Many people have the impression that civil servants tend to put off taking action, do the bare minimum to get by, and slack off on the job. Some civil servants even think they have done their part, and believe that whatever happens afterward has nothing to do with them. It is common to see this sort of attitude in administrative agencies these days.
Phrases like "Well, I've done my part!" or "I didn't reach my goal, but I tried!" have long existed in the public sector. However, there is a huge distance between something being "done" and being "done well." Responses like the ones just noted above illustrate how someone can fulfill their responsibility while failing to complete the real goal. In the private sector, employees are asked not only to take on "responsibility," which is already out of date, but also "accountability." After being gradually introduced from the private sector into the public sector, this new kind of thinking and the trend to change caused civil servants to change themselves and create better quality services. What is accountability? In short, accountability means seeing the task as your unequivocal responsibility. Once you take the case, you do your best to fulfill it. Instead of just doing it, you are accountable for the result. For instance, you need to mail an important official document to your client, and you use prompt delivery. This is being responsible. However, being responsible simply means your dedication to your task, which is just a process. If you can continue to follow whether your client receives the mail in time or understands the content, you are being accountable. Accountability values the result. The motto of U.S. president Harry S. Truman was "The Buck Stops Here." This meant that any responsibilities that Truman came across would be dealt with appropriately and would not be shirked. His staff might shift the blame onto others, but he took the ultimate responsibility for the result of his policies. "Vision," "mission," and "value" compose an organization's culture. An “accountable” culture means seeing "accountability" as part of the organizational culture. In other words, accountability becomes a core value of the organization. Being accountable, members of the team do not dodge, fear, or yield. They complete their tasks and present a satisfying result. In the public sector, civil servants who have direct contact with the public should pay extra attention to providing customer‐oriented services because their jobs are directly related to people's rights. In addition to fulfilling their duties, civil servants should also be aware that they are accountable for the results. When serving people, they can try to put themselves in the shoes of the people they are helping by asking themselves, "What else can I do for this person? What else can I do for my agency? For society? For my country?" Civil servants should change their passive attitude into one based on being active and accountable to provide better, more thoughtful services. The agencies of the public sector are composed of a variety of members. Since people's reactions to uncertainties and unexpected impacts can be varied, some who cannot adapt to the situation may become pessimistic. They may even develop passive thinking and negative emotions, such as criticizing, being indifferent, passive, dodging responsibility, shifting the blame or avoiding problems. These negative energies may cause unintended consequences to the organization. "Accountability," however, brings positive energy and active thinking to the organization, such as being responsible, active, optimistic, and results‐oriented. Civil servants may be small “cogs” in a big agency or organization. However, if each person does their assigned function properly, the agency functions well. If every member of the public sector, regardless of their level of authority, can adhere to the concept of "accountability," change their attitude, fully exert themselves, and become accountable and active, they can deliver better services to the people. And that, without a doubt, is a blessing to the nation! The Greatest Power to Change the World Is Service
This is a true story that happened in early spring of 2013. Taitung is a beautiful area and a great place to live. The people here are honest and kind. The Environmental Protection Bureau of Taitung County is located at the First County Stadium. Here, a group of people works hard to maintain a green and beautiful environment. Surviving only on a minimum wage, they are temporary workers who tirelessly clean the streets everyday. One holiday in the early spring of 2013, a temporary worker named Yang A‐xuan drowned during a fishing trip. There were six people in A‐xuan's family, three of whom were disabled (his wife suffered from severe depression and his two sons were mentally disabled). The family had relied entirely on A‐xuan's wages and a subsidy for low‐income households. After the accident, they only had NT$41 in the bank. Their lives became extremely difficult. A‐jiao, who was a personnel official at the time, had only just recently been transferred to work at the Bureau. Upon hearing of A‐xuan’s case, she immediately went to the Taitung Household Registration Office, the Social Affairs Bureau, Taitung City Office (Associate Worker's Office), and the Taitung Branch, Bureau of Labor Insurance for Immediate Relief, Disaster Condolence Money and Labor Insurance (pension) with the goal of providing A‐xuan’s family with immediate support. To help A‐xuan's family arrange his funeral and to take care of the bereaved, A‐jiao launched a small fundraising campaign called “Sending Love to the Yangs” through the bureau and on Facebook which helped raise more than NT$200,000. Was it possible to provide long‐term support? A‐jiao went to search for relief organizations in the private sector. She began by applying to the Taitung After‐school Association and the school of A‐xuan's kids for emergency student relief. She also sought help from the Apple Daily Charitable Foundation, Taitung Taiwan Fund for Families and Children, Taitung Red Cross, and the Tzu Chi Foundation. She collected NT$840,000 via Apple Daily Foundation (reported by Apple Daily on March 11 2013), and the personnel official passed the money onto the Yangs on April 25, 2013. After raising more than one million, A‐jiao began to wonder where to put the funds. The bank savings of a low‐income household cannot exceed NT$75,000 and there was no safe place at A‐xuan's house to deposit this money. “Perhaps the funds should be placed into a safe deposit at the bank? That would be safe and inexpensive,” A‐jiao thought. However, all of the bank’s safe deposit boxes were fully occupied. A‐jiao was not discouraged, believing that doing good things always come to good people. Thanks to the support of a bank executive, they finally found a proper place to keep the funds. The children of A‐xuan managed to live by the low‐income subsidy and disability allowance. It was A‐jiao's hope that after they grew up two years later, they would be able to find suitable jobs and eventually become financially independent. Time flies, and A‐xuan has been gone for more than one year. However, A‐jiao continues to express her concern, calling regularly to check up on them. Care is everywhere. A‐xuan was just a temporary worker who cleaned the streets. In terms of her duty, A‐jiao, a member of the personnel official staff, was not responsible for taking care of his family. Nonetheless, being generous and selfless, A‐jiao considered his family to be her own. She demonstrated the true meaning of the humanitarian spirit and enthusiasm for service. “On the path covered in brambles, good grace is everywhere,” A‐jiao thought. “Thinking more shows your responsibility while doing more is an honor.” A‐xuan's family is not alone. Although A‐xuan and A‐jiao only met each other once, A‐jiao, always remaining committed to her sense of duty as a personnel official, stepped forward bravely without glancing back. In addition to hoping that the life of A‐xuan's family can return to normal, it is hoped that this essay also provides a model for civil servants in running emergency relief. Service is the greatest power for changing the world.