The puzzle piece snapped into place with a satisfying click. Ten-year-old Xiao Ming, who hadn’t made eye contact all morning, suddenly grabbed my wrist and placed my hand on the completed image. In that moment at Nanjing Sunshine Special Education Center, I realized communication could transcend language.
First Move: Teaching Go to a Child with A（P1）
Every week, our team creates structured learning stations:
• Puzzle Zone for cognitive development
• Picture Exchange for nonverbal communication
• Sensory Play to build social skills
The breakthroughs came quietly – a child who previously threw pieces carefully sorting by color, another using picture cards to request toys. During music time, I watched nonverbal students “sing” through swaying and hand-flapping, their joy as audible as any chorus.
These children didn’t need fixing; they needed witnesses to their unique ways of being. As I logged my 100th volunteer hour last month, I finally understood: true service isn’t about changing others, but changing how we see the world.
Pieces of Progress: Puzzle Time with Li （P2）