The staff at Happy Christian Homes could not bear to see "Granny" being forced to travel back and forth in this way, and lobbied the Ministry of the Interior to take notice of the issue of permanent residency for people like her who have made special contributions to Taiwan. Their wishes were answered when McMillan became the third foreigner to receive permanent residency rights under the new "special contribution" rule.
這段期間，喜樂保育院不忍老阿嬤奔波，向內政部陳情反映，要求政府重視像阿嬤這般對台灣有特殊貢獻的外國人士的居留權問題，獲得具體的回應，瑪喜樂也成為以特殊奉獻、第三位取得永久居留權的外籍人士。