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发表于 2014-11-4 13:17:46
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感恩节的故事三:
It was the day before Thanksgiving -- the first one my three children and I would be spending without their father, who had left several months before. Now the two older children were very sick with the flu, and the eldest had just been prescribed bed rest for a week.
感恩节前一天——这是他们的父亲离开之后,我和三个孩子们将度过的第一次感恩节。现在因为患了流感,两个年龄大些的孩子病的很严重,医生建议年龄最大的孩子最好卧床休息一周。
It was a cool, gray day outside, and a light rain was falling. I grew wearier as I scurried around, trying to care for each child: thermometers, juice, diapers. And I was fast running out of liquids for the children. But when I checked my purse, all I found was about $2.50 -- and this was supposed to last me until the end of the month. That’s when I heard the phone ring.
外面天寒地冻,一片灰暗,天空飘洒着毛毛雨。我不断地在孩子们周围轮转---量体温、喂果汁、换尿片----尽力照看好每一个孩子,慢慢地疲倦席卷而来。给孩子们喝的东西很快就用光了。当我打开钱包,我所能找到的却只有2.5美元——并且这点钱要维持到月末。这个时候,我听到电话声响起。
It was the secretary from our former church, and she told me that they had been thinking about us and had something to give us from the congregation. I told her that I was going out to pick up some more juice and soup for the children, and I would drop by the church on my way to the market.
打电话的是我们之前教堂里的秘书,她说他们一直在惦记着我们,说教会有些东西要给我们。我告诉她我正打算给孩子们买些汤和果汁,我会在去市场的途中顺道去教堂看下。
I arrived at the church just before lunch. The church secretary met me at the door and handed me a special gift envelope. “We think of you and the kids often,” she said, “and you are in our hearts and prayers. We love you.” When I opened the envelope, I found two grocery certificates inside. Each was worth $20. I was so touched and moved, I broke down and cried.
在吃午饭前我赶到了教堂。秘书在门口给了我一个特别的礼物信封。她说:“我们经常惦记你和孩子们,我们一直真心为你们祈祷。我们爱你们。”当我打开信封,发现里面有两张20美元的食品店购物券。我特别感动,忍不住失声痛哭起来。
“Thank you very much,” I said, as we hugged each other. “Please give our love and thanks to the church.” Then I drove to a store near our home and purchased some much-needed items for the children.
我们紧紧拥抱在一起,我说道:“十分感谢你们。请向教堂转达我们的爱和感谢。”然后我开车来到我家附近的商店,购买些孩子们急需的东西。
At the check-out counter I had a little over $14.00 worth of groceries, and I handed the cashier one of the gift certificates. She took it, then turned her back for what seemed like a very long time. I thought something might be wrong. Finally I said, “This gift certificate is a real blessing. Our former church gave it to my family, knowing I’m a single parent trying to make ends meet.“
在收银台,我一共购买了14美元多些的食品,所以我给了她一张礼品券。她拿着,背转身看了似乎好长一段时间。我想一定是哪里出错了。最后我说:“这张礼品券是一份祝福。得知我是单亲妈妈,努力维持生计,我之前的教堂把它赠与了我们一家人。”
The cashier then turned around, with tears in her loving eyes, and replied, “Honey, that’s wonderful! Do you have a turkey?”
收银员转过身来,眼框里充满了爱的泪水,她说“亲爱的,那真是太好了!你准备好火鸡了吗?”
“No. It’s okay because my children are sick anyway.”
我说“还没有呢?不过没有关系的,反正孩子们在生病。”
She then asked, “Do you have anything else for Thanksgiving dinner?”
她又问:“你感恩节晚餐还准备些别的什么了吗?”
Again I replied, “No.”
再次我的答案还是:“没有”。
After handing me the change from the certificate, she looked at my face and said, “Honey, I can’t tell you exactly why right now, but I want you to go back into the store and buy a turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie or anything else you need for a Thanksgiving dinner.”
递给我找回的零钱,她盯着我的脸说:“亲爱的,现在我不能确切地告诉你为什么,但是我想让你回到店里去买一只火鸡,小红莓果酱,南瓜饼或者其他你准备感恩节晚餐所需要的东西。
I was shocked, and humbled to tears. “Are you sure?” I asked.
我心为之一颤,流下了泪水。问道“一定要这样吗?”
“Yes! Get whatever you want. And get some Gatorade for the kids.”
“是的,你想要什么就拿什么吧。记得给孩子们拿些饮料。”
I felt awkward as I went back to do some more shopping, but I selected a fresh turkey, a few yams and potatoes, and some juices for the children. Then I wheeled the shopping cart up to the same cashier as before. As I placed my groceries on the counter, she looked at me once more with giant tears in her kind eyes and began to speak.
再次回到店里购物我感觉有点尴尬,但我还是选了一只新鲜的火鸡,一些洋芋和土豆,还给孩子们买了些饮料。然后我推着购物车来到同一个收银员那里。当我把食品摆到收银台上的时候,她善良的眼睛里充满了泪水,看着我说:
“Now I can tell you. This morning I prayed that I could help someone today, and you walked through my line.” She reached under the counter for her purse and took out a $20 bill. She paid for my groceries and then handed me the change. Once more I was moved to tears.
“现在我可以告诉你。早晨的时候我祈祷能在今天帮助某个人,然后你就走进了我的视线。”她从收银台下取出自己的钱包拿出20美元。她替我付了款,接着还把剩下的零钱找给了我。我又一次感动地落泪。
The sweet cashier then said, “I am a Christian. Here is my phone number if you ever need anything.” She then took my head in her hands, kissed my cheek and said, “God bless you, honey.”
可爱的收银员说:我是一个信徒。这里是我的电话号码,如果你还需要什么的话。上帝保佑你,亲爱的。她双手捧着我的头,亲吻我的面颊。
As I walked to my car, I was overwhelmed by this stranger’s love and by the realization that God loves my family too, and shows us his love through this stranger’s and my church’s kind deeds.
当我走向汽车,内心充满了对陌生人爱心的深深的感激,同时我也意识到上帝是爱我的家人的,他通过这个陌生人和我的教友们来展现他对我们的爱。
The children were supposed to have spent Thanksgiving with their father that year, but because of the flu they were home with me, for a very special Thanksgiving Day. They were feeling better, and we all ate the goodness of the Lord’s bounty -- and our community’s love. Our hearts were truly filled with thanks.
那一年孩子们本应该跟爸爸一起过感恩节的,但是因为流感他们只能和我呆在家里,一个告别的感恩节。他们感觉好多了,我们都受到了上帝的恩惠——我们社区的爱。我们的心充满感激。
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