Wang Min─liang’s Sunshine Siaolin Bakery / 「日光小林」麵包 王民亮的勇氣故事
Wang Min-liang's Sunshine Siaolin Bakery
◎English written by Peng Hsin-yi ◎Photo by Pao Chung-hui
Mr. Wang Min-liang is one of Siaolin's few survivors of Typhoon Morakot. After the village was completely destroyed, people had to live in trailer homes provided by Shanlin District. Mr. Wang lost his parents and family home in the disaster. Although many decided to leave, Mr. Wang decided to return. The suddenness and cruelness of the disaster changed the way he thinks. He now believes he's not just living for himself or his immediate family but also for the well-being of his fellow villagers. With the desire to build on what was left of his village, he looked skyward and felt his parent's blessing.
Mr. Wang explains that after the disaster, villagers became known as Sunny Siaoliners. This came about after a group of Japanese relief workers brought a bundle of sunflowers with other donations. For the survivors this was a symbol of hope and encouragement. It gave them the strength to gain courage and embrace their future.
Mr. Wang's background is in food science and previously worked in a bakery. His former boss allowed him to use his recipes to open his own business. Mr. Wang stated a baking unite by training four of his fellow villagers. They named the business Sunshine Siaolin Bakery which produces thirteen different kinds of breads. At the Shanlin Farmer's Association, they sell approximately 120 to 150 pieces at 3 p.m. every day. Using the best ingredients, they produce the most aromatic, fresh and chewy bread. As word of mouth spread and his business bloomed, Sunshine Siaolin became a local favorite, usually selling out within minutes.
Mr. Wang credits his crew for the bakery's impressive performance. He noticed that the more
they became focused and felt they had goals, the more confident they became.
In July and August, the Sunshine Siaolin crew will receive training from Kaohsiung's most renowned bakeries Pasadena and Takao. These skills will assist Sunshine Siaolin as it continues to expand with future plans of establishing a permanent location and possibility a restaurant.
Sunshine Siaolin is a seed of hope that has come out of a land of sorrows. Mr. Wang believes growing and transforming tragedy into hope wouldn't have been possible without the love and support of the other villagers.
「日光小林」麵包
王民亮的勇氣故事
◎文／侯雅婷 ◎攝影／鮑忠暉
捧著剛出爐的麵包，王民亮拉著烘焙組伙伴一起入鏡。
如同許多居住在杉林區組合屋的小林村人，王民亮在莫拉克颱風重創下失去雙親和家園，在城市裏打拼的他毅然決定回到小林組合屋，為村人、也為他自己的未來而奮鬥。王民亮說，這場突來的巨變拓展他生命的寬度，現在他的人生要為所有村人服務，而不僅侷限於他的家人。片刻沉默後，他抬起頭說，相信在天上的父母也贊成他這麼做。
王民亮解釋，杉林區的小林人以「日光小林」自稱是因為日本友人前來為他們加油打氣時，特別準備了象徵希望與微笑的向日葵，鼓勵小林人勇敢面對生命，迎向未來。
食品科系的求學背景，加以曾在麵包店工作的人脈，王民亮以前的老闆義氣相挺提供麵包製作配方，指導了4 位村民，和他們共同成立烘培組，每天製作13款麵包，120～150個「日光小林」麵包每天下午3點準時在杉林區農會上架，以新鮮原料製成的麵包，吃起來口感奇佳，甫上架即秒殺，「日光小林」麵包的好口碑就這麼迅速的傳開來。
王民亮觀察到，組員們學會做麵包後，生活變得有目標，也更有自信。烘培組的成員將於今年7、8月接受高雄知名帕莎蒂娜餐廳及高雄打狗餅鋪傳授甜點製作及行銷技巧的專業訓練，為日後小林永久屋餐廳部營運做準備。
「日光小林」充滿元氣及能量，能在傷心地讓希望的種子萌芽，靠的是小林人互相扶持。