Two Catholic priests from Belgium received their Taiwan ID cards for their long-term contribution to Taiwan in an event held in their honor on Friday.

Olivier Lardinois and Corneille Hermans, both 58, received the ID card and National Health Insurance Card from Hsinchu County Commissioner Yang Wen-ke (???) at the event after their applications to naturalize as Republic of China (Taiwan) citizens were approved early this year on the basis of their special contribution to the country.

Yang thanked the two for devoting their youth to indigenous communities in Hsinchu County, where they take care of school children in the mountainous area, driving them to and from school for more than 30 years.

They are the fifth and sixth foreign nationals to obtain ROC citizenship in Hsinchu County for their contributions to society, the Hsinchu County government said in a statement issued on Friday.

Both have worked many years in Jianshih and Zhudong townships, where they helped poor families and disadvantaged students by hosting summer and winter camps for them so they could continue their studies, the statement said.

Lardinois, who came to Taiwan when he was 26 and now speaks Mandarin and Atayal fluently, said he leads a very happy life in Taiwan.

“Taiwanese indigenous peoples are so friendly and generous. I feel we are a family,” Lardinois said, adding that “receiving the ID card from the government means they recognize my work.”

For his part, Hermans said he never regretted coming to Taiwan. “I like it here and getting the ID card makes me even happier.”

Hermans, who came to Taiwan at the age of 30, said he was so emotional on receiving his Taiwanese ID card.

“It’s hard to describe how much I’m moved, I feel even closer to this land,” he said.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel