巧妙的安排 Delicate Arrangements
手機人生 MOBILE PHONE
and OUR LIFE
如果沒有手機跟著我到東非的話，這次的一些照片、文章等等，應該就會變成用另外的方式來呈現，重要的事務應該也必須用其他方式來面對及解決吧……
If the mobile phone of mine hadn’t followed
me to east Africa this time, many memories would not be captured and shared…. For
important matters to be handled by utilizing that phone of mine, I might have
sourced other ways…
離開台灣前往東非時，我因為被桃機再度推陳出新的新穎裝置吸引，為了在漂書區閱讀書籍，也為了在同一個區域的造型奇特充電裝置充電，兩件事情同時進行的情況之下，在登機前竟然沒有把充電的手機取回，直到大約二十分鐘後才從沉醉於書海中慢慢「回神」，在登機門預計關閉的前幾分鐘才飛快由充電設備中將手機取回。
When I was about to depart from the airport
in my homeland for east Africa, I was much attracted by the new gadgets and
services in our airport by lingering around regions where books of a variety of
themes could be freely browsed through and mobile phones could be charged comfortably
at spaces with much designed thinking. Immersed into stories or pictures of
those books, I felt much blessed when I was about to board the aircraft, only
to “wake up” by the fact my mobile phone was not with me anymore. I rushed
back. With that 20-minute interval, it was magical the phone was still there.
這中間竟然也無人取走那毫無人跡照看的手機，也許是我自己找的「角落」過於偏僻?!
Was it because I always like to pick cool environments
where there seemed to be no one?
ATM 提款機
從來沒有在東非提過款，不過這次有所需要；於是，在東非的某處提款時，與平時一樣操作提款機，鈔票吐出來之後提款卡卻立馬被機器吸進去，著實讓我受到了不少驚嚇。幸好台灣的發卡銀行處理得宜，所有的相關事項也獲致解決。
When I was withdrawing cash in east Africa,
which I had never done before, I operated the machine and my card as usual.
When the cash was released, my card was sucked inside the ATM. It was really
frightening.
Fortunately, the issuing bank of mine in
Taiwan handled the entire issue quite properly. All the problems were solved in
the end.
要不要掌控 TO BE A
CONTROL FREAK OR NOT
「妳應該是因為「喜歡」做這些助益他人的事情，所以去執行這些別人不會想碰的事情吧?!」
“It must be you have enjoyed doing these things
helping the others so that you’ve taken actions handling such issues which many
would not want to touch. Right?”
「做這些服務工作的時候，妳也就是付了機票錢罷了，還有什麼費用要付嗎?」
“It’s merely plane tickets you’re paying when you take actions serving the needed.
What can possibly be other costs?”
「妳沒有家累，總是要找個寄託吧?! 這種服務工作應該就是妳的寄託?」
“You don’t own a family, but there must be
something you need to care for. That's why perhaps serving the others would be
something you can rely on so your life would not be dull?”
人們有許多假想空間，而我學會了微笑面對這些不同的聲音，尤其對於那些無法掌控的種種，我更加學會了「粉飾太平」，因為如果不這麼做，我所開啟的這種助人行動，完全不是從仰賴組織開始，甚至必須把自己「丟到」舉目無親的地帶，沒有我所熟悉的公、私立機構撐腰，沒有標準而制式的流程，甚至是把自己個人「架空」在道途之上似的，有時候還必須面臨凌遲般的不知所措，應該會讓自己早早豎起白旗。
Many individuals have many different ways
to interpret things. At the same time, I have learned to just smile and keep
managing things that I can. At times, I have even learned to just look at the
bright sides of things, for the other sides are so unpredictable that I would
not have anyone nor any system which I could have relied onto. There can be
moments which I do not know what to do simply due to the reality that there is
no SOP (Standard Operation Procedure) to be followed. At such periods of time, if I cannot lighten up, no one
could have elevated my spirit.
有我可以掌控的地方嗎? 例如此行的東非之旅前，我一心一意必定要回到第一所服務過的學校歐雷拉雷去，但在抵達當地後，我也知道諸多因素的關係，這件事情會造成此次無法如願。
Are there things which I can control? For
example, before this journey to east Africa, I felt such a need to be at Oloilalei,
the place where I first served when I was there; however, after I was there in
east Africa, I realized I could not be able to do so based on several reasons.
請問我該暴跳如雷嗎? Should I be very angry?
在我所處理的事務當中，常常完全沒有辦法掌控，由於裡面牽涉到太多、太廣的人群、地理位置、風俗文化等等等等，有時候連施力點都沒有。
The reality is, amongst the things I need
to face and handle, frequently, there are many aspects out of my control as too
many groups of people, geological locations, customs and cultures are involved.
