When One Truely Loves the World, the World, In Return, Would Love Him/Her Back Selflessly 當一個人衷心的愛惜著這個世界的時候,這個世界也會毫無保留地對這樣的一個人,投注以無限的關愛
本中英對照文章共計字數加加減減前共5088 would be the entire word count, prior to trimming, of this work, which is with both Mandarin Chinese and English
When One Truely Loves the World, the World,
In Return, Would Love Him/Her Back Selflessly
當一個人衷心的愛惜著這個世界的時候,這個世界也會毫無保留地對這樣的一個人,投注以無限的關愛
Where is this faith doing those things that I have focused on from? I’m not quite sure. Where is the format of the things that I have been doing from? I’m not quite sure, either. These things are laid in front of me, perfectly well, As they’ve been planned for such a long time, resulting my belief in the idea of perhaps everything is already arranged prior to my initiation.
為什麼我會有信念來做這些事情呢?
這些事情的模式又是從哪裡來的呢?
這兩個問題其實我都沒有任何解答,但是這段路程就這樣開展在我面前……
“It must be important, then, to produce
more principals like him?” After reading some words produced after the journey
to east Africa 2025, some kindhearted people have asked.
「那麼,培養更多像他這樣的校長一定很重要吧?」
某些善心人士在解讀過今年度赴非相關故事的同時,這樣問道。
It is a very good question, I remember
thinking. During my journeys of helping the needed globally, by myself to begin
with, I have clung to impoverished communities surrounding schools where local
governments may not have enough budget to pay too much attention to. With no
plans initially but the wholehearted drive to do more for the economically
deprived communities in which no outsiders have stepped in to make a
difference, I have been daring and trying every muscle of wisdom I have gotten
in me to uplift the lives of the others.
我記得當時心想,這確實是個很好的問題。
多年下來,在世界各地幫助有需要的人,使我常常隻身來到世界邊陲地帶,而我經常駐足於貧困社區附近的學校,那些學校所屬的地方政府往往因預算不足而無暇顧及學校發展。
起初,我並沒有明確的計畫,只有一顆想為這些經濟弱勢社區做些改變的心,尤其在並無外來人士曾為他們伸出援手窘境之下,而我便憑著一股傻勁兒,竭盡所能地想法設法改善村民們的生活。
Never have I expected that such commitment
would drive me to encounter middle class comprised mainly by local educators
who are often equipped with enough English proficiency to understand what I
need to accomplish. Certainly, I have never anticipated that among all these
people, leaders of the schools, when required by the then situations and/or
conditions of their respective schools where communities are peppered with individuals averagely living under 1USD per person per day, would be the drive mingling with me to
make a difference for those communities.
我從未料到這樣發自我個人內心深處的使命感,會讓我與這些在經濟條件上相對落後的地區中的中產階級接觸;
我更沒有料到,到了最後,這些中產階級人士當中大多數和我一樣,長期在教育崗位上付出他們的熱力及行動;
更重要的,是他們擁有可以和溝通的英語能力,即便我不會他們的當地方言,如此一來,當地民眾可以理解我所希望達成的目標,更願意一起行動;
在這所有的行動的背後更讓我傻眼的,是在這些人之中,那些身處是時學校情況特殊(多半百廢待舉)下的校長們,竟會成為推動我與這些人攜手為平均每人每天生活所費往往未達一美元的社區,帶來改變力量的主要推手。
One righteous person who is a principal can
move mountains in such economically disadvantaged regions—this, I have found to
be very true during my journey of helping the needed. What is even more
surprising is that these principals can move on to uplift others who are also “Head
Teachers To Be,” influencing their decision making process and the ways they
manage the schools linking with countless communities. Hence, this year, when I
was taken to the deep mountain which was at another side of mountains where I
have worked and witnessed how one school after another, one village after
another, can thrive out of this identical pattern of mine in east Africa, I
know that in this “new” mountain, things will be the same and we shall not be afraid.
