Newsletter No. 359

No. 359, 4.6.2010 鄺詠茵 Kwong Wing-yan 下回〈十方吐露〉將訪問施達理博士 Dr. Colin Storey will be featured in the next instalment of ‘TEN QUESTIONS FOR’. 預告 Coming 1 何時開始當義工？曾從事哪些義務工作？ When did you start your voluntary services? What services have you been involved in? 自中學開始。做過不同種類的義工，包括為貧窮家庭兒童 補習、參與籌辦社會教育活動，以及到醫院探訪精神病患 者。當累積了足夠經驗後，我亦參與推廣義務工作和訓練 義工。 Since secondary school, I have participated in numerous kinds of volunteer services including providing free tuition to children from poor families, organizing educational activities for the general public as well as paying regular hospital visits to patients with mental illnesses. After gaining adequate experience, I also helped to promote volunteering and train new volunteers. 2 為甚麼會熱衷於服務弱勢社群？ Why are you so enthusiastic about serving underprivileged groups? 社會上很多人不是可以幸運地誕生於富裕家庭，但這不代 表他們次人一等，他們認真學習和工作，付出的努力和熱誠 與別人無異。那管是財政上或是精神上的幫助，對貧困人 士的生活總有些改善，從而改變其人生，日後他們也可反過 來幫助別人。 Most people do not have the good fortune to be born into a wealthy family. Yet this doesn’t make them inferior. They put in the same amount of hard work and enthusiasm into their studies and work. Helping the needy, whether financially or spiritually, we can make some difference in their lives. With time, their lives may be changed and they can help others in turn. 3 選擇唸醫與你過往的義工經驗有否關係？如果不選 醫科會選甚麼？ Is there any relationship between studying medicine and your voluntary services? If not medicine, what would you have chosen to major in? 其實我的義務工作與醫學沒有太大關係，想當醫生是因為 其工作是拯救生命，較諸其他職業更能幫助別人。「以生命 影響生命」一直是我的信念。 在慈善機構做了不少義務工作後，我曾想過當社工，那便可 以在心理、家庭，甚或人際溝通的層面協助有需要者。但受 家人和朋友的影響，最後還是決定唸醫。 Most of my former volunteer experiences were not related to medicine, but I also believe that doctors can do much more than many other occupations, because they deal with people’s lives everyday. ‘Influencing one’s life with my own’ has always been something I aspire to. After getting involved in a lot of volunteer services for charity, I thought of becoming a social worker to help people deal with psychological, familial and even 五年級聯合書院醫科生鄺詠茵，年前毅然休學一年，前往西非喀麥隆，參加當地慈善機構NAVTI基金任義工。 Kwong Wing-yan, a fifth year medical student from the United College, suspended her studies for one year to do voluntary service in Cameroon in West Africa. She joined an NGO in Cameroon named NAVTI Foundation as a volunteer. interpersonal issues. But in the end I chose medicine as my profession thanks to influence from friends and family. 4 對於有港人義工在青海地震中遇難，你有甚麼看法？ What are your views on the death of the Hong Kong volunteer in the Qinghai earthquake? 聽到這個不幸消息後感到十分難過，但換個角度來看，我以 這位義工為榮，因為他向大家展示了甚麼是愛，那就是捨己 為人的精神。當義工不難，然而當一位心懷大愛的義工須有 高尚的情操。我非常敬重他那無私犧牲的行為。 When I heard the news, I felt sorry; but on the other hand, I felt proud of him for demonstrating to us the meaning of love, which is to think about other people before thinking about ourselves. Being a volunteer is not difficult, but being a volunteer who loves requires sublime sentimentality. I deeply admire his selfless behaviour. 5 為何會有到喀麥隆擔任義工的念頭？家人有甚麼 看法？ How did you get the idea of serving in Cameroon? How does your family feel about it? 我喜歡挑戰，因為有助個人成長。到一個完全陌生的地方 會是一大挑戰，而我亦希望可以幫助那些居於發展中國家 極需援助的人。所以，當獲悉有機會前往非洲做義工時，考 慮了不過數天便作出決定。父母也體諒和支持，我隨即開 始準備行裝。 