By Iris Lo
As the New Year rolls in, we all sigh with relief – the Christmas tree has been put away, presents have been bought and given, and all those family dinners are behind us. Sitting in your warm house, you smile as you imagine the happiness that your $25 donation to the local charity must have been substantial to those who have very little. But is this really fulfilling what Jesus taught in Matthew 25 when He told us to feed the hungry?
It is estimated there are 10,500 homeless people in the province of BC, with up to 8,000 people in parts of the Lower Mainland (Georgia Straight, April 10, 2008). The issue of homelessness in Vancouver seems to arise only during Christmas and Thanksgiving time, when charity groups are working actively to raise funds for meals. Yet people need to realize that homelessness is a year-round issue and that helping the needy is not a seasonal activity.
Monday, January 5, 2009
無家可歸的事實
原文：盧詠莛 | 中譯：趙泰和
新年到了，我們終於可以松一口氣。聖誕樹已經被收了起來，買的禮物都已送出，家庭團圓飯也吃過了。坐在溫暖的屋裡，你正在欣喜地想象著你所捐的二十五元會給那些一無所有的人帶來多大的幫助。但耶穌在馬太福音廿五章中僅僅教導了我們這些嗎?
據估計，BC省大約有一萬零五百人露宿街頭，並且有報導說溫市有近八千名無家可歸者（喬治亞海峽周刊，二零零八年四月十日）。無家可歸的問題似乎只是在慈善機構籌款最為活躍的聖誕節和感恩節期間才會被人重視，可是這些問題是長期存在的，而幫助無家可歸者也不單單是節日期間的一個活動而已。
新年到了，我們終於可以松一口氣。聖誕樹已經被收了起來，買的禮物都已送出，家庭團圓飯也吃過了。坐在溫暖的屋裡，你正在欣喜地想象著你所捐的二十五元會給那些一無所有的人帶來多大的幫助。但耶穌在馬太福音廿五章中僅僅教導了我們這些嗎?
據估計，BC省大約有一萬零五百人露宿街頭，並且有報導說溫市有近八千名無家可歸者（喬治亞海峽周刊，二零零八年四月十日）。無家可歸的問題似乎只是在慈善機構籌款最為活躍的聖誕節和感恩節期間才會被人重視，可是這些問題是長期存在的，而幫助無家可歸者也不單單是節日期間的一個活動而已。
Figs and Olive Trees: A Story
By Linda Yang
“You’re a spy for the American Empire! How can you believe in a foreign devil’s God?!” spat out the pock-faced village gossip next to her ear, as she knelt on the cold dirt floor. The jeers of the rest of the villagers who turned up were rising up in volume on the threshing ground, used for larger meetings. Tears threatened to break free, but she bit her lip and kept her head down, waiting for the participants of the “struggle session” to get tired of “re-educating” her. She began going over her favourite song in her head in an attempt to fade out the angry voices. “Even though the fig trees have no—” Suddenly, a thick wet glob fell onto her neck—someone had spat on her. This was not the first time it happened, and she knew better than to wipe it away then—it would provoke them to spit again.
“You’re a spy for the American Empire! How can you believe in a foreign devil’s God?!” spat out the pock-faced village gossip next to her ear, as she knelt on the cold dirt floor. The jeers of the rest of the villagers who turned up were rising up in volume on the threshing ground, used for larger meetings. Tears threatened to break free, but she bit her lip and kept her head down, waiting for the participants of the “struggle session” to get tired of “re-educating” her. She began going over her favourite song in her head in an attempt to fade out the angry voices. “Even though the fig trees have no—” Suddenly, a thick wet glob fell onto her neck—someone had spat on her. This was not the first time it happened, and she knew better than to wipe it away then—it would provoke them to spit again.
無花果與橄欖樹：一個故事
原文：楊光
「你是一個美帝特務！既然還相信洋鬼子的上帝！」村子裡滿臉麻痕的長舌婦在她耳邊喊道，而她卻跪在冰冷的土地上。其他來湊熱鬧的村民們的譏笑唾罵聲也在村子裡的打谷場上越吵越大。她熱淚盈眶，卻狠狠地咬著嘴唇，把頭低著，等著這些來「批鬥」她的人「鬥」累了。她在腦海中開始唱她最喜歡的歌，試著將他們氣憤的聲音蓋住：「雖然無花果樹不——」突然，濕漉漉的一團東西掉在她的脖子上，有人向她吐了唾沫。這不是第一次了，所以她知道不能現在擦掉，這會使他們繼續向她吐唾沫。
「你是一個美帝特務！既然還相信洋鬼子的上帝！」村子裡滿臉麻痕的長舌婦在她耳邊喊道，而她卻跪在冰冷的土地上。其他來湊熱鬧的村民們的譏笑唾罵聲也在村子裡的打谷場上越吵越大。她熱淚盈眶，卻狠狠地咬著嘴唇，把頭低著，等著這些來「批鬥」她的人「鬥」累了。她在腦海中開始唱她最喜歡的歌，試著將他們氣憤的聲音蓋住：「雖然無花果樹不——」突然，濕漉漉的一團東西掉在她的脖子上，有人向她吐了唾沫。這不是第一次了，所以她知道不能現在擦掉，這會使他們繼續向她吐唾沫。