CYCLING ANGELS 單車天使
TAIWAN｜2016｜DOCUMENTARY｜82 min
DIRECTOR: Paul Chu
PRODUCER: Joy Lee
PRESENTED BY: Gazing Element
SYNOPSIS
Every summer, kids as young as eight of the Xi-Yi children’s shelter get on their bicycles at their own volition and embark on a 1200km tour to round Taiwan. Despite accusations of the intent to torment children amidst the general disapproval of associate institutions, the principal of the shelter, Mr. Wu chooses to lead the children on this journey, which also covers a mountainous climb to heights some 2600m above sea level, because he believes it’s what the children needs to rehabilitate them from their troubled past.
After five tours, they had gotten bored of rounding Taiwan and decided to ride some 3200km from Beijing to Xiamen in 2012. Again, attempts of discouragement from even people who has supported the Taiwanese tours could not dissuade principal Wu.
Whilst many adult volunteers of the tour admit to the mild positive effects they have observed on the children during this 14-day tour, some wonder if children at such a young age can recognize the delayed benefits of such an event. This is where we begin to realize the real motivations behind some of the young riders.
“I don’t like riding on these tours at all” expressed one of the kids. Upon answering then why did he choose to ride his third tour, he replied “Because the route takes us through Chiayi, my home town. Maybe I’ll get to see my mother on her way to the market.
While some of the real motivations behind the children are varying extensions of the confidence building that Mr. Wu has preached about, a unique few was simply using this tour as an opportunity to escape the shelter’s custody and ride back home. For whatever the reasons, what is common among the kids, is that this is a journey of great courage, perseverance to ultimately achieve a dream most of us take for granted - to find their way home.
炎熱的夏天，雲林信義育幼院院童們，最小的才八歲，將騎上一般功能的變速自行車，踏上環島之旅。14天的路程，不但環行台灣1200公里，還要登上海拔2600米的高山。
有保育界同業指出孩童環島的危險，並對於此活動不認同，加上多人指控此活動是虐待孩童，育幼院吳院長還是堅持要帶領院童們走上這艱難的旅程。就為了要幫助院童們走出他們黑暗的過去。
被社會局安置在育幼院的這些孩子，各別來自不同狀況的原生家庭。不過，他們都有著個共同的憂傷，那就是 —- 被家人拋棄。雖然單車環島承載身體受傷的風險，但是這路程所提供的生命教育，能使他們心中的創傷進入療癒的第一步。
即使在路途上，許多環島志工見識到了環島對孩子們的大量正向改變，然而從大人的角度，還是不容易了解到孩子們自願要走上這旅程的內在動機。
被問及為何那麼喜歡環島時，一位單車環島已是第三次的十歲院童答道:『我覺得環島一點都不好玩，不過我還是想要環島。因為會經過嘉義，可能可以看到媽媽。』
如院長所說的，有些孩子恢復了自信心。有人摔車受傷了，還是堅持要繼續騎，為了是可以證明給家人看他是有價值的。有剛入院的院童，自願上這旅程的目的，是為了可以在適當時刻脫隊騎回自己的家。縦然各種動機不同，但要去挑戰這艱苦的單車旅程，都是為了一個目標 —-回家。
回家，對大部份人而言，是輕易的。不過對育幼院院童們來說，就算只是一個多麼卑微的基夲的夢想，卻有如高山深海阻隔，困難重重。
儘管如此，他們就是持續堅持，堅持著 —回家。
