2020 08 14
作者 Article by: Joanne Loo
我曾經遇見一些非常忠心為他人服務的人。他們甚至超越職責範圍去服侍，實在令我深受感動。在這裏我想分享一個特別的故事。
當我還是一個嬰孩的時候，爸媽請了一位保姆，在他們上班時照顧我。現在我的保姆大概一百歳，沒有近親，住在香港一家老人院裏。我自從九零年代初移民到加拿大之後，每幾個月我就會寄一些照片和問候卡給她。不過，由於保姆不能讀寫，我只能盼望有人會把我的信讀給她聽，我也知道不能期待她回信。近年農曆年間，我會打長途電話給她。雖然她年事已高，但我從電話中總聽到她那帶勁和興奮的聲綫。由於電話費昂貴，我們通常都不敢談太久。
在2018年12月，我在Facebook收到一個私人信息，但我不認識寄件人。我在好奇心驅使下戰戰兢兢地打開信息，立刻認得照片中的人就是我的保姆！信息中除了保姆的照片和錄音外，有這幾行字：「我是院舍職員，抱歉打攪了，憑你的名字找到你的facebook，只想分享給你知，收到你的信件和聖誕賀卡，她很開心。」 我當時的感受實在沒法形容。我很難相信一個職員竟然會主動花時間為我的保姆找我。職員提議我珍惜年日，多做幾次視頻。保姆和我都很高興能夠在螢光幕上看見對方。因著現代科技和一位很有心的職員，我和保姆終於在2018年平安夜可以有個不昂貴的雙向連接方法。這是我絕少數留開心眼淚的一次，但我真的很感動和感激。之後，我們做過幾次視頻。
上個月，香港的疫情轉差，並開始危及一些住老人院的長者。我聯絡上保姆老人院的職員，問問保姆的近況。幸好，那院舍很早已經謝絕探訪，長者們都不受疫症的苦。我的保姆和我在視頻上談天，我又提議把一些近照寄給她。但職員告訴我香港的郵遞服務有重大的延誤，勸我不要用郵寄。她提議我用電郵把照片寄給她，由她打印出來給保姆看。這職員再次超越職責範圍來幫我。雖然她肯定很忙，但她在這漫長的疫情中讓在地球另一邊的我能與保姆保持聯絡。
老人院院舍的那位職員並非唯一超越職責範圍助人的好人。我有幸見到一位醫院員工，他勤奮地和公平地分配個人保護設備，令每個人都有。我也跟我社區的郵遞派送員短談，原來他主動在週末加班派郵包，減少郵包的堆積。其實很多人都靜靜地多做一點，令其他人的生活容易一點。讓我們感謝他們，也加入他們的行列吧。
「這些事你們既做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上，就是做在我身上。」
馬太福音 25:40
本文版權：© Joanne Loo 2020
I have been inspired by individuals who faithfully serve others, even going above and beyond the call of duty. I would like to share a special story here.
When I was a baby, my parents hired a nanny to take care of me while they worked during the day. Now at about 100 years old and with very few relatives, my nanny lives in an old age home in Hong Kong. Ever since I left Hong Kong in the early 1990s, I would send her photos and greeting cards every few months. However, as my nanny does not know how to read or write, I could only hope that someone would read my mail to her; I also knew I could not expect to receive letters from her. In recent years, I would call her around Chinese New Year. Despite her advanced age, she sounded energetic and excited over the phone. We would not talk for long because the calls were expensive.
In December 2018, I received a private Facebook message from someone I did not know. I clicked to open it with both hesitation and curiosity, and quickly recognized my nanny in the photos. In addition to the photos and a short voice recording of my nanny, the message contained a few lines of Chinese text: “I am a staff member of the old age home. Sorry to bother you. Based on your name, I found you on Facebook. Just wanted to let you know that we have received your Christmas card and letter. She is very happy.” I was simply beyond words! I could not believe that a staff member took the initiative and the time to look for me for my nanny’s sake. The staff member recommended that we treasure the years we still have and video chat occasionally. My nanny and I were both so glad to be able to see each other on the screen! Thanks to modern technology and a very caring staff, we could finally have an inexpensive two-way connection on Christmas eve of 2018. This was one of the rare times that I shed tears of joy, but I was truly touched and grateful. We have done video chats a few more times since then.
The COVID-19 pandemic worsened in Hong Kong last month and began to endanger folks in old age homes. I contacted the staff to see how my nanny was faring. Fortunately, the home had banned visitors early on, and the residents were safe from the pandemic. My nanny and I managed to video chat again, and I offered to mail more family photos over. The staff informed me that there is a significant delay in postal services, so I should not mail anything. She offered to receive my photos instead via her own email address and then print them out for my nanny. Once again, the staff stepped up beyond what her duty required. Even though she must be quite busy, she helps my nanny and I stay connected as we go through the lengthy pandemic on opposite sides of the world.
The staff lady is not the only wonderful person who steps up to help. I have been honoured to meet a hospital worker who diligently and fairly distributed personal protective equipment (PPE) in a hospital so that everyone could have enough. I have also chatted with my neighbourhood mail delivery worker who had offered to work overtime on weekends to reduce the backlog of parcels. Many people are quietly doing a little bit extra so that others can have a better life. Let’s thank them and join their ranks.
“Anything you did for one of the least important of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40
Copyright of the text © Joanne Loo, 2020