Unceasing Dream to Return “Home”

“I’m American， but I have a Chinese heart.” Those who were familiar with her remember clearly these words Mrs. Eunice Moe Brock uttered in less than perfect Chinese. This loving and tender “Chinese heart” ceased to beat on April 28， 2013. This fine lady who devoted the last years of her life to charity in China left forever this land she loved so dearly and the people who loved her.

The “China dream” of this old American woman inspires people. Her high moral character shown in her philanthropic deeds and her dedication to the cause of public health and public welfare becomes a spiritual monument towering over Liaocheng City.

Unbreakable China Ties

Eunice Moe Brock was born in central China’s Hebei Province on August 11， 1917. Later she moved to Liaocheng in Shandong Province with her missionary parents. It was here that she grew from an infant into a graceful maiden. In the more than a dozen years she spent in Liaocheng， the young Eunice experienced the diligence， kindness and wisdom of the Chinese people and witnessed their poverty and sufferings during the chaotic warlords period. Before going back to the United States with her parents， she had already cherished the wish to return some day.

After she returned to the United States， nothing in her tranquil life over long years could weaken her attachment to China. She became a nurse of a children’s hospital after graduation from university. Later， she was promoted to the post of director of the education department and then president of the hospital.

No matter how busy she was with her work and life， her memories of China were always remained fresh， keeping alive her strong longing to return to China.

There were many reasons why this desire remained unfulfilled； however， she always followed with interest what was happening in the country of her birth. Major events such as the founding of the People’s Republic of China， the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States， etc. lifted her spirits. In 1992， both Eunice and her husband retired. Freed from work， she reminded her husband Edwin of her wish to visit China. Seeing the eagerness in her eyes， he finally agreed. So after an absence of over 60 years， Eunice， together with her husband， returned to China — to find Liaocheng had undergone earthshaking changes from the place she had known.

She saw a thriving country that had shaken off war， starvation and poverty. This visit ignited her eagerness to settle down in China.

The passing of her husband in 1998 brought unspeakable loneliness to Eunice， and her yearning for the faraway land grew increasingly stronger. In 1999， amid much puzzlement from family and friends， she sold all her property， including 40 acres of forest， her villa， garden and car； traveling alone across the ocean， she arrived in China on November 15.

With the help of China Youth Development Foundation and the Liaocheng Municipal Government， she settled down in Liumiao Village of Yanggu County， Liaocheng， where economic conditions were relatively good and transport was convenient， and became an honorary villager.

After nearly 70 years， she had finally fulfilled her wish of coming back to China.

In Pursuit of Her Dream

“Ring， ring …”， the bell rang in the primary school of Liumiao Village. The children had just finished the first computer class of their lives. But they wouldn’t leave the computer lab， excitedly typing and seeing the words appear on the screen. They knew that they were gifts for the new school term from Grandma Eunice.

Eunice loved children. On learning that the village primary school had not been able to run a computer course due to lack of equipment and funds， she immediately donated US$30，000 for the purchase of computers and other electronic teaching equipment.

In the following few years， she donated a total of 20，000 RMB to help Liumiao Village kindergarten and other schools in the township buy toys， and teaching equipment for music， sports and fine art classes， while she herself led a frugal life.

She often said， “I don’t want to live a luxurious life. What I want is to contribute my bit to the Chinese people with my limited savings and remaining energy. Doing good will make life more meaningful.” When Wenchuan of Sichuan Province was hit by a catastrophic earthquake （in 2008）， she made generous donations.

When she learned that Liumiao Village would carry out greening work， she donated US$6，000 to buy trees， plants and flowers in 10 varieties and helped to plant them together with children； she subscribed newspapers and magazines for the Village and gave suggestions for its development.

Being the honorary president of Liaocheng International Peace Hospital， she organized free medical consultations and covered the cost of cataract surgery for five senior patients and the expenses for over 100 pairs of glasses fitted for the elderly.

Every weekend， she would go to Liaocheng International Peace Hospital to give lessons to the doctors and nurses and she also donated a new-type therapeutic apparatus and organized a training course to facilitate its usage...

According to local calculations， she had donated a total of more than 350，000 RMB in cash and kind in the past 14 years. She did not know how many good things she had done， how much money she had donated to the locality； yet， from the honorary titles conferred on her， such as Charity Ambassador of Shandong， Charity Ambassador of China， Ten People Who Moved Shandong in 2006， Ten People with Their True Stories That Move China， Ten News People in Shandong， etc.， we can understand the profound feelings she had for the Chinese people and their recognition and appreciation for her noble morality.

Lin Fenghai， Secretary of the CPC Committee of Liaocheng， said at the memorial meeting for Eunice： “When I was the Mayor of Liaocheng， she came to see me to talk about the problem of 27 laid-off workers. She hoped that we would help solve the problem. We were deeply moved. Later， a decision was made by the Mayor’s Office to confer upon her the title of Honorary Citizen of Liaocheng.”

Her Dream Fulfilled

July 24， 2009 was an unforgettable day for Eunice. On this day， the 92-year-old Eunice was granted the Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Card in China—the Chinese “Green Card”—by Shandong Province， becoming the first foreigner in the province to receive the card in the category of “special talents”.

In a meeting room in the Public Security Bureau of Liaocheng City， Eunice received the card with trembling hands， her face glowing with happiness.

She was very frank when talking about death. On February 16， 2005， she submitted the body donation application form to the Liaocheng Red Cross Society. She said： “To me， my body will be useless when I die. It’s maybe too old， but they can use my corneas to help restore other people’s sight. My body can also be made into cadaver specimens for scientific research. I will pay for the transportation of my body. I have written all this in my will.”

She stuck that little sign on her passport for fear it would be forgotten.

At 4：50 on April 28， 2013， Eunice died of multiple organ failure caused by coronary heart disease， completing her life of 96 years and engraving her love for China forever.

After the ceremony to pay last respects， and in accordance with her will， Eunice’s corneas were donated to the Shandong Red Cross Society for organ transplants； and her body was donated to Liming Medical College for teaching and research. In this way， this lovely American old lady passed on her love and at the same time fulfilled her “China dream”.

Eunice Moe Brock has passed away， but her kind deeds will always be remembered. We cherish profound memory of her is not only to commemorate her contributions to people-to-people exchanges and friendship between China and the United States， but also to carry forward her spirit of great love featuring selfless dedication and ceaseless pursuit of her dream， so that her story will touch and influence more people and encourage them to pursue their dreams in a life-long process of struggle for success in a down-to-earth way.