在這些經濟上極度不利的地區裡,一位正直且有使命感的校長,足以感天動地:
這是我在助益極度有需要者的旅程中,深刻體會到的真理。
令人驚訝的是,與我互動過的正派校長們不僅能帶來改變,還能啟發其他(仍處在教育領域中位階爬昇階段的)「準校長們」,影響他們的決策方式,以及他們未來將如何管理這些有著無數貧窮人口居住的社區內的學校。
因此,今年當我被帶往另一座東非深山時,在區區一個弱女子如我曾工作過的群山另一側,已經親眼目睹過一所又一所學校、一個又一個村莊,皆能依循上述雷同模式而雖談不上朝氣蓬勃,卻能略有發展前景時,我明白在這座「新生成的服務版圖中的」山脈之上,一切也將如陽光灑落大地般,正面效應綿延不絕。
Completely fear free, but to remind myself
not to be arrogant, I remember the villagers whom I have worked used to inform
me that
“Some other foreigners who are really rich
heard what you have done here; therefore, they have decided to donate this and
that to us.” From this, one of the most pathetic schools I have served has seen
itself with a major hospital built right next to that “big” school at present
that used to be so shabby, standing almost idly at the semi-arid land; it seems
some few elephants going towards that direction of the school can step
everything onto the ground, flattening the mini classrooms the school used to
own. Not now, for the schools have boasted blocks and blocks of new classrooms
and administration offices, whereas no one could have pictured that the school
used to be so pitiful that the Head Teacher, situated then at the school in
those mountains, needed to inform his then governing officers that
“A foreigner, a female named Hope donated
to us a lap top, the only one we have gotten. Please kindly wire us with the
electricity from the ground.”
義無反顧而又感到直行終有路的我自己,於此同時,則在在提醒自己謙恭和氣之心至為重要。
我仍記得那些我曾共事的村民對我說過:
「有些非常富有的外國人聽說了妳在這裡所做的一切,他們訝異妳的性別、妳的膚色,因此他們決定捐贈這個、提供那個給我們。」
就這樣,我曾服務過的一所最貧困不堪的學校之一,如今在那座曾經貧瘠、幾乎荒蕪的半乾旱土地上的校舍旁,竟矗立起一座頗具規模的醫院。那所學校過去破舊不堪,孤零零地站在荒原上,看起來彷彿幾隻路過的大象就能把那幾間小小的教室踩得平平的,如今不但平地起高樓般,有一所在地醫院可以就近照顧當地無數的貧民百姓,如今情況已完全不同的該所學校,則擁有一棟又一棟新建教室與行政辦公室。
沒有人能想像初始之日,這所如今充滿生氣而位居山中的學校,曾經潦倒不堪到連欲哭無淚的校長都不得不向當時的教育官員報告說:
「有一位名叫 Hope 的外國女士捐給我們一台筆記型電腦,這是我們唯一的一台。請幫忙從平地為我們接通電力到深山來吧!」
Many years later, the lap top computer
donated to me from a good friend in Taiwan is not to be used anymore; however,
after the plea from that principal, a few years later, electricity reached that
part of the world, thanks to the hard work of all, regardless of the unpaved
roads where wild animals roam.
This friend donating the lap top and I met
when we were both around 20 years old while working as volunteers selected by
our different government offices to receive guests from different nations
traveling to Taiwan. At that moment, after observing the ways I handled the
foreign guests, this friend used to say to me,
“I know you will do something wonderful in
the future.”
Neither of us knew that the lap top would
play such an important role as to be the major force of linking electricity to
such remote regions of the world, a place where even the locals are scared to
see any foreigners, as they just do not have such exposures to the outside
world!
多年以後,那台由一位來自台灣的老朋友所捐贈的筆記型電腦,早已不堪使用。然而,在那位校長提出請求的幾年後,電力終於也正由於那台一般台灣人看似「沒什麼」的筆電,而抵達了那片極度偏遠的半乾燥荒原之上。這一切歸功於眾人的辛勤努力,尤其接電上山必須經過一重又一重的山坡、丘陵,甚至在入山之途及山中小徑依然從未鋪設柏油、野生動物四處穿梭的情況下,電力的光明終於可以抵達那個被遺忘的角落,是令人嘖嘖稱奇的在地大事記之一。
這位捐贈筆電的朋友與我相識於大學時期。當時,我們分別由不同的政府單位自台灣各大專院校選派,擔任接待來自世界各地訪問台灣外賓的義工。那時,他觀察我應對外賓的方式,常對我說:
「我知道妳將來一定會成就一番不凡的事業。」
我從不感到自己有任何不平凡的地方,我只是盡一己之力,行可行之事。
誰也沒想到的是,一份善心、一種學生時期的緣會,使得那台筆記型電腦竟會在多年後發揮如此關鍵的作用,而成為讓世界遙遠的一隅通上電力的催化劑。而那片土地上的人們,甚至對外國人心懷畏懼,因為外籍人士鮮少造訪那個像是與世隔絕的世界,而這些像化外之民的人們,也幾乎從未下過山……
After absorbing all these elements, this
new principal facing me in east Africa, who used to be depressed, was filled
with energy.
“You have given me so much hope! I will try
my level best to nurture my school, the communities around, as if they were my
babies, my own children!”
In reply, I told him that
“Please always put me behind the scene. For
every piece of achievement, I do not wish to take any credit. As HOPE myself, I
have already gotten too much hope and really am in need of no more!”
