On 30 Sep, during the car trip to Tzu Chi Sunday school with Jian Fa SX and Judy SJ, they mentioned that Tzu Chi volunteers are going to serve food to the homeless at Boston Rescue Mission, beside Chinatown and they asked me whether I am interested to help out. Since I am free that afternoon, I readily agreed.
九月三十日，在往中文学校的路上，建发师兄和小芳师姐提起今天慈济会到位于唐人街附近的波士顿救助中心为无家可归者发放日食，问我是否有兴趣帮忙。既然我下午没什么事，我当然愿意付出时间。
I had never been to such events and hence this is the first time I did something like this (there are many more first time in Tzu Chi). Technically, there are no homeless inSingapore, we housed them under charitable hospital Singapore
我没参与过类似活动，慈济新加坡分会有为独居老人提供午食，但我并没有参与。因此，这是第一次为无家可归者发放日食（在慈济，还会有许多第一次）。技术上，新加坡没有无家可归者，都被安置于慈善医院如广惠肇留医院。因此，无家可归者的救助中心，这一概念，对我而言，是蛮新奇的。跟让我惊讶的是，无家可归者并非住于救助中心内，而是游荡于大街小巷。救助中心只是提供食物，就如好莱坞影片中所描述的一样。
九月三十日，在往中文学校的路上，建发师兄和小芳师姐提起今天慈济会到位于唐人街附近的波士顿救助中心为无家可归者发放日食，问我是否有兴趣帮忙。既然我下午没什么事，我当然愿意付出时间。
I had never been to such events and hence this is the first time I did something like this (there are many more first time in Tzu Chi). Technically, there are no homeless in
我没参与过类似活动，慈济新加坡分会有为独居老人提供午食，但我并没有参与。因此，这是第一次为无家可归者发放日食（在慈济，还会有许多第一次）。技术上，新加坡没有无家可归者，都被安置于慈善医院如广惠肇留医院。因此，无家可归者的救助中心，这一概念，对我而言，是蛮新奇的。跟让我惊讶的是，无家可归者并非住于救助中心内，而是游荡于大街小巷。救助中心只是提供食物，就如好莱坞影片中所描述的一样。
Tzu Chi has a very strict code of conduct for volunteers handling food. We all have to wear apron and a scarf to cover our hair. All the food were cooked by our SGs and SB and brought over to Boston Rescue Mission. Boston Rescue Mission provides fruit juice for the homeless and very interesting, sweets.
慈济对处理食物的志工有一套严格的要求：我们必须穿上围裙（慈济称为围多多）和戴头巾（避免头发落入食物中）。要发放的食物都是师姑和师伯们在家煮好后带过来的。波士顿救助中心提供果汁和我难以想象的：糖果。
All preparation must be ready by 4.30 pm, where the staff of the Mission will eat first. Then at 5.30 pm, the homeless will walk in, in batches and into the kitchen. I was in the kitchen all along and hence do not know whether a line formed outside the House. The homeless will collect a tray and proceed down the line where SGs and SB will give them noodles and food (Tzu Chi only provide vegetarian food). I was positioned to the end of the queue, in charge of giving them plastic cutlery and juice. Frankly, I think the meal is much better than those I cooked myself back dorm.
所有食物务必在下午四点半准备妥当。到时，救助中心的员工会先用善。下午五点半，无家可归者开始分批进入食堂。我十分好奇，不知救助中心外是否如好莱坞影片中所描述的一样，无家可归者排成长长的人龙，鱼贯而入。可惜，我无法离开食堂，因此未能一看究竟。在食堂内，无家可归者接过盘子，领取饭或面、三种菜、饼干、糖果和果汁（慈济只提供素食）。我在末端，负责餐具和倒果汁。所老实话，我觉得慈济提供的这一餐，比起我自己煮的，是有过之而无不及。
慈济对处理食物的志工有一套严格的要求：我们必须穿上围裙（慈济称为围多多）和戴头巾（避免头发落入食物中）。要发放的食物都是师姑和师伯们在家煮好后带过来的。波士顿救助中心提供果汁和我难以想象的：糖果。
All preparation must be ready by 4.30 pm, where the staff of the Mission will eat first. Then at 5.30 pm, the homeless will walk in, in batches and into the kitchen. I was in the kitchen all along and hence do not know whether a line formed outside the House. The homeless will collect a tray and proceed down the line where SGs and SB will give them noodles and food (Tzu Chi only provide vegetarian food). I was positioned to the end of the queue, in charge of giving them plastic cutlery and juice. Frankly, I think the meal is much better than those I cooked myself back dorm.
