7義工感言 by 陳素然

2011年素然姊妹在四川綿陽市角聲華恩兒童村事奉。她與孩子的留影. 
2011 Jacqueline served in MianYang City Herald Gratia Children Village for a year in 2011. Her photo with one the children. 
義工感言

“長亭外，古道邊，芳草碧連天。 晚風拂柳笛聲殘，夕陽山外山。 天之涯，地之角，知交半零落。 一觚酒盡余歡，今宵別夢寒。。。” 好一首撼動人心，令人黯然淚下的歌曲。歡送會那天晚上看著孩子們興高采烈的表演，心裡想今天晚上應該不會流淚吧。可是當姐姐們獻唱這首歌的時侯，眼淚還是忍禁不住。 

回想今年寒假過後，氣侯寒冷的二月到達四川綿陽兒童村，彷如昨日。當時心裡自問：我真的可以在這裡待一年嗎？ 除了住的房間以外，其它室內都沒有暖氣，整天要穿著大衣。還有四川菜的麻辣，油，咸，對我這有高血壓的人來說，真有點擔心。我是個慢節奏的人，更是一個挑戰。

回顧在兒童村這一年，有灰心難過，亦有讓我感動又感恩的事情。我很欣慰孩子們肯受教，明理，知錯能改。起初他們對於我檢查衛生的嚴格，一絲不苟，引起反感。但最後在給我的信裡都為他們的行為道歉，明白我是讓他們在一個乾淨的環境裡生活。 

讓我最震撼，感動，感恩，是兩個女孩給我的信。以下是她們的信：”。。。您走了，那您還會再來兒童村嗎，我可以叫您一聲 ’媽媽‘ 嗎？“ “。。。您幫助了我，讓我改變，從您來了以後，我就好開心。。。我沒有什麽禮物送給您，只能用書信給您當禮物了。我現在沒有什麽可擔心的了，因為我已經有了您的照片，我在傷心的時候可以看您的照片，想到您的微笑，您的表情和您的樣子。陳阿姨，我好想您當我的母親呀！可是不能了。。。“ 有話說 ‘家書抵萬金’，這些信對我而言，何止萬金。 無論多少艱難，挑戰都值得! 榮耀歸神！ 

Serving HIM

“Along an ancient trail with a fare well gate, tall grasses reach to the evening cloud. The sound of flute flows in the think air as the sun goes down slowly. Friends will be parting into faraway places, we must enjoy this good moments now so as not to be just dreaming about it” 

What a wonderful and moving poet and song! All children performed happily on the stage for this farewell party. I thought I would not cry on such a joyful occasion, but as my co-workers sang this beautiful song, I could not stop my tears from rolling down my face. 

Last winter after the New Year, amid the cold February, I arrived in MianYang City Herald Gratia Children Village. Time flies and it looks like it just happened yesterday. At that time, I asked myself, can I make it? – staying for a year? Other than the bedrooms, there are no heated places. I had to wear thick winter coats all time. As far as food is concerned, it is not only chilly and hot, but oily and salty. Since I came with high blood pressure, I got worried whenever I eat. Also I am a slow-paced person, so it was a huge challenge.

Looking back the past year, many times, I was depressed and felt it was very difficult, but there were many joyful and thankful moments and occasions. I was very happy that all children are willing to learn, very understanding and know that they need to improve. I was assigned to be in charge of hygiene and cleaning. At the start, all of them resent it very much because I was too tough and would not let things go easily. After a while, they realized that living in a clean environment is the right thing to do and apologized for when they did not listen to me. 

The most shocking, moving and thankful incident was when two of the girls wrote me letters. Here are their letters, “...You’re leaving, will you still come back to the Children’s Village? Can I call you ‘mommy’?” Another wrote, “You really helped me change a lot. Since you came, I became so happy all the time...I don’t have any gift to give you, I can only give you this letter. I don’t have anything to worry about anymore because I have your photo. Whenever I’m sad I will look at your picture and think of your smile, your expression and your face. Aunty Tran, I wish you were my Mommy! But of course, I know, it is not possible!” 

There is a saying, “A letter from home is worth 10,000 weight in gold. “ To me, these letters are worth more than 10,000 weight in gold. No matter how hard and challenging my experience was, it was worth it! Soli Deo Gloria!