I love challenges; they make one grow. Going somewhere completely different from Hong Kong can be a big challenge. I also hope to help people in the greatest need like those living in developing countries. After knowing about the chance to help in Africa, it took me only a few days to decide. My parents were very supportive and considerate. I started preparing for my trip very soon after that. 6 到埗後第一感覺如何？負責甚麼工作？ What’s your first impression of Cameroon? What’s your job? 喀麥隆給我的第一印象是落後，科技和基建都一樣落後。水 電供應不穩定也讓我困擾。那時我是該慈善組織的唯一義 工，因此負起了幾乎全部工作，由教導中學生認識愛滋病， 以至協助村民建屋，不管是否與我的本科有關，都必須負 責，真的很具挑戰性。 My first impression of Cameroon was that it was very backward, both in terms of technology and infrastructure. The absence of a stable water and electricity supply was another of my frustrations. Since I was the only volunteer in the organization during the year, I took up almost all the work, whether it was related to my area of study or not— from teaching about HIV to secondary school students to helping villagers build houses. The nature of work was very diverse, and it was really a great challenge. 7 雖然已注射了預防針，但還是染上瘧疾，又親歷軍 隊開槍鎮壓，人生觀有何改變？ You came down with malaria despite having had your malaria shot. You witnessed soldiers shooting at rioters. How have these experiences influenced your outlook on life? 生命本無常。縱使我們不能主宰命運，卻能在逆境中自強。 這是我經歷了兩次差點送命的瘧疾和暴力鎮壓後的體會。 Life is full of changes and uncertainties. Although we cannot control what we encounter, we can control how we react to adversity. This is what I learned after having survived two deadly malarial infections and a bloody riot in the city. 8 這一年的義工生涯最大的犧牲是甚麼？ Of your year-long stay, what was the greatest sacrifice? 有人會認為犧牲了時間，但我卻不以為然，反倒是健康變差 了。由於每天進食的都是由棕櫚油烹製的食品，致肥又不健 康，所以一年下來，我胖了二十多磅，血糖和膽固醇指數幾 達高危水平。回港後，要很努力才可回復至健康指數。 Some people think my greatest sacrifice was time. But to me, my health was the most important thing I lost. With an unhealthy diet heavy in fatty palm-oil , I gained over 20 lbs in the year, my blood glucose and cholesterol levels were dangerously high. When I came back, I had to work very hard to lower them to normal levels. 9 你眼中的非洲原居民是怎樣的？ What’s your impression of Africans? 只是與當地居民交往數天，我已發現他們的關係密切，整條 村落就如大家庭般。他們會關心、關懷和向每位在路上遇 見的人問好。開始時我並不習慣這種「過分」的熱情，但後 來我亦被同化，成為他們的一分子。在上下班途中時碰到人 時，不管認識與否，也會跟他們談天，結果本來只需十分鐘 的步行時間，卻用上了三十分鐘。這種文化在香港是絕無僅 有的。 After a few days interacting with the locals, my impression was that they have very close relationships with each other. The village is one big family. They show care and concern, they greet everyone on the street. In the beginning, I was not used to what I saw as ‘excessive’ enthusiasm, but eventually I became one of them. I talked to everyone I knew or didn’t know on the street during my way to work, so it took me 30 minutes to go somewhere that could have been reached in 10. This is never seen in Hong Kong. 10 回港後還有否繼續義工工作嗎？ Are you continuing with voluntary service after coming back to Hong Kong? 從事義務工作是我的最大興趣，我會繼續下去。可是，此刻 需要用功學習，休學一年，使課業落後了不少。待日後累積 了足夠行醫經驗後，我希望到落後地區服務，那管是非洲、 南亞或是中國，我相信總有一天會在彼邦留下足印的。 Volunteering is always my biggest interest. I will definitely continue. But at this stage in life, I have to work harder in my medical studies, since I have fallen quite some way behind after having taken a year off. I hope to help as a medical professional in developing countries in the future after gaining adequate experience in the field. Whether it’s Africa, South-east Asia, or mainland China, I believe I will be there again some day.