人生不设限·第十二章 你的任务是付出
When I was twenty, I decided to go to South Africa on a two-week speaking tour arranged by someone I'd never met. My mum and dad were not enthused because they were concerned about my safety and health, and about the costs involved. Can you imagine that? John Pingo had seen one of my first videos and made it his mission to lure me to speak to the neediest people in the poorest regions of his country. On his own he set up a series of appearances for me at congregations, schools, and orphanages through his network of Doxa Deo churches.
约翰写信、打电话、写E-mail，不断邀请我到他的国家，这份坚持和热情打动了我。在成长过程中，有时我会被我的境况、被未来到底该怎么办这些事折磨，能让我摆脱痛苦的，除了祷告，便是走出去为别人做点什么。我愈是执著于自己的困难，感觉就愈糟。然而，当我转移注意力，去为有需要的人服务时，我的精神就会振奋起来，也了解到：受苦的不是只有我一个。
John wrote, called, and e-mailed, begging me to come to his country. His persistence and enthusiasm triggered something in me. When I was growing up and sometimes tortured over my circumstances and my future, the one action other than prayer that seemed to bring me relief was to reach out and do something for another person. The more I dwelled on my own challenges, the worse I felt, but when I changed my focus to serving the needs of someone else, it lifted my spirits and helped me understand that no one suffers alone.
无论你能付出的是多是少，请记住，小小善行和巨额捐款一样有力。光是改变了一个人的生命，你就有很大的贡献，因为一个简单的善念会产生连锁反应，引发类似的行为，于是你一开始那个善行的结果将被扩大许多倍。想想看，你有多少次因为某个人对你做了件好事，你心存感激之下，也转身为其他人做了点什么?我相信，以这种方式回应是人的天性。
Whether you have a lot or a little to offer, just remember that small acts of kindness can be just as powerful as big donations. If you make a difference in just one life, you've done a great service, because simple kindness can start a chain reaction of similar actions, resulting in your effort's initial results becoming magnified many times. How many times have you had someone do something nice for you and then, feeling grateful, you turn around and do a kindness for someone else? I believe it is part of our God-given nature to respond in this manner.
我在前面提过，有个女孩在我觉得自己很没有用、很多余的人生关键时刻，以一句简单而亲切的话给了我信心。她激励了我，让我觉得自己或许也有些东西可以给出去。而现在，我在传扬上帝之爱的同时，也试着去鼓舞世界各地有需要的人。当初那个女孩一分简单的善意，已经被扩大许多倍。
Earlier I told you how a simple kind comment from a girl in my school infused me with confidence at a critical point in my life when I had been feeling useless and unwanted. She gave me a boost that made me think maybe I did have something to offer, and now I seek to provide inspiration to those in need worldwide while spreading the word of God's love. That girl's simple kindness to me has been magnified many, many times over.
所以，如果你说等到你拥有更多时，会做得更多，我希望你现在就去做你能做的，而且要持续。钱不是你唯一能贡献的东西，无论上帝赐给你什么，请以各种方式分享出去，让他人受惠。如果你有木工或其他方面的技能，就去为你的教会、仁人家园[32]、海地大地震的灾民和其他贫困地区的人服务。无论是缝纫、歌唱、会计或汽车修理，你可以加倍贡献才华的方式有很多。
So if you say that you would do more if you had more, I encourage you to simply do what you can now and every day. Money isn't the only contribution you can make. Whatever God has given you, share it in ways to benefit others. If you have carpentry or other trade skills, offer them to your church, to Habitat for Humanity, or to the victims of disasters in Haiti and other needy places. Whether it's sewing or singing, accounting or auto repair, there are plenty of ways you can multiply your talents.
一位中国香港的高中生最近写E-mail到我的网站，他的故事说明了，不论年纪大小，也不论贫富，每个人都可以发挥影响力。
A high school student from Hong Kong recently e-mailed my Web site, demonstrating how we can all make a difference no matter how old, how rich, or how poor.
