誠摯的回應 My Sincere Feedback

 

English version is below. Thank you. 英語版本在中文版本之後，謝謝。

 

「有錢出錢，有力出力」一直是句耳熟能詳之語。

 

 

身為一位擁有思考能力的人，我給自己的挑戰是「如何將己身知能發揮到最大值?」回到小學課室殿堂，且在自己生長的寶島台灣，我想自我挑戰什麼呢?

 

 

而對自己擁有比他人更多一些的歷鍊和機會，及世上大多數人生活在無水無電、房子不堪稱為「家」的硬體環境裡，他們卻又不怨天尤人，我想自我挑戰的是什麼呢?

 

 

創作歌曲或者詩詞、又或者作畫，我想自我挑戰的是什麼呢?

 

 

由於這些提問，每一個嶄新的日子對我而言都充滿新奇感和其特殊之處，其中最主要的部份就是一路以來即便荊莿滿布卻也逢兇化吉，未來，也總是更令我想昂首闊步、向陽前進。

 

 

有人問道：「英語能力出色，是否和能力成正比?」

 

 

我不認為語言能力的出色一定必須和茁越表現畫上等號，因為不使用國際語言與人交流、溝通，許多人、事、物都可能在個人世界打轉，如此的生命似乎指標性稍微淺顯了一些。於是，當許多人認為「當國際志工或者出國服務，就是要幫助別人」時，我也抱持保留態度。

 

 

為什麼呢?

 

 

其實這是因為我發現與其說「幫助」，不如說「溝通」，以溝通的方式得知他人的生活與職業或種種樣貌，何以與我(們)不同，我們又能夠從對方的身上學習到什麼?

 

 

基於這樣的思維，我認為自己是在世上結交及認識失散的家人、手足等等—惟有感同身受，對方得知我的誠意正心，才有可能開啟諸多可能，否則「我」個人的服務角度不但切不進目前為止的任何一個社區或者團體，也不可能讓別人願意給我與他們平起平坐的機會。

 

 

「我們不想接受他們的幫忙，Hope，因為我們感受不到他們的真心，他們並非關心我們而是有所圖。」對於這些人們的懷疑，我往往不知如何回應；但是對於在物質文明高度發展的社會當中的人們，當大家已經不再習慣緊密相連的生活模式時，我們如何透過各種力量讓人們更加「靠近」而產生「關懷」呢?

 

 

我想，這是我選擇身處在先進地帶的其中一個主因，那就是，人心在意義的追尋及指標上的迷失，也許，並非全然毫無施力之處，而要如何施力，以及這樣的力道該用什麼方式，相當值得玩味，比方，如果企業讓他們的員工到世上的邊陲地帶進行所謂的服務工作，看似放下了營收為主的工作，但實則為員工們更加深遠的生命力而著眼，會造成怎樣的企業文化呢?

 

 

也許這樣的思考恰恰回到最初當有人想捐錢給我，讓我在非洲使用於助人事項之上時，我會回答：「如果身強體壯，請去當地看看，當作旅遊、當作了解異國文化……」

 

 

時至今日，我仍然有此想法，其最主要的原因就是行動的力量永遠大於任何一切的總和，而我們永遠不知道在行動的過程當中，人們可以如何轉變、尤其是正向的轉變。

 

 

這也是為什麼在教學的歷程當中，我喜歡鼓勵不同年齡的學生們，走到街上、走到國外去和外籍人士們互動，就算在飛機上當一名乘客、在機場轉機，我們也可以認識外籍友人、用上英語。而在錄音檔中的外籍人士，就是我在機場停留時所交談、閒話家常的對象!

 

 

不斷的延伸，終結的使命，是讓自己願意以及能夠與更多人進行更加深入的交流。因為發現「隻身一人可以做什麼?」也可以有很好的解答，於是，這或是我常常喜歡提問來考自己的主因。

 

 

Do whatever we can to help the others can be a universal theme. For someone with the abilities to think and take actions, my challenge is “How to expand my own capabilities so that more can be assisted?” From this, more questions can be raised. For instance, to teach in the elementary schools again in my own country, what would I like to challenge myself with?

 

 

Or, as a person with more experiences and opportunities, contrasting to the fact that most of the population in the world today live in environments where there is no running, clean water nor electricity, with their home not quite like proper places to live but that they are humble, satisfied, what would I like to challenge myself with?

 

 

Then, when I create those songs, lyrics, draw and so on, what would I like to challenge myself with?

 

 

Due to all these questions raised by myself, every day, for me, is filled with many surprises and unique aspects. The most intriguingly charming part is that for all the footsteps I have taken, despite of the difficulties and obstacles, it seems that smooth paths still lie ahead of me, and I am looking forward to each and every new, fresh new day.

 

 

Some people have asked me “When people are with fluent English ability, does it mean that such people are competent in the global village?”

 

 

I do not really believe that English proficiency is the equivalence of outstanding, professional abilities, for there are many who do not use their English proficiency, the ability in this lingua franca, to communicate or exchange ideas with the others. This results, perhaps, somewhat limited worldview.

 

 

Meanwhile, when people think that “To be voluntarily working for those needed is indeed to help out,” I would also be more reserved in such an issue. This is because what I have found is that instead of expressing the idea of HELPING OUT, we may gear our attention to the idea of getting more ideas about people’s lives through communications, understandings, and learning from these people whom our target group(s) is/are.

 

 

When we humbly ask ourselves “How our differences in every angle would boost our own horizons,” we go from our limited worldview to a bigger picture of being empathic.

 

 

With this sort of mindset, I believe I am in different places of the world to know more about my siblings, brothers and sisters whom I have yet to learn from. When such people recognize my sincerity, doors open for me to go into their communities, their cultures: I am given such unique opportunities to keep communicating with them in more profound ways by and by.

 

 

Some people living in remote regions of the world have pointed out that “Hope, we don’t want to be assisted by them. We feel that they have other purposes. They do not really care about us.”

 

 

For their doubt, I can be very speechless; contrary to these people’s destiny that they would like to chip in as large groups but cannot, what has resulted my own possibilities to work with such people makes me speechless. As for that kind of “truly caring for the others” attitude, I truly wonder how it can be promoted or taught in nations or territories enjoying higher standards of life when most of the people spend so much time “digitally speaking.” Sensing this kind of issue cannot easily be tackled with, I am positive I need to be working in more affluent surroundings, for there are other issues to be handled such as the voids of meaning and/or purposes of life.