人生不設(shè)限·耐心會獲得回報

我和我的團隊做了個計劃，想在2008年進(jìn)行“走向世界之旅”，目標(biāo)是訪問14個國家。計劃初期，我們設(shè)定了預(yù)算，并發(fā)起募款活動，希望募集資金，以支付旅行的費用。那時我們沒有專業(yè)的募款人員，所以離目標(biāo)還有一大段距離，大約只募集到所需費用的三分之一。

My team at Life Without Limbs helped me plan a World Outreach Tour in 2008 with the goal of visiting fourteen countries. In the early planning, we set a budget and held a fundraising campaign to cover our expenses for the trip. We didn't have professional fund-raisers on staff then, and we fell far short of our goal. We raised only about one third of what we felt we needed. I forged ahead and started the tour with visits to Colombia, Ukraine, Serbia, and Romania. When I returned home, my advisers were concerned that we didn't have the funds to continue with the rest of the tour.

我依然照計劃展開行程，去了哥倫比亞、烏克蘭、塞爾維亞和羅馬尼亞?；貋砗?，我的顧問們很擔(dān)心接下來沒錢進(jìn)行剩下的訪問計劃。

My uncle Batta is a successful businessman in California, and he serves on my board. He made an executive decision to cancel two major stops on the rest of my planned tour. Money was not the only reason.

我叔叔貝塔是個成功的企業(yè)家，也是我們董事會的成員。他斷然取消我接下來行程中的兩個主要地點，倒不只是因為錢。

"We are getting more and more reports that it might not be safe to travel because of unrest in India, especially Mumbai, and Indonesia," he said. "Since we are short of our budget anyway, I think it would be wise to visit those countries another time."

“我們接到愈來愈多的報告說印度不是很安全，不適合旅行，尤其是孟買，還有印尼也是。”他說，“反正我們經(jīng)費也不夠，這些地方就下次再去吧。”

My uncle is a very wise man, and I didn't argue with him. I told him that I trusted him. Then I went to a speaking engagement in Florida, where there were 450 volunteers just to handle the huge crowd. I was there to inspire them, but my audience charged me up with their enthusiasm. On the way home to California, I was so encouraged by the reception I received in Florida that I felt an overpowering need to continue our world tour as planned.

我叔叔是個有智慧的人，我沒有和他爭論。我告訴他我信任他，然后依約前往佛羅里達(dá)演講。那場演講因為大爆滿，所以動用了450位志愿者。我去那里是要激勵大家，但我的聽眾用他們的熱情給了我力量。我在佛羅里達(dá)收到的熱烈回應(yīng)鼓勵了我，讓我在回加州的途中一直想著，我還是應(yīng)該按照原來的計劃，進(jìn)行世界巡回演講。

I prayed and prayed for guidance. I felt that I should go to India and Indonesia despite our insufficient funds and the signs of danger. I believed we could serve others and the rest would take care of itself. Uncle Batta invited me to dinner at his home to discuss my desire to continue based on faith and not on funds.

我不斷地禱告，尋求上帝的指引。盡管經(jīng)費不足，又有安全疑慮，我還是覺得應(yīng)該去印度和印尼。我相信我們可以服侍他人，剩下的部分自然會有解決之道。貝塔叔叔邀請我去他家吃飯，討論我想憑借信心而不是資金進(jìn)行接下來行程的事。

As we were talking over dinner, I became very emotional about the situation. I just felt so strongly that this was something I needed to do. Uncle Batta understands me and my drive to bring my message to as many people as I can.

在用餐途中討論到這件事情時，我的情緒變得很激動，覺得這是一件我非去做不可的事。貝塔叔叔很了解我，也知道我希望盡我所能地將訊息帶給他人的那份動力。

"Let's see where the Lord leads us in the next few weeks," he said patiently.

“那我們就看看接下來的幾個星期，主要如何帶領(lǐng)我們。”他耐著性子說。

You don't give up when faced with challenges. You don't run away from them either. You assess the situation, look for solutions, and trust that whatever happens, it will come together for the good. Patience is essential. You plant the seeds. You weather the storms.

遇到困難不要放棄，不要蠻干，也不要逃開。請評估情勢，尋找解決方案，并且相信：無論發(fā)生什么，都是為了最終的美好結(jié)果。耐心是基本的。你撒下種子，經(jīng)歷暴風(fēng)雨，然后等待豐收。請相信每個阻礙都有作用，然后去尋找最好的解決方案。

You wait for the harvest. Mostly when you encounter an obstacle, you don't do anything foolish. You don't bash your head against it. You don't turn around in defeat. You look for the best solution while trusting that every obstacle serves a purpose.

當(dāng)完成世界之旅的經(jīng)費不夠時，我們并沒有急著出門，去花那些我們沒有的錢。相反地，我們禱告，尋求解答，并且相信：如果門現(xiàn)在一直關(guān)著，總有一天會向另一個機會敞開。

When the money wasn't there to complete our world tour, we didn't rush out and spend money we didn't have. We prayed. We looked for solutions. We believed that if the door remained closed for now, it would one day open to another opportunity.

重點是，只要不停尋找，你就會找到一條路?；蛟S你必須根據(jù)現(xiàn)實調(diào)整目標(biāo)，但只要還有一口氣在，你就應(yīng)該記住，可能性一直都在。

The important point to remember is that you will always find a way as you keep looking for it. You may have to adjust your goals to the realities. But as long as you keep breathing, you should remember that the possibilities are still there.

話說回來，我想告訴你一件事：在為了該如何替接下來的旅程籌措經(jīng)費而禱告時，我們并沒有得到單一的回應(yīng)，而且發(fā)生了一連串令人驚奇的事。

That said, I've got to tell you this: We didn't receive a single answer to our prayers for a way to finance the rest of tour. But then an amazing series of events unfolded.

跟貝塔叔叔吃過晚餐幾天后，有一位叫布萊恩·哈特的男士跟我們聯(lián)絡(luò)。他聽了我在佛羅里達(dá)的演講，打電話來致贈了一大筆錢給我們的基金會。

A few days after my dinner with Uncle Batta, a fellow named Bryan Hart, who'd heard me speak in Florida, called and offered our foundation a large sum of money as a gift.

接著我們接到印尼聯(lián)絡(luò)人的電話，說為了我們把香港的兩座體育場租出去了，所以如果我們?nèi)ビ∧?，旅費就由他們負(fù)責(zé)。

Then our contacts in Indonesia called to say that they'd rented out two stadiums for us in Hong Kong. They promised to make sure our costs were covered if we came.

又過了兩天，一個位于加州的慈善組織提供了更大一筆錢，足以支付我們其余旅程的費用!

Two days after that a California charitable organization came up with an even greater sum that covered the remaining costs for the trip!

短短幾天內(nèi)，世界之旅的經(jīng)費已不成問題。雖然有幾個地方還是有安全疑慮，不過，就讓我們相信上帝吧。

Within days money was no longer an issue. We still had security concerns about some of the places where we were going, but we put our trust in God.