Without Exaggerated Words
Father Liu Yifeng’s 50 Years of Action Define Humanity and Intercultural Connection
Language: Beyond a Tool of Communication, It Is the Root of Respect and Trust
What He Offers Is Not Just Service, but a Familial Embrace
From Brittany to Yuli: Father Liu Yifeng’s Bond with Taiwan
Father Liu Yifeng, a missionary from Brittany, France, was born in 1941 in the quiet town of Saint-Baudelle, raised in a devout Catholic family. In his youth, he completed his studies in philosophy and theology in Paris, inspired by his uncle’s unfulfilled dream of missionary work in Asia. In 1966, with unwavering faith, he boarded a ship and journeyed across the seas to Keelung Port, Taiwan. He was only 25.
Upon arriving in Taiwan, language became his greatest challenge. For two years, he dedicated himself to learning Chinese in Hsinchu, and then continued to study Taiwanese, Amis, and Bunun languages. He not only spoke them fluently but used them to speak to hearts. He helped compile indigenous language dictionaries, promoted Mass in native tongues, and came to be known by the people as the “French Amis.” Hualien’s Yuli became his second home; Taiwan became his true home. He often said with a gentle smile, “Don’t call me a foreign priest anymore—I am Taiwanese.”
Guarding the Vulnerable: The Ander Center and Its Social Welfare Ecosystem
Since 1999, Father Liu has led the Ander Center, not merely providing shelter for those with disabilities but cultivating a complete and compassionate social welfare ecosystem. Under his care, a sheltered workshop, recycling station, secondhand bookstore, and community reading space took shape. He worked alongside the residents—dismantling recyclables by hand, making brooms and crafts, selling used books—offering dignity and livelihood through meaningful work. He insisted on manual recycling, both to protect the environment and to preserve precious employment opportunities. Thanks to his efforts, homeless wanderers have become a rare sight in Yuli, Hualien.
In 2019, he fulfilled a long-cherished wish by establishing the Ander Yifeng Home—a four-story building with long-term care beds and rehabilitation facilities, offering a true home for many with intellectual disabilities. This is not merely an institution; it is a sanctuary where those forgotten by society can stand tall again. Even when a fire destroyed the warehouse in 2020, Father Liu did not waver. Within just 36 hours, donations poured in from across Taiwan, a testament to the trust and influence he has woven into society.
A Lifetime of Devotion: The Love and Unfinished Dreams of the Father of Taiwan’s East
In Yuli, people affectionately call him “Father of the Hinterland.” Be they Indigenous, homeless, those struggling with addiction or mental illness, or ex-offenders—whenever someone is in need, he opens his door and embraces those left behind by society. To him, every person is a child of God, worthy of love and respect. He once brought a Breton folk dance troupe to Taiwan, hoping Yuli and his homeland could become sister cities and that cultural exchange might blossom.
He spoke little of ideals, yet his life is a living testament to humanity’s deepest compassion. Presidential Cultural Award, Jingxing Medal, Medical Dedication Award, Charity Award—such honors mean little to him. “I am only doing what I ought to do,” he says. Now over eighty, he still pursues his unfinished dreams: building dormitories for ex-offenders, creating a farm for the homeless, and hoping Yuli will become a place where new beginnings are possible.
In Taiwan, there is such a father who crossed the seas—gently guarding the East and protecting the smallest, most precious hopes of humanity.
