Raised by a single mother in Hartford, Fred Wright struggled with behavioral problems and was forced to move from one school to another. He even reached a point where he felt like he had nothing to live for.

“I was walking around with a lot on my shoulders，” he said.“I couldn't handle it. I didn't care about life anymore.” But all that started to change when Wright met Patricia Kelly.

“I was seven when I met Mrs Kelly.I wasn't used to strictness. I wasn't used to hearing the word ‘no’，”said Wright, now 17.

Kelly, a former soldier and an equestrian (骑手), took Wright under her wing and helped him find hope in an unlikely place — on a horse.

“Wright was like a round peg that everybody kept trying to squeeze into a square hole，” Kelly said.“He was hurting. He needed a place where he could express himself. The riding field became that place for him.”

For the last 30 years, Kelly has helped children stay on the right track through her non­profit, Ebony Horsewomen. The program offers horseback riding lessons and teaches animal science to more than 300 young   people a year. By exposing those children to horsemanship, Kelly aims to give them an alternative to the streets and an opportunity to turn their lives around.

“We use horses as a hook to create pride, esteem and healing，” said Kelly, 66.“They learn that they have ability. They just have to unlock it.”

“When you teach a child to ride a horse, they learn they are the center of their environment，” said Kelly.“Once they make that connection, they can change what happens in school, at home and in the community.”

“We’re stopping here? At this shabby old building?” Then I was told that the Sanhe Tile Kiln (三和瓦窑) was a national treasure. Seriously? My heart sank as we walked toward what appeared to be a mass of dirt. The place looked like no national treasure I’d ever seen. My disappointment soon melted into expectation as we walked into the Sanhe Tile Kiln. I soon realized that this wasn’t just any old building. This place, hidden in the heart of Kaohsiung, revolutionized the production of bricks in Taiwan. The piles I had mistaken for dirt were actually clay: a key ingredient in bricks.

Long ago, many buildings around Taiwan were made from bricks sourced from Fujian Province. But this all changed when hundreds of brick of kilns popped up all over the island. Of the 130-plus brick-making kilns that once operated in Kaohsiung, the Sanhe Tile Kiln is the last one standing. This traditional brick and tile factory has been in operation for over 100 years. Considered a national treasure, the factory is part of the cultural heritage of the island.

At the Sanhe Tile Kiln, making quality bricks is serious business. Good clay and water are essential, and fortunately, the Dashu District of Kaohsiung has exceptional clay and water. Workers dig clay out of the ground and put it through a machine to break it up. Water is then added, and the mixture is put into another machine to form clay blocks. When the blocks are the desired shape, they are set aside to dry. Then the bricks are stacked in the kiln. Next, workers start a fire with straw and slowly raise the kiln’s temperature until it reaches 1000 degrees Celsius. Throughout this process, the temperature must rise steadily or else the bricks will break.

Making bricks is a long process, taking three to four months. It requires a lot of hard work, patience and dedication. But in the end, it’s worth it. I left the Sanhe Tile Kiln with a greater appreciation for the art of brick making.

A year ago, my friend and I went to a nearby town to attend a wedding. After the reception, we were waiting for a public transport bus to go back home. It was nine o'clock at night, and although many buses passed, none stopped.

I was so touched by their kindness, and I expressed my thanks to them. When we reached my hometown, the family dropped us at the nearest point from where we could catch a shared taxi to get back to the spot where we had parked our bike. On the way, a laborer stopped the taxi. The driver saw his clothes and asked him whether he had money to pay the fare.

The laborer shook his head and said, “No.” On hearing this, the driver refused to take him. I remembered my own dilemma a few minutes earlier, and I told the driver to allow him to sit with us, as I would pay his fare. What an immediate opportunity to pass on the family’s act of kindness!

That night, I felt lightness in my heart, and I went to sleep happily and filled with joy about what I had gotten to do. How I wish this chain of kindness could continue all over the world with your help! That is why today I specially share my story with you again!