cambodia2

家人回去后，我一个人留在这里。我只买了单程的机票，因为不知道会逗留多久，心想说，去到哪儿就从哪儿回去吧～（这是当初满心天真的想法）

I stayed here alone after my family went back. I purchased a one way ticket since I was unsure how long I will be staying here so I was telling myself that I will leave from that place I will be at. 

隔天约见mavis姐，一个十分乐观又心地善良的大姐。没见她之前就听说了很多有关她的传奇。为什么是传奇？发生在她身上的事情太了不起了！

I met up with sister Mavis the next day. She is an extremely optimistic good hearted eldest sister. I heard a lot about her legends though I haven’t met her before. And why is it legend because things happened on her are beyond description. 

mavis姐是我好朋友Steve从小一起长大的干姐姐，mavis是新加坡人后来嫁到马六甲，在那儿生活了很多年。她的义工生涯在她离婚后积极的展开了…….

Sister Mavis is my good friend, Steve, childhood godsister. She is a Singaporean but married to Malacca and live there for many years. Her voluntary works come in after her divorced…. 

这里是她故事的开始,请游览她的网站：http://www.touchalife.org.my/main/greetings/greetings.html 

this is how her story begins, please visit her website: http://www.touchalife.org.my/main/greetings/greetings.html  

一见面她对我的了解也只是通过Steve，我们素不相识的两个人约在她住的地方见面.

We met at her place and her knowledge of me is only through Steve. 

在我对她最初印象，她看起来非常的开朗，还有每件生命中的小事从她口中说出来都好像非常值得感恩。（本来就应该是这样）

The first impression she gives me is that she seems open and every single thing that happen in her life is worth feeling grateful. (Actually that should be the way) 

其实我也不知道自己可以帮她什么，心里想说她需要我做什么我就做吧。

I not sure how I can help her in anyways.. in my heart I was thinking if she needs me to do anything, I will just do it. 

话一说完她把我带到她义务借她厨房煮饭的一件酒店，酒店将要装修，所以mavis姐得另找地方煮饭。我们俩搬了一堆的锅铲酱料辣椒什么的堆满了我们的嘟嘟车。

把东西搬回mavis姐住的guest house，（g.house的老板娘很好心的借出她的厨房给我们用。）我们就到市场买菜。出发前她介嘟嘟车司机Bun Thorn给我认识，她说Burn Thorn是一位很善良的年轻人，看起来酷酷的其实热心的很。这后来我都证实了。

She brought me to this hotel kitchen where she carries out her voluntary work..the hotel is undergoing renovation soon so sister mavis has to find another place to do the cooking. Both of us moved pile of spatula, sauce, chilli etc etc and filled up the entire “toot” “toot”vehicle and move them back into the guesthouse where sister mavis stayed. (the lady boss of the guesthouse is so nice to lend her the kitchen for us to use). We then went to the supermarket to buy vegetables. Before we set off, she introduced Bun Thron, driver of the “toot” “toot” vehicle to me and she said that he is a good young man, Although he looks cool cool but I gradually find him to be a warm young fellow. 

m姐说，她从不来不为煮饭的事情操心过。她说上天自会提供她所需要的，不多也不少。这….我后来也应证过了。

Sister mavis said that she was never worried about not finding places to cook. She said God will find her needs, not more not less, just enough.. 

煮饭虽然难不倒我，不过煮给陌生人吃，还是第一次，凡是都有第一次…….我安慰自己说……

Cooking doesn’t baffle me but cooking for strangers to eat is my first…and I consoled myself by saying that there is a first time to everything…

我当然知道我的付出是微不足道的,想到今天至少拾荒的小孩老人可以有温饱的晚餐，心里就感到欣慰。

I know certainly my payout is not worthy of mentioning, but at least when I think that children and elderly have a warm dinner, I feel joyful for them. 

晚上7点半，m姐把包好的饭放进一个小拖车里，她把拖车交给我，我以为我们只要走出大门，Bun Thorn先生就会来接我们去派饭，走了10分钟，我忍不住问她：‘我们是用走的吗？’天渐渐暗了。

At 7.30pm, sister Mavis wrapped the food securely and placed them on a small tractor.. she hand it over to me. Initially I thought we were walking out of the main door and Bun Thorn will pick us up to deliver the rice. But after walking for about 10 minutes, I decided to ask her “We are walking there? The sky is turning dark.” 

她说：‘是啊～我都用走的。’ 同样的路线和人，从陌生走到变熟悉….    小孩和老人，大家都认识她，一个从遥远的先进的国度抛下华丽衣裳，来….煮饭…的人。

She said “Yes ah~ I usually walk there”The same route, the same people, from strangers to familiar faces… children and elderies, everyone know her…someone who came far away and drops down all the modern advanced state just to come here to cook for the needy…. 

我担心问：‘不危险吗？’ 她笑：‘这是大家对第三世界普遍的误解’我也笑，尴尬地。

I asked her “not dangerous at all” she laughed out saying ” this is what everybody see a third world misunderstanding” I also laughed, awkardly. 

没多久我们就看见了她第一位顾客，她骑着脚踏车在对面路向，m姐把她叫住，用柬语问她要不要吃饭？然后把饭交到我手上示意我交给小女孩。我交给了她，看见她接过饭时特意避开碰触我，低头不想让我看见她脏脏的…..手

Not long later, we met her first customer.. She was riding a bicycle coming from the opposite direction. Sister Mavis asked her to stop and asked her if she want to eat anything in Cambodia language. She then pass me the packet rice and hint me to pass to the little girl. I passed it over and noticed that she was trying not to come in contact with me after taking the packet rice, afraid that I might seeher dirty…….. hand..

 m姐说，她有一群固定的‘顾客’分几类别。小孩，三五成群的在晚上出没，晚上是他们工作的时间，下午很热，出来太久会中暑。晚上游客多，垃圾也多。他们骑着改装过的脚踏车在街上窜走，在垃圾堆里搜寻瓶子，汽水，矿泉水罐，卖钱赚生活。m姐说她刚来的时候，她还看见他们喝从垃圾堆里捡来的那些没喝完的汽水。说的时候她眼眶都红了。我这才体会到我们的幸福是无与伦比的…..

Sister Mavis also said she has a group of “customers” in different categories. Kids will gather at night to do work as it is too hot in the noon and staying out for too long may cause a heat stroke. There are many visitors and many rubbish at night. They will then ride on their modified bicycle on the street to collect glass bottles, soft drink cans, mineral water bottles and sell them to earn money for a living. She added that initially when she came here, she saw people drinking water from leftover bottles thrown into the rubbish bin and as she was saying, her eyes were teary. I then realized how fortunate we are…..

再来就是一些残缺的老人，和贫穷的妇女们。

and then there are some disabled elderies, poor women

一路上她和他们嘘寒问暖，我忙着送饭，拖车上的篮子越来越轻，我的心情却越走越沉重…..

All the way, Sister Mavis and them were talking among themselves while I was busy delivering food.. the baskets on the small tractor get lighter and lesser… but my heart went heavy and heavier….

 待续…………..……….(CONTINUED)