There would be no way I can do anything to control anyone or any matter.
「我發現自己和媽媽一樣，我們之所以爭執特別多，是因為我們都很像，不管是努力在生活的夾縫中求生存、個性、行事作風、待人接物等等……」還有一位過去曾被我教過的學生、也是一位朋友，如此跟我說。
“I find that, like my own mother, I fight hard in life. With my mother, I also fight, since we are so identical in our personalities, ways of doing things,
treating people and so on.” Another friend of mine who is also a former student of mine mentions this to me.
我問：「發現到是哪裡很像嗎?」I ask “Where do you think the two of you are alike?”
「我們都希望種種人、事、物在我們的掌控之下進行，所以特別固著在那些我們所介意的地方，不能令我們滿意，我們就極度不滿，一定要把人、事、物扭轉到我們希望看到的位置。」學生這麼說。
“We want to make every person and every
single thing under our control. We care about those issues we focus on. When we
are unsatisfied, we are angry or upset: we’d make sure things or people would
be at directions we’d like them to be.” My student answers.
「但是大家都有很特別的地方值得學習耶，像是你的勇於突破，或者伯母的經驗豐富……」我回應著……
“Nonetheless, many people have so many
parts that can be learned from, like your breaking through, or your mother’s rich
experiences…” I reply.
和這個學生談完話之後，我突然很想問自己：
「妳到底怎麼了?!
妳為什麼沒有想掌控的人或想掌控的事?!
是妳太放鬆所以連手機都差點落下嗎?!
為什麼連提款卡被ATM吃掉了，妳也沒有怒斥當地銀行、討回公道?!」
After talking to this student, I all of a
sudden would like to ask myself the following questions.
“What has happened to you?
Is there really nothing or no one you’d
like to control?
Is it because you’re too relaxed that you
have almost lost your mobile phone?
When your card was swallowed by ATM, why
did you not get angry with the bank which seemed to organize a lousy machine for its customers?”
Actually, to examine these questions carefully, my focal point is whether we truly become very different individuals when we are willing to put our dignities away by serving the others…such as the footsteps I've taken through years...
事實上，這些問題的核心其實在於，當我們透過服務大眾而將自己的尊嚴或者面子放在一邊的時候，一如我這樣經年累月執行服務他者的計畫時，我們是否變成全然不同的個體?
室外洗手間 BATHROOMS OUTSIDE THE HOUSE
主要和其夫人及家人款待我的前任校長、現任政府官員可雷根，有一天在戶外澆灌他的花草樹木時，與我聊天。
One day, when Koileken, the former principal and current government official who has kindly received me with his wife and family members, was watering his
trees and flowers. At the same time, he was chatting with me.
「妳提出來的想法太讚了，我們一定可以舉辦一些讓當地的學習者、成年人等等，分別參與的活動或者課程，讓大家在過程當中學習，我們也可以像妳說的一樣，把這些學費運用在其他需要迫切協助的人身上。」
“Your idea is awesome. We can definitely
hold such activities for the learners like students and grown-ups so that they
can be equipped with more knowledge. We can also utilize the fees they will pay
for other actions helping those who’re in very desperate need."
在哪裡辦好呢? Where can we hold such activities or lectures?
「我們就先在我們家啊! 看看! 雞舍旁邊就有空地，我們只要準備一大堆椅子，大家就可以坐著上課!」
“We can begin from this house of mine and
my wife! Look! Next to the chicken house, there are spaces where we can put
many chairs for people to sit and learn.
完全露天……完全非洲思維……完全不用考慮日晒問題，反正他已經那麼黑，太陽也晒不了他什麼……
雞舍旁邊的空地還有晾衣服用的線……
大家會不會被那些晾衣線給勾到呢?
In his “African Ways of Thinking,” Koileken
does not need to consider about being exposed to the sunshine…, as he is already dark enough that the sunshine does not do anything to him, apparently. Next to the chicken
house there are lines for clothes to be dried. I wonder whether people can be
trapped or dragged by those lines or wires…
我還在想想而已，不知怎麼回應他的時侯，可雷根又發話了：
「我覺得外國人像你們，一定非常喜歡露營，所以我要把這邊的一大片地統統舖滿美麗的草，而且把帳篷搭在上面，讓大家有地方享受。」
I’ve not really come up with ways to
respond to his words as I am still pondering his words, Koileken spoke again.
“I feel that foreigners like you must be
enjoying camping so much. That is why I would like to cover this piece of land
with those wonderful grass, making it the most comfortable lawn. On top of the lawn,
there will be tents for people like you to go camping. Everyone will have a
great time here.”
