To Fellow Donors 致捐款人(12/07)
My Dear Respectable Fellow Donors:
Another new year has arrived; and a cheerful and bright spirit surrounds us all. The Hope School Foundation of USA would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry holiday season. We also like to bring you good news. The past year has been a glorious one for the Foundation. Not only have we received enormous and unexpected support, but the total donation amount has also multiplied. As a result, we were able to finance the construction of ten elementary schools in five extremely poor counties in the jurisdiction of the Nan Yung City. We also awarded scholarships to 76 high school students of indigent families from various counties; all of them had outstanding academic achievements and met the good behavior standards. Simultaneously, we expanded our outreach effort to the Tibet self-governing region of Lu Qu County in Gan Su province. We were able to provide 95 elementary, middle and high school students with financial aid. I would attribute our wonderful success to your contributions and participation.
During the period of November 12 to 19th, Annie, I and another Executive Director, Ms. Wang, took another trip to Nan Yung. This trip covered six counties and twenty villages. We personally visited ten Foundation-funded schools, met with scholarship recipient students, and inspected 14 future school buildings that we plan to renovate this year due to their substandard conditions. Our footsteps covered more than two thousand kilometers, breaking our previous record.
The completed school buildings are splendid and magnificent, and the local government furnished them with brand new tables and chairs made of aluminum alloy with wood surfaces. It reminds me of a Chinese saying: "When a good horse pairs with a high quality saddle; a red flower accompanies green leaves, each will shine more brilliantly in the other's company." They have certainly provided the children with a learning environment that is bright, pleasant, and safe. We are 100% satisfied with these wonderful results and feel pleased to present this report to our donors. Our visit also reconfirmed our belief that those who supervised this project are a team of dedicated and hard working citizens of the Nan Yung City. We truly appreciate the governmental corporations from county, city, town and village as well as the fervent support we received from the local residents.
To meet and talk with our high school scholarship recipients in various counties was another important mission of this trip. We often heard that "Children who live in poverty usually take the family responsibility at an early age." While their childhood may not be filled with happiness, the tough environment has forged their perseverance and developed their ability to treasure every learning opportunity. They are all hardworking children with outstanding academic achievements. Our interactions with them were a combination of laughter and tears. Although I had not personally experienced their hardship, I was able to put myself in their shoes and to empathize with their adversity. Their experiences have taught us that humility breed's gratitude, contentment enhances appreciation, generous giving brings hope, and true living enriches life. YES! if we are able to lend a helping hand in a timely manner to those children in the most critical and challenging times, it may turn their life around and make them more valuable citizens of society. Although the road in front of them remains long and full of thorns, competition, and challenges, I can see that they are the hope of China's future. Your loving actions have taught these children the true value and significance of being loved and respected. This type of spiritual encounter and interaction indeed has manifested the beauty of humanity and illustrated the highest level of love. These children will always treasure these beautiful experiences of being loved and valued. These kinds of fond memories will always stay with them, and will bring warm and wonderful feelings as they reminisce. In order to help more needy students, Hope Foundation has decided to increase the total number of scholarship awards for the next academic year, we truly believe that with your generous help, we can achieve this goal.
The fact that my visiting schedule was extremely tight, combined with the jetlag and transportation challenges, I was physically exhausted and got very sick and it has forced me to slow down somewhat. However, to ensure a bright future for these children, I will bounce back very soon after a short recuperation period. I will continue to dedicate myself to serve the needs of these lovely yet deprived children. However, it will be impossible for me to carry out this heavy duty without your assistance. As you know that cooperation and unity make difficult tasks easy; your continued support and encouragement will be instrumental to our future success. Only if we work together will we be able to spread the seeds of love to the other side of the world.
Someone once said that "Genuinely generous people know how to give and anyone who cares about others deserves high admiration." I believe the above is a true portrait of all of you who have so generously provided the crucial assistance to our Foundation. Whenever I think of your generosity and support throughout the years, I cannot help to become emotional with tearful eyes. I am truly blessed to have you all as my friends and pray that the Lord will repay you in many folds. Let me thank you one more time for helping us to provide a ray of hope to all the scholarship recipients and for all the other assistance you have given to the Hope School Foundation. The smiles I saw on those children are true testimonies of your love and care. You have followed our Lord to be the light of life. Because of your acts of love, those children have the opportunity to continue their education and have a brighter future. May I humbly ask God's blessing for you and your family; may Lord's peace be with you always.
Wishing you all a healthy and happy new year!
