Reflections on Visit to ganjia Prairie
By Robbie Sutherland of Nova Scotia, Canada, November 2011
我在甘肃甘加草原的所见（译：Gracie）
Early this month I was visiting China for tourism purposes and I was lucky enough to include a short stay in Lanzhou in my itinerary. It was suggested that I travel south to visit some schools and an orphanage near Xiahe in the Sankoh Prairie region of Gansu Province. Of course I gladly accepted as I have an interest in both Education and Development work and I have some experience in these sectors in other parts of the world.
I was met by John - a tour guide and development worker - and my driver and and we drove south west at high speed for some hours after picking up some donated items for the children. We were met in Xiahe by an interpreter - a good move since my Mandarin is non-existent and John's English is very limited. We visited an orphanage/school as a first stop and later on two schools which cater to the nomadic children of Tibetan descent. The facilities were very basic but the children seemed well cared for and happy. Everywhere we were greeted with smiles and thanks as we passed out pencil cases and various school supplies to the children. John was obviously well liked and respected by both the children and the staff and I was struck by how many of the kids that he knew personally. I also saw that each school had a small library of novels and text books supplied by John and that on previous visits he had provided coal-burning stoves for the classrooms and for the living quarters for the teachers. These I am sure were a vast improvement on what they had used before - open buckets for burning coal or dried manure with holes punched into them for draught.
The second day of my trip was more of the same - with four schools visited until our supplies of books and pencils and cases were completely depleted. These schools all displayed obvious needs in varying degrees but they had all benefitted from John's support in the past. John is well-liked and obviously trusted by the kids and a child's trust is not given lightly as any parent knows. These schools are very isolated and the roads range from very poor to near impassable once you leave the town area. We had to walk into one school so I would imagine that visitors are few and far between. This is a very difficult and expensive area to deliver aid to in any form as the region is not heavily populated and goods and services we take for granted in other areas are just not available here. The weather was cooperating when I visited but I would think that there are many times when even trucks can't make their way to these locations to deliver supplies or coal for heat. John is somehow managing to fill the void that exists by finding financial and material support and arranging for the delivery of the aid to these and many other schools. He also does all of the co-ordination and accounting required and handles all of the correspondence on top of running a tour-guide business. I also found out that John arranges for volunteers to teach at schools in the district during their University breaks.
In conclusion, I very much enjoyed my visit with John to this area. He is, I believe, and extremely dedicated and honest man who, through his labour and love, has made a real difference in the lives of many children. Could things be done more effectively? - Probably- but remember that John is effectively a one man show and as such his efforts impressed me very much. With more financial resources he could help more people more efficiently in the future and I will help John and his organization with their future efforts. I think that he is like a ray of sunshine in the difficult lives of these kids and I found it very difficult to say good-bye.