我很幸运，能过着美好的生活，但有时还是会觉得自己没用，觉得恐惧。我很怕上高中，因为我听过一大堆老鸟欺负菜鸟的故事。上学第一天，我跟其他同学一起加入了“行动人道主义”组织[33]，遇到一位很棒的老师。他要我们别把自己当成一个班级，而是要看作一个家庭。
I live a very fortunate life, but even still there were times when I nonetheless felt useless and frightened. I was scared entering my high school years because of stories I'd heard about how the older students might treat you. Then on my first day of school, I joined the other students in my Humanities in Action classroom and I had a great teacher who taught us to no longer see ourselves as a class but a family.
随着时间过去，我们学到很多，知道了世界各地发生的大事，例如1994年在卢安达，以及最近发生在苏丹达尔富尔地区的种族屠杀。我和班上同学都涌现了之前从没有过的感觉：热情。我们渴望了解达尔富尔地区的人到底发生了什么事，并帮助他们。虽然大家不会对14岁的孩子有太多期待，但我们找到一个方法让世人知道我们如何发挥影响力。
Over time we learned so many things. We were introduced to important events in other parts of the world, such as the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and the current Genocide in Darfur, Sudan. My class and I came to feel something that we had never felt before: Passion. We had a passion to understand and help what was happening to the people in Darfur. Even though people wouldn't expect much from 14-year-old kids, we found a way of showing the world how we could make a difference.
我们举行了一场表演，让观众知道达尔富尔这个地方到底发生了什么事。我们找到了点燃灵魂的热情。
We put on a performance in which we showed the audience what was happening in Darfur. We found a passion that ignited our souls and spirit.
因为这份热情，我们做到了意想不到的事，并募到足够的钱，送了些基本民生物资给达尔富尔地区的人。
Because of this we were able to do the unexpected and raised enough money to send essential supplies to help people in Darfur.
这个年轻人说的话真的很有智慧，对吧?服务他人的热情或许是上帝赐给我们最棒的礼物。我相信达尔富尔地区的人会对所收到的每样东西心怀感激，无论礼物是大是小。上帝奇妙可畏的力量在于，想要为别人做些什么时，我们“愿意给的心”和能力一样重要。当我们伸手助人时，上帝就通过我们运作：当你愿意去做好事时，猜猜看你可以仰赖谁的能力?上帝!《圣经》上说：“我靠着那加给我力量的，凡事都能做。”[34]
Those are wise words from a young person, aren't they? The passion to serve others may be the greatest gift God can bestow. I'm sure the people in Darfur who benefited from the supplies were grateful for every single item, big or small. The awesome power of God is reflected in the fact that if we want to do something for others, our availability is every bit as important as our capability. God works through us when we reach out for others. Once you make yourself available for good works, guess whose capabilities you can rely on? God's! The Bible says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
你希望别人怎么待你，你就这样对待别人。如果养成习惯，每天都做一些小小的善行，你会觉得充满力量，并从自己受伤与失望的情绪中解放出来。当然，你不应该期待慷慨或帮助他人能让你得到好处，但做好事会带来意想不到的回报。
Whatever you want for yourself, do it for others. If you make even small acts of compassion a daily habit, you will feel empowered and liberated from your own hurts and disappointments. You shouldn't expect to benefit from being generous or supportive to others, but good deeds can lead to surprising rewards.
我很鼓吹无条件的慷慨，因为这是荣耀上帝的事，也会让它的祝福加倍。此外我也相信，当你为别人付出时，祝福会回到你身上。所以如果你没有朋友，就去做别人的朋友;如果你某一天过得很糟，就去帮助某人，让他那一天可以好过一点;如果你的感觉受到伤害，就去治疗别人的感觉。
I'm an advocate of unconditional generosity because it honors God and multiplies His blessings. Yet I also believe that when you do unto others, blessings come to you as well. So if you don't have a friend, be a friend. If you are having a bad day, make someone else's day. If your feelings are hurt, heal those of another.
你永远不会知道，仅仅通过一个小小的善意行动，你会为这个世界带来多大的改变。小涟漪会掀起大波涛，看到我因为被嘲笑而心情低落，过来跟我说我长得不错的那位女同学，不只抚慰了我受伤的心，也点燃一簇火花，开启了我日后走到世界各地去帮助他人的生涯。
You never know how much of a difference you can make in this world simply by performing a small act of kindness. Small ripples can set huge waves in motion. The classmate who saw that I was feeling down after being teased and told me that I was looking good not only soothed my hurt feelings, she lit a spark that ignited my career and my mission to reach out to others worldwide.