All of us present began laughing out loud.
聽完了這些故事之後,眼前這位原本意志消沉的東非新任校長,益發充滿了活力與熱情。
他對我說:
「妳給了我這麼多願景!我會盡我所能,把我的學校和周圍的社區當成我的孩子般悉心培育!」
我微笑著回應:
「請永遠讓我留在幕後吧!每一項成就都是您們的,不屬於我。因為身為英語名字是『Hope』的我,早已擁有太多希望,真的不需要一牛車那麼多的希望啦!」
聽完這話,現場所有人都哈哈大笑起來。
“Ok! Fine! I will be obliged to do so. It
is just next time when you are here, you must go visit my houses! My family
will be very happy to host you!”
Can anyone tell me what’s going on with my
life? From one principal there are five, and from five there are a dozen. When
these people are all decent enough, how many villages will I bring myself into?
Life cannot be greater in my view!
Smiling, I told him that “Yes! I will even
bring visitors with me. Please also prepare your villagers, as I will inform
the visitors to bring their sleep bags which we will utilize when we visit you
very miserably feeble school! They will experience how it was like to be at a
truly very underprivileged school!”
「好!恭敬不如從命!只是下次妳再來的時候,一定要到我家坐坐,我們都很想好好招待妳!」
所以說,
有人能告訴我,這到底是怎麼回事嗎?
我的國際服務工作,從一位校長開始變成了多位,從多位又變成更多位。在每位校長都正直善良的情況下,究竟會有多少個村莊中的多少人次,在未來的榮景上產生翻天覆地的正面效應呢?!
我想,我是做夢也會笑的,不是嗎?
所以我大笑著對這位好不容易被我「追索」到服務學校地理位置的新任校長說:
「好啊!下次我還會帶訪客一起來,大夥不但要嚐嚐您美麗另一半的親手做羹湯,同時也要請您讓您山裡學校旁邊的村民們準備好,因為我會請訪客們帶上睡袋,大家在您那間現在還像斷垣殘壁般的學校裡過夜,如此一來,外界人士可以如我當時的震撼教育般,親身體驗在真正殘牆斷壁的學校裡入眠,是個什麼樣的感覺!」
返回台灣的我,一樣因為種種相關事宜馬不停蹄,更要緊的,是過去不曾思考伸出援手的前輩,竟然有了不一樣的實質行動,讓我驚異萬分的是還透過這樣的事實而結識了其他善心人士。
After returning back to Taiwan, I have worked hard on related issues constantly. One of the persons never wishing to take actions in such matters has acted differently, giving me much surprise. In return, I have met some others who are also quite patient in knowing and learning more about what I have focused on.
Recently, I have had the pleasure to be
introduced to a certain individual who is advanced in age. Upon knowing more
about what I have been focusing on through the years, this experienced, talented
and warm person tells me,
“I cannot imagine a life like that of
yours, in which you must be face to face with many unimaginable challenges. God
must be with you all the time, shielding you from many troubles!”
其中一位經驗豐富、才華洋溢的長者在較為了解我多年來所投入的國際服務工作後對我說:
「我無法想像過著像妳這種大材小用的生涯,一個人面對那麼多難以想像的挑戰。上帝一定一直與妳同在!」
In many ways, I feel blessed and protected
all the time, or else I cannot explain reasons behind my motivation, especially
when stories after stories about working with head teachers/principals at different
parts of the world where people wishing to interact with more outsiders is
factual, where, after such interactions, fruitful outcomes are easily spotted,
like the red peppers, tomatoes, sugarcanes, peanuts, corianders now currently
grown in east Africa where I have worked closely with the locals at.
在許多方面,我確實覺得自己蒙受許多恩典、祝福、與保護,但我卻不能感到自己是大材小用,我只深深感受到天生我材必有用的真理,否則,我無法解釋自己源源不絕的動力——尤其當我回想起與世界各地的不同校長合作時,那些他們所屬地區的人們,是如此真心渴望著能與外界交流和互動,而在這些交流和互動之後,成果往往是顯而易見的,就像那些原本並不存在的紅椒、番茄、甘蔗、花生、香菜等,如今都在我與當地人緊密合作的東非大地上,成長茁壯。
原來,國際服務也可以在談笑風生中,生意盎然……
Some questions always pop into the brains
of those interacting with me. While those questions make me more humble when I
handle all the related matters, aside from all the questions I have raised
towards myself, as well as those I have been dealing with currently, I also
would ask myself questions such as:
Is it possible to do “TRAVEL EXCHANGE,” in
which every single person traveling from my part of the world or anywhere else
to those localities where I have worked, we bring one needed person from such
communities to visit “other parts” of the world, including major cities in
their own nations where they have not been to, somewhere outside their own
nations, even as “far” as places I refer to as my homeland?