我在甘肃桑科草原的所见
这月初我在中国旅游，有幸在甘肃兰州短暂的旅程中，到访甘南夏河及桑科草原的学校及孤儿学校。我对于教育及发展工作有相当的兴趣，亦在世界的其它角落相关工作中有所体会，当然极为乐意进行这些探访。
我和身兼导游及发展工作者的林子，以及我们所租车子的司机，沿途购备送给孩子们的物资，向西南方向疾驶了几个小时。在夏河，接了为我作翻译的志愿者；对于完全不懂普通话的我，和只说有限英语的林子，这位替我们翻译的朋友实在重要。我们先到访一间孤儿学校，然后去了两间供游牧藏民孩子接受教育的学校。这些学校的设备实在十分简陋，不过，孩子们都被悉心的照顾，看来十分快乐。我们为他们送上爱心笔袋及文教用品时，到处都是孩子给我们的微笑和谢意。林子显然备受孩子和职员的喜爱及敬重，令我印象深刻的是，他对很多孩子都认识及熟悉！我亦看了林子早前为学校建立的小型图书阁的书本及教科书，以及他为他们课室和老师宿舍设置的煤炭炉，这些炉，相对于他们以往用一些穿了孔的桶来烧煤或羊粪取暖的方式来说，实在是一大改善。
我们第二天的旅程，与第一天差不多，到访了四所学校，直至我们带来的物资都发放完。这些学校，全都有着不同程度的需要，亦曾受惠于林子他们以往的援助。作为一个父亲，我全完明白能得到一个孩子的信任并不容易，而林子显然备受他们的爱戴和信任。这些学校，全都非常偏远，离开了城镇后，道路的情况可以说是非常恶劣，甚至完全不通；其中一所学校，最后的一程必须步行才可到达。我相信，这儿只有很少的访客，就是有也不常来；这地区没太多人居住，我们习以为常的物品或服务在这儿可以说是完全缺乏，扶贫的工作极为困难也极为昂贵。我探访的两天天气良好，但是，我相信有很多时间，这儿根本连大货车也到不了，物资和燃料都难以送达。可是，林子用他们自己的方法，为这些学校及很多其它学校送上金钱和物资，填补了这个极待援助的空隙。林子在他自己的导游工作之余，肩负了这些志愿工作的统筹、财政管理，以及所有的文书工作、报告及网上发布；此外，我亦听说，他还在暑假期间安排志愿者在甘肃地区的支教活动。
总括来说，我十分享受在这儿与林子一起作的学校探访。我相信林子是一个极度投入及诚实的人，透过辛劳和爱心，他为很多孩子的生命带来了改变。这些工作可否做得更为有效？我想是可能的，不过，我们必须记着，林子的工作差不多可以说是由他单独一个人做的，因此，他的工作更加令我敬佩。我深信，如果林子可以获得更多金钱上的支持，他定必可以帮助更多有需要的人，所以，我将会继续支持林子和他志愿工作团队的工作。我认为，他就好像这些生活在贫困中孩子的一线阳光。对我来说，要与林子和孩子们道别，并不是一件容易的事啊！
Dear Robbie 及各位亲爱的朋友:
Robbie, I do have loads of thank you messages that I would like to express to your new friends and my old friend John 林子 and Xie 小谢. Please bear with me for speaking in Chinese with them!
多谢林子、帮忙联系了各位可爱可亲的朋友、在西安、甘肃和重庆给了Robbie一个难忘的中国假期、感受到浓浓的中国情宜、更看到我们年青人对人的关爱和积极! 更要特别感激林子在甘肃探访学校的安排、让我们有机会为孩子做一点事、令Robbie有机会体验了你们志愿者的努力工作及为贫困孩子的使命、我和他都十分感动、爱、在路上… 我们继续努力!
林子, 请把邮件传给重庆的志愿者, 那两位漂亮可爱的女孩, 与 Robbie女儿相约, 特别亲切!
也特别多谢小谢、帮我们联系了热情好客的李伟和Hector、你们的真诚招待、令Robbie十分感动!
在此、我也祝福大家身体健康、事事顺利、有机会我们在国内或是香港相会、继续为有需要的孩子努力!
Best regards,
Gracie 达泽
Dear All, I have arrived back at the farm in Canada after a long, exhausting flight and much driving. I just wanted to contact everyone I had e-mail addresses for to thank them for being such generous and gracious hosts. I had absolutely no problems because my contacts were always waiting for me when I arrived at my destination and they always guided me onto the plane/boat/train/bus for the next stage of my journey. Cindy in Beijing and Abby and my driver in Xian were perfect and of course John and all of his contacts were excellent in Gansu. The girls in Chongqing were both so attractive and helpful that I had a hard time getting on the ship for my cruise. Hector and Levis made my visit to Wuhan very interesting and made sure that I was safe on the train on my way to meet Gracie. I also want to thank all of the people who I met along the way who made my travelling so interesting and easy - from my Phd. friend on the train from Xian to the man on the train I met while going to meet Gracie who couldn't speak any English but gave me two beautiful oranges as a present. I believe that China is a great and beautiful country and I am honoured to have had the opportunity to visit it with such great companions to show me the sights and keep me safe. I hope someday that I will be able to host some of you when you visit my country and I can assure you all that you will be welcome in my home any time. The only problem I had when visiting your country was saying good-bye.
A Sincere Thank You, Robbie Sutherland
438 Smithville Road
Mabou, Nova Scotia
Canada
B0E 1X0
支持您喜欢
查询我的