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2015年12月

2015-16 國際扶輪社長 十二 月份 文告
 

親愛的扶輪社友們：

當加拿大軍隊於1945 年驅逐佔領荷蘭的德軍時，他們發現荷蘭處於饑餓邊緣。四個派駐在艾普敦Apeldoorn 附近的加拿大士兵看見這麼多人受苦，尤其兒童們的臉龐，更令人感動，他們決定為更多荷蘭兒童，舉辦特別的耶誕節活動。

 

　　

　　他們一起在同袍之間，巡迴收集巧克力和口香糖、糖果及漫畫書。空閒的時候，他們用木材及鐵線製作玩具卡車、以及用廢木料做積木方塊；其中一個士兵冒著被憲兵抓到的危險，將他的香菸賣到黑市，用這些錢來買布娃娃。他們每個人都思念著家鄉的親人；但是每個人都把思念之情化成動力，用在幫當地兒童過一個特別的耶誕節。

　

　　到了12 月1 日，四大袋耶誕禮物已準備好；士兵熱切地盼望25 日來臨。但是二天後，他們得知他們返回加拿大的日期：那是12 月6 日，早在耶誕節之前。懷著複雜的心情，士兵們決定最好的辦法就是把那幾袋禮物送到當地孤兒院，讓他們等到耶誕節再發放。

　

　　離開荷蘭的前一個晚上，他們四個人啟程去孤兒院，其中一人扮成耶誕老人。他們在路上訝異地聽到教堂鐘聲響起，看見房子燈火通明，雖然離耶誕節還有好幾星期。當他們接近孤兒院時，靴子在雪地中嘎吱嘎吱響，他們透過窗戶看見二三十個男女兒童在一起吃晚餐。由於戰爭結束才幾個月，食物仍然稀少；晚餐並不豐盛，孩子們個個瘦弱，臉色蒼白。

　　

　　「耶誕老人來了」有人在門外高喊著，然後用力敲三下門。就好像有人施魔法一樣，屋內原本說說笑笑的孩子們，頓時鴉雀無聲；一個牧師前來開門。他的禮貌寒暄一下子，被孩子們的驚叫聲淹沒了，因為在他身後的孩子們，掀起一陣歡呼，衝向提早三星期打扮成耶誕老人的士兵，並把他團團圍住─但是時間來的正好。因為荷蘭的耶誕老人是在聖尼古拉斯之夜出現：12 月5 日。

　　

　　孩子們打開每個包裹，高聲歡呼，品嘗著各式糖果，擁抱著布娃娃，歡笑聲長達一個小時。最後一輛木製卡車，最後一塊巧克力，分給了一直在旁邊等待的小男孩。向四位士兵說謝謝之後，他轉身向牧師，臉上充滿幸福，用荷蘭語對他說了一句話。牧師點頭微笑。「他說什麼？」其中一個士兵問。

　　

　　牧師眼中充滿淚水看著他們。「他說，『我們不是告訴過你，耶誕老人會來。』」

　　

　　將喜悅帶給世界，我們自己並沒有失去喜悅─我們反而會增加喜悅。在這個布施的季節，讓我們拿出別人給我們的禮物與他人分享，藉此增加禮物的效用。透過我們的扶輪社及基金會的關心、仁慈、及慷慨的行動，我們成為獻給世界的禮物，且維繫不墜。

雷文壯 K.R. Ravindran

2015-16 年度國際扶輪社長

2015-16 RI Presidential Message in December 2015

 

Dear Fellow Rotarians,
 
When the Canadian army liberated the Netherlands in 1945, they found the country on the brink of starvation. Seeing the suffering of so many, and especially moved by the faces of the children, four Canadian privates stationed near Apeldoorn that year decided to make that Christmas special for as many Dutch children as they could.

Together, they made the rounds among their fellow soldiers, collecting chocolate bars and chewing gum, candy and comic books. In their spare moments, they built toy trucks out of wood and wire, sawed scrap lumber for building blocks; one, risking the military police, sold his cigarette ration on the black market, using the money to buy rag dolls. Each thought longingly of his own family at home; each channeled his energies instead toward the children whose Christmas they knew they could brighten.
By 1 December, four sacks of gifts lay ready; the soldiers eagerly looked forward to the 25th. But two days later, they learned the date they were to depart for Canada: 6 December, long before Christmas. With mixed emotions, the soldiers decided that the best plan simply would be to take their sacks over to the local orphanage and leave them there to await Christmas.
The night before they were to leave the Netherlands, the four set off for the orphanage, one of them in a makeshift white beard and red cap. On their way, they were surprised to hear church bells ringing and see houses lit brightly, with Christmas still some weeks away. As they approached the orphanage, boots crunching in the snow, they saw through the windows that the children, two dozen girls and boys, were gathered at their evening meal. Only a few months after the war's end, food was still scarce; the meal was small, and the children's faces pale and thin.
"Santa Claus" raised the knocker on the door and knocked three times, hard. As if by magic, the chatter of young voices inside fell silent; a priest opened the door. His polite expression gave way to one of shock, as the children behind him erupted into cheers, rushing forward and swarming the private who had dressed for Christmas three weeks early – but exactly on time. For in the Netherlands, Sinterklaas comes on St. Nicholas Eve: 5 December.
For an hour, joyful chaos reigned as packages were opened and exclaimed over, sweets were tasted, dolls caressed. The last wooden truck, the last bar of chocolate, went into the hands of a little boy who had been waiting patiently all the while. After thanking the men, he turned to the priest and said something to him in Dutch, his face alight with happiness. The priest smiled and nodded. "What did he say?" one of the soldiers asked.
 
The priest looked at them with eyes full of tears. "He said, 'We told you he would come.'"
 
By sending joy out into the world, we do not sacrifice it for ourselves – we only multiply it. As we enter this season of giving, let us multiply the gifts we have been given by sharing them with others. Through acts of caring, kindness, and generosity, in our clubs and through our Foundation, we become and remain a gift to the world.

K.R. “Ravi” Ravindran

President, Rotary International, 2015-16
 

2015-16 RI 社長12月份文告-中文

2015-16 RI 社長12月份文告-英文
   


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