How to make people from financially
well-off places traveling to these more economically impoverished areas feel
they have the capability to share with the locals the know-how they possess
while listening to the locals their own stories?
與我互動過的人們總會問我一些問題。這些問題也許有答案、也許沒有答案,但卻都讓我在處理相關事務時更加謙遜,同時,也會讓我在已經對自我提出的諸多問題、與處理目前所面對的景況時,不禁捫心自問:
像是,是否有可能推行一種「旅行交流」,不但繼續讓人們從物質生活較為先進的地方前往這些落後地區進行深入的了解,也讓這些居處在物質生活較為欠缺地區的人士去旅行,讓他們的足跡可以遍布他們自己本國他們未曾造訪過的城市,甚至出國到其他地方,乃至於遠渡重洋,來到我所稱為是「家鄉」的地方?
又或者,究竟該如何進行,才能讓來自富裕地區的旅人,在這些經濟相對貧困的地方進行交流時,不僅能與當地人分享自身的知識與技能,同時也願意傾聽他們的故事,使旅行的本身不再是走馬看花,而是深度與他人交流、乃至於在專業知識上面做分享?
As a person from the more “developed” part
of the world, I do not see those in “developing” nations I have served to be
undeveloped. Oppositely, they have shared with me their intelligence in
handling different things and I am forever grateful. Instead of viewing myself
to be superior or them to be inferior, I would rather find it possible that two
sides can equally communicate with each other, resulting harmony to be more
available to be at different parts of the global village, appeasing the
negative emotions like anger or complaints seen daily at more financially
modernized societies.
身為來自經濟條件相對富饒區塊的個人,我從未認為我所服務的「開發中國家」就是落後到茹毛飲血、百病叢生,反之,這些地點不同的風土民情給予了我更多處理不同事務的視角及智慧,這令我永懷感激。我不把自己看得高人一等,也不視他們為低人一等,從而,我相信人生而平等的交流模式,乃促使在地球村的不同角落更加和諧互動的契機,進而得以撫平那些在富裕社會中日益滋長的憤怒、怨懟等等負面情緒與毀滅性質的作為。
To this day, I never broadcast the need of
me to bring people to these places where I have worked with the locals, unless
these different persons voice their wish to join suit. Through the years, I
have also learned so many things from these individuals or families traveling
with me to different parts of the world, for in each and every of them, I can
see their generosity, easy-goingness, and other various fine qualities. When
they are interacting with people whom I have known for many years, often, I am
proud of both sides being able to accept their differences and adapt to new
cultures. Thus, in Feb. 2026, when some friends whom I have known for a long
time would like to travel to Indonesia with me, I am quite honored. Deep down, I
know that after all these years of experiences, anyone with any different
reasons of choosing to join suit should be able to gain some things out of
his/her own expectations; mingled with the elements provided by the locals
interacting with them and the essence of altruism guiding us for benevolent
gestures towards even strangers, such journeys can only make the world a better
place. All these can contribute to the fact that I have enjoyed these journeys
joined by others from different areas of this global village, as when each part
of the journey can be adjusted because of individual differences or needs, the
actions really pave ways for better tomorrows for each and every of us!!!
直到今天,我從未主動宣傳或刻意邀請他人前往那些我在這個世上的服務地點,除非有人表達出積極參與的意願。多年來也確實有這樣的人們與我同行,來到一般遊客不會到達的地點。在此同時,我則從這些與我同行、走訪世界不同角落的個人或家庭身上,學到許許多多在任何場域都不大能夠學習到的珍貴課程。從每一位參與者的身上,我都能看到慷慨、隨和等等各式各樣令人敬佩的優點。
當外來人士與那些我認識的在地人互動時,我則常為雙方能夠彼此包容、接納差異並適應迥異的文化,而感到欽佩不已。
因此在二○二六年,當一些熱心人士表達希望與我一同前往特定國家時,我自然是感到無比榮幸,並且心知肚明於在這些歷鍊中幾經淘洗的我自己和這不同地理位置的在地人,在面對這些與我同行、四海一家皆兄弟的人士時,必定竭诚以待,而這些來自四面八方的不同人士,無論他們出於什麼理由選擇同行,都一定會在旅程當中,有所嶄穫。眾人互動之間,彼此吸收那些真誠而獨特的文化元素,再加上由利他精神所引領的、即使面對陌生人也可以產出的善意行動、溫暖與同理等正向特質,總是會使這樣的旅程,讓這個世界變得更加美好,這可能也是在我發現許多細部行程可以「因人而異」,適時進行調整之後,更加醉心於這方面的安排和執行的主因罷!!!
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