人生不設(shè)限·賬戶空空，但心是滿的

去南非時，我是個非常自以為是的年輕人，認(rèn)為自己一定可以在這片廣袤的土地上發(fā)揮影響力。但事實(shí)上，是南非影響了我。

I'd gone to South Africa as a young man full of himself, sure that I could make a difference in this vast land. But it was South Africa that made a difference in me.

當(dāng)你不再只想到自己，跨出去接觸他人時，你將會改變。你會變得謙卑、會受到激勵，更重要的是，你會感受到自己是世界的一部分，這種感覺將大大地震動你。不僅如此，你還會了解到自己可以有所貢獻(xiàn)。你為了讓別人的生命變得更美好所做的一切，會讓你的人生更有意義。

When you step outside of yourself and your own concerns to reach out for others, it will change you. You will be humbled. You will be inspired. More than anything and more than ever, you will be overwhelmed with the feeling that you are part of something much bigger than yourself. Not only that, you will also realize that you can make a contribution. Everything you do to make someone else's life better makes your life more meaningful.

在南非的頭幾天，我就明白為什么約翰·品格要花時間幫助我在他的國家傳達(dá)希望與信心的信息。他看見的遠(yuǎn)超過我所曾見過的。我了解到，我非常的自我中心，這個沒手沒腳、要求很多的家伙總認(rèn)為世上沒有人像他一樣受那么多苦。

After our first few days in South Africa, I came to understand why John Pingo was so dedicated and driven to help me deliver my message of hope and faith around his country. He had seen more than I'd ever seen. I'd led a very self-centered and selfi sh existence, I realized; the demanding boy with no arms or legs could not conceive that anyone suffered as much as he.

到過南非之后，我連去雜貨店的感受都不同了。我們家附近的雜貨店里的東西之多、之豐富，是南非孤兒院和貧民窟那些人想都沒想過的。一直到現(xiàn)在，當(dāng)我舒舒服服地待在有空調(diào)的辦公室，或是喝上一杯冷飲時，就會想到那次的南非之旅。這種程度的舒適，在那里都算奢侈。

Since that trip I've never felt the same in a grocery store. The abundance of food even in my neighborhood grocery is beyond the imagination of the orphans and slum dwellers I met in South Africa. Even today I reflect on that trip when I'm feeling pampered in an air-conditioned office, or when I'm given a cool drink; such simple comforts are rarities in that part of the world.

亞倫目前在澳大利亞的高中教數(shù)學(xué)及科學(xué)，他還常常談到南非之行，覺得那次的旅程點(diǎn)醒了我們。有些景象讓我們覺得哀傷，但也有許多驚奇之遇。我倆都同意，那是我們一生中最棒的旅行?；丶抑?，我和亞倫都在想：“我們能做些什么來減輕別人的痛苦?貢獻(xiàn)一己之力最好的方式是什么?一旦知道世上竟有人如此受苦，我們又怎能繼續(xù)過著和往常一樣的生活?”

Aaron, who is now a high school math and science teacher in Australia, still talks about what a reality check that trip was. We were saddened at some sights, but amazed by so much else. We agree that it was the best trip of our lives. We both came home wondering, What can we do to ease the suffering of others? What is the best way to contribute? How could I ever live the same way, knowing that people are suffering so much?

你不必到遙遠(yuǎn)的地方去尋找需要幫助的人，事實(shí)上，那次的南非之旅讓我們更容易察覺到自己的社區(qū)和國家有哪些人需要幫助。你可以在附近的教會、養(yǎng)老院、紅十字會、救世軍、游民收容所、食物供應(yīng)站等地方找到奉獻(xiàn)時間、才華和金錢的機(jī)會。無論你分享的是時間、金錢、各種資源還是人脈，都一定會帶來改變。

You don't have to travel far to find someone in need of help. In fact, our trip to South Africa made us more aware of the needy people in our own community and our own country. You can easily find places to give of your time, your talents, or your money at your local churches, nursing homes, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, homeless shelters, food banks, and soup kitchens. Whatever you can share will make a difference; whether it is money, your time, your resources, or your network of friends and co-workers.

第一次去南非時，我對于可以展開服務(wù)他人的使命感到很興奮，便捐獻(xiàn)了我存款中的兩萬美元。在當(dāng)?shù)貢r，我們又另外募了兩萬美元，也捐了出去!我們花了好幾天買禮物送給孤兒，給他們食物，為他們添購圖書、毯子和床。我們還買了電視和DVD播放機(jī)送給孤兒院，并通過幾個慈善機(jī)構(gòu)捐錢。

That first trip to South Africa made me so excited about kicking off my mission that I gave away a good portion of my savings, $20,000; while we were there we raised another $20,000 and gave that away too! We spent entire days buying presents for orphans, feeding them, and stocking up on books and blankets and beds. We gave the orphanages television sets and DVD players, donating funds through a half-dozen charitable networks.

對我來說，兩萬美元始終不是一筆小數(shù)目，但回頭想想，我真希望自己有更多錢可捐。光是可以在一些地方影響一些人的生命，就給了我前所未有的滿足感。當(dāng)我從南非回家時，賬戶里面居然“什么都沒有”，媽媽是有點(diǎn)不開心，但她也看得出來那次旅行豐富了我的生命，收獲其實(shí)是無法計(jì)量的。

Twenty thousand dollars is still a considerable amount of money in my book, but looking back, I wish I'd had more to give. Just being able to affect a few lives in a few places gave me a greater sense of fulfillment than I'd ever known. My mum wasn't too happy when I returned from South Africa with "nothing" in my savings account, but she saw that my life was enriched beyond measure on that journey.