不好打斷他的話的我，點著頭，看他興致勃勃說著……而我想著自己在今夏剛剛抵達時，對於他的草地保養良好的稱讚，是否就是這一切的起源……
I admired his enthusiasm sharing with me his brilliant ideas. It seemed impolite to retort him at any point, so I just nodded. My mind returned back to the first day when I arrived this summber that I praised him for the beautiful lawn he maintained, and I wonder whether this is all the source of his desire to make the lawn even more impressive...
我們真的不能小看讚美的力量呀!!!
We can never underestimate the power of praising someone, anyone!!!
「為了讓大家露營方便，我把洗手間蓋在室外，方便露營時使用……」他說。
To make it easier for every foreigner to go
camping here, I have built our bathrooms outside the house, making it
convenient for the campers to use them.”
這種觀念從何說起呢? 難到是過去那些與我一起、或者因我而到過當地的各種國度人士們提過，我們這些文明人狂熱露營到這種地步嗎? 可能他忘記早晚溫差非常大?
From where did he have such concepts that “ALL
FOREIGNERS” enjoy camping? Were those from various nationalities who were there
because of me or brought by me giving Koileken such an impression? Perhaps
Koileken has forgotten how cold it can be during the nights and mornings there…”
但我只淡淡說了一句：
「恩，蠻好的呀，有些人的確是蠻喜歡露營的，不過再怎麼喜歡，有些人可能每幾個月或每幾年才來一次露營。
或許是你們比較頻繁地喜歡露營?」
I just made one comment. “Um, it’s great!
Some people from rich nations do enjoy going camping. It’s just they go camping
every few months or years. Or, maybe it’s your people who have liked camping so
much?”
可雷根怔了一下後馬上說：
「屋子裡面空間很多，我們可以直接在屋裡再蓋一套衛浴設備沒問題!」
Paused for a while, Koileken mentioned “There
are still space in the big house where another set of bathroom can be
constructed!”
祥和的秘辛 SECRETS OF
HARMONIES
「老師，妳知道為什麼大家喜歡跟妳相處嗎? 我和非洲校長的意見一樣，因為妳撇開傳統女性的包袱，不需要先生來養活妳，也不需要把寄託全部放在孩子身上，又活得很美麗、大方、自在、慈悲，不會把自己的觀念強加在別人身上，要求大家必須如何如何。和妳相處，大家感受不到壓力、制約、操控等等一些控制狂所散發出來的氣息，所以就會自然而然與妳接近……」
一位相熟的學生友人如此分析。
“Do you know why people enjoy spending time with you, Hope?” My student who’s also a friend tells me.
“My opinion is the
same as that principal in east Africa. You attract people’s attention because
you have lived your life beautifully. No one feels pressured while spending
time with you as you do not imprison the others by imposing onto them your
ideologies. You are not a control freak. Going away from the traditional restraints trapping many females
who need to rely on their husbands for financial supports or who treat their
children as their only aspiration, Hope, you have shown people a very different
model.”
我沒有大家想像的那麼受到歡迎啦……
I am really not that popular.
“Of course you’d say things this way. However,
look at your timetable. Why is it tight, full, almost all the time? People need
you. They want to see you although you may feel you just make them laugh, but let
me tell you, that is also a gift. Nowadays few really know how to laugh wholeheartedly, but when you laugh, you are truly laughing…”
「妳當然會這樣說吧! 可是看一下妳的行程吧!!! 為什麼總是滿、滿、滿? 人們需要妳耶! 雖然妳覺得自己也許只是帶給他們歡笑，但是我跟妳說，現在這個社會、這個世界，會打從心底發出笑容的人，已經絕跡了，可是妳的笑容是從內心深處發出來的笑容耶!!!」
另一個朋友也是之前的學生，則是這麼告訴我的：
「我們其他所有人都只是出一張嘴，妳在國外的成績單那是妳自己的能力不俗、也是妳的所作所為遞造出來的，和我們都沒有關係。我最近一直在想波瀾壯闊這四個字，看到妳在非洲服務的成績，這四個字放在妳身上完全不假。」
Another friend, also a former student, explains
things this way…
“All the rest of us are only talking,
talking, talking. We never take any actions. All those things you have achieved
overseas are results of your own capabilities and actions taken. Recently I’ve
been thinking about how a good life can make wonderful impacts… You know? You
are the kind who have shown such impacts.”
Still, I do not think I deserve so many
praises. I am merely doing things which I can handle. Besides, there are so
many whom I’ve been exposed to helping out.
我還是不認為自己應該憑空得到如此之多的讚揚，因為我僅僅只是處理我可以處理的事情罷了，而且真有許許多多我所接觸的人們協助著我。
我也是還在努力學習的過程中……因為這個世間充滿了太多太多可以用心學習的課題了
I am during the process of learning more and more…as this world is filled with so many lessons worthy to be investigated...
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