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今天信箱里有这么一封信。信封的背面是手写的这么一段话(见图）。字体歪歪扭扭的，错别字满篇。刚开始我还以为是谁恶作剧把废纸塞我家信箱里了。
仔细看了看原来不是的。这是Salvos救世军寄来的一封捐款邀请。信封背面印的是一个7岁孩子Christopher给Salvos救世军的求职信。Christopher的妈妈被爸爸打伤了。Chris自己也有被打的经历。他希望Salvos的经理Billie可以给他找到一份工作。他说他会剪草，拖地和洗碗，但是不知道这样的工作每天能不能赚到5刀？
他想要一份工作，因为他的妈妈没有足够的钱。被打伤后，他的妈妈患了忧郁症，根本就放弃了自己，更没有能力照顾他和两个妹妹了。所以Chris要担负起照顾全家的重任。他每天给妹妹们穿衣做饭，洗衣服，现在又想找份工作减轻家里的负担。
所幸的是后来Chris和他的家人后来被Salvos的Crisis Centre收容照顾。Chris在中心的花园里帮园丁打下手，干得不错还得到了他应得的“奖金”。
我是流着眼泪看完这封信的。看完后我填了随信附上的捐款单寄回去Salvos了。
说实话，这样的捐款请求随处可见。但是这封信特别打动我。今天麦麦回家我会给他讲Christopher的故事。我还没有想好怎么讲，也不知道他会不会体会到我的感觉呢？
这个贴我不知道发在哪儿好。就发在亲子版吧。我想妈妈们会比较容易明白我的心情。你们会怎么和自己的孩子讲这个故事呢？
下面是信的原文，我在Salvos网站上Copy下来的。我就不翻译了。大家有耐心的话自己看看吧。
Dear friend I hope can help,
You don’t expect a 7 year old child to apply for a job - especially for a job at
a Salvation Army Crisis Centre.
Yet that’s what young Christopher did.
That’s his ‘application’ letter you would have seen printed on the envelope.
Exactly as he wrote it.
In his letter he’s ready to do mopping and mowing and dishes. All for $5 a day
pocket money because “mum doesn’t have enough”.
Christopher was at the Salvos Crisis Centre because his mum was being beaten
by his dad.
Christopher was being abused too.
The family ran away, but nothing got better. Mum suffered depression and
basically gave up on life. She couldn’t care for Christopher and his two little
sisters. So he had to. Dressing them, doing the dishes, hanging out the washing.
He stopped being a child and became ‘man of the house’.
You ask Christopher about this and he doesn’t say a word.
Billie, the manager at our Crisis Centre, says this is typical of children who’ve
witnessed violence and family pain. And she’d know. She’s had 35 years
experience working with children rescued from the very worst dangers.
She says often children don’t have words to describe the horrors they’ve suffered
or how they’re feeling.
What I do know is that when Christopher came to our Crisis Centre he didn’t
laugh and didn’t play. He was so serious all the time. All he focused on was caring
for his mum and sisters.
This is why we have the Red Shield Appeal. So people like you can help
people like Christopher and his mum.
You can help give families like Christopher’s a safe place to sleep as they find their
feet. You can make sure the children receive the care needed to bring healing.
Please give a donation to the 2010 Red Shield Appeal today. You know best what
you can do. Maybe it’s a gift of $25 to help provide counselling, $50, or even $5 for
a few simple items to make a meal for a family is precious.
Whatever you do, please do it today.
Simply complete the 2010 Red Shield Appeal Slip I’ve enclosed, call us
now on 13 SALVOS (13 72 58) or even give online at salvationarmy.org.au
This is tough work, very tough work.
As Billie puts it, we don’t get to see a lot of ‘happy ever after’ endings.
What we do see are signs of hope.
And Christopher? Well, he ‘got the job’. Billie saw it as a great way to help him
open up in an environment where he felt safe. She organized ‘work’ alongside the
Centre gardener, who said he did such a good job he deserved a bonus.
When he got his ‘pocket money’ Christopher smiled for the first time in a very
long time.
This is what you make happen through The Salvation Army. It takes enormous
love and courage and patience. It can only happen when we realise we’re all in this
together, and support each other.
I’m so thankful to have you with us. Our reward is the simple joy of seeing
Christopher smile.
God bless you for caring,
Neil Venables (Major)
on behalf of Salvos Crisis Centre workers
P.S: It’s only because caring people like you sent a gift
to the Red Shield Appeal that I can happily tell you that
Christopher has left our services and is now doing fine.
13 SALVOS [13 72 58]
www.salvationarmy.org.au/donations |
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