Yours Truly,
Alan Chen
可敬的捐款人諸公：
又是一個年關更迭的時刻，感恩節剛過不久，聖誕節即將接踵而至。濃郁年節的歡樂氣氛，感染著大家喜氣洋洋。
美國愛心助學基金會藉此機會，一方面向尊駕恭賀佳節快樂，一方面也向諸位傳報佳音：基金會這小子今年可出息了，不僅得到出人意料的熱烈迴響，捐款金額也呈倍數增長。使我們有能力支持河南省南陽市行政轄區內的五個特貧県興建十所愛心小學，資助各県第一高中品學兼優的清寒學生獎學金共76人次。同時更將觸角伸展到甘粛省碌曲県藏族自治區，在那裡我們也資助了95名貧困的高初中小學生。這些都是因為尊駕的參與及奉獻，才能成就如此美好的功德。
十一月十二日至十九日，我們夫婦倆及另一位執行董事王女士，又再次走訪南陽六個特贫県、20多個城鎮，實地驗收了10所捐建的學校，探訪受助學生，也勘察了14所明年待建學校的危房險樓。長途跋渉的行程超過兩千公里，也打破了去年的記錄。
新建的學校一座比一座美侖美奐，政府也為它們配置了全新的木面鋁合金課桌椅。誠所謂：「好鞍配好馬，紅花綠葉、相得益彰。」給孩子們提供了明亮寬敞、良好安全的學習環境。這樣完善的設施和建設成果，使我們非常滿意而無可挑剔，對諸位捐款人也能安心交代。由此可以進一步肯定南陽市僑辦認真處事、嚴格監督的務實態度，並要感謝県、鄉、鎮、村各級地方政府有關部門的通力合作，以及村民的熱烈支持。
探望各県第一高中的受助學生，也是此行的重點工作。俗話說：「窮人的孩子早當家。」雖然他們沒有快樂的童年，但艱苦的環境却磨鍊出他們堅強的意志和珍惜學習 的機會，個個吃苦耐勞、成績優秀，與他們的交談互動有笑有淚。雖然我沒有經歷過他們的苦難，郤能以同理心去實際体會及感同身受他們的遭遇。而他們的滄桑和血淚更教導我們：謙卑會帶來感恩，知足會帶來惜福，給予會帶來希望，生命會帶來生命。真的，在他們人生際遇中最困難、最重要的階段，能够及時拉他們一把， 很可能改變他們的一生，為社會國家造就出有用的人才。雖然道路依然漫長，並且充滿荊棘、競爭和挑戰，但我已經能從他們身上，可以看到中國將來希望之所在。 而且透過諸位的愛心，可以讓孩子們体驗到那種被人關愛的溫暖和生命價值被尊重的意義。這種心靈的契合和脈動，實在是人性光輝的彰顯和人間大愛的交融。當這 些孩子們長大以後，他們會常常想起這段曾經被人關愛和尊重的美好回憶，該是多麼的溫馨和幸福。為了這些美善，基金會決議從下一個新學年度起，將增加資助貧 困生的名額。我深信在大家共同的努力下，一定可以美夢成真。
此次訪問，行程紧湊、舟車勞頓，加上时差和日夜顛倒，身体著實疲憊不堪。雖然一路小心謹慎，但還是得了感冒和腹瀉，幾達生理所能負荷的極限。但為了孩子們的 益處，為了他們的明天會更好，待休養生息之後，我將再度奮起，盡基金會所能，盡己全力，去幫助那些可憐復可愛的孩子們。然而，獨木難支大廈，唯有仰賴您們繼續的支持和鼓勵，方能衆擎易舉、廣施慈愛。
有人說：「懂得付出的人，才是最慷慨的人。懂得關懷的人，才是最值得尊敬的人。」諸位就是這麼令人景仰和欽佩。為了這份愛，為了這份情，為了這份無言的付出，為了這份默默的給予，也為了這份高尚的情操，走筆至此，我已感動的熱淚盈眶。謝謝您們！生命因為您們的臨在而多了一份喜悅，冷酷的現實因為您們而多了一份溫暖，隂暗的角落因為您們而有了光明，悲淒的孩子們臉上因為您們而綻放出燦爛的笑容，無助的學子因為您們而能勇敢的繼續走下去。為了這些美善，我双手合十，謙卑地跪在尊威的天主台前，為您們祈求無限仁慈的上主，將恩寵和平安豐厚的賞賜給您們。並祝福諸位
身心健康 佳節愉快
美國愛心助學基金會
負責人 陳楚雄 敬上
2007/12/18
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