所有食物务必在下午四点半准备妥当。到时，救助中心的员工会先用善。下午五点半，无家可归者开始分批进入食堂。我十分好奇，不知救助中心外是否如好莱坞影片中所描述的一样，无家可归者排成长长的人龙，鱼贯而入。可惜，我无法离开食堂，因此未能一看究竟。在食堂内，无家可归者接过盘子，领取饭或面、三种菜、饼干、糖果和果汁（慈济只提供素食）。我在末端，负责餐具和倒果汁。所老实话，我觉得慈济提供的这一餐，比起我自己煮的，是有过之而无不及。
I always have the impression that homeless are supposed to be dirty, thin and sickly (stereotyped from media). Hence, I was very surprised that the people who walked in for the free meals are so overweight. This makes me wonder really how homeless they are. I saw a young couple, I saw a guy wearing a MIT sweater (a SB told me that the sweater could be picked up) and a few others in decent attire. By the way they chat with the staff, they seem to be coming to this House on a long-term basis.
一直以来，我以为无家可归者因该是又脏、又瘦、又病（媒体的刻板印象）。因此，我非常惊讶的发现走进救助中心的无家可归者，大多数都超胖。这难免让我怀疑，进来的人，到底是不是真的无家可归。无家可归者中，有一对年轻夫妇、一位穿着麻省理工毛衣的中年男子（师伯说可能是捡到的）以及不少衣着整齐的乐龄人士。他们与救助中心的员工犹如忘年之交、侃侃而谈。从此可推论，因该是长期来往于救助中心的。
After the whole event, I was really thinking hard: are we really helping them by giving them food or are we encouraging their dependence on welfare? There are a few that look really thin and sick, I am really glad that I helped them during the downturn of their life. Furthermore, the thought of "teaching him to fish is better than giving him a fish" is always behind my mind. Since young, we were taught that nobody ownSingapore
发放结束后，我认真思考：发放日食是帮他们还是害他们？孤老贫病，义不容辞。不过，授人于鱼，不如授人于渔。从小，新加坡教育的中心思想是：发奋图强、自力更生。为此，当师姑说，有不少慈善组织希望为救助中心提供日食，但因反应过好而不得其门而入时，我不禁纳闷，慈济人的时间与精力是否能用于更有意义的事。
A couple of weeks later, again during the car trip to Tzu Chi Sunday school with Jian Fa SX and Judy SJ, I told them what I feel and my thoughts. Their reply surprised me. Jian Fa SX told me that most of the homeless in USA have a family. They just choose to roam the streets instead. Most of them have some bad memories with the concept of home, family or society. Hence they choose to live alone on the streets. It is more of a mental rather than a poverty issue.
几个礼拜后，在建发师兄与小芳师姐的车上，往中文学校途中，我与他们两位分享了我的感受。他们的答复令我十分惊讶。建发师兄告诉我，在美国，大多数的无家可归者，都有家庭。不过他们可能与家庭、家人或整个社会有几许不愉快的经历，而甘愿只身在外，风餐露宿。经师兄解说，贫困问题顿时成了社会或精神问题。
What Tzu Chi and other organizations, including Boston Rescue Mission, are trying, is to provide some comfort to them during their self-exile and hope that they will eventually walk out of their desolate.
众多机构，包括波士顿救助中心与慈济，正在努力做的，是在无家可归者自我流放的这一段时间，想方设法的送温暖。希望在不久的将来，他们能走出自我的阴影，从新面对人生。
After Jian Fa SX and Judy SJ explanation, I realized that I am very ignorant of American society. It is very different from Singapore. I was too quick to jump into a conclusion. Now, I am very happy to return to Boston Rescue Mission again in the near future.
一言惊醒梦中人，对美国的社会百态，我是管中窥豹。新加坡的国情，与美国不可同一而论。至此，我希望在不久的将来，会带着欢喜心再一次到波士顿救助中心。
一直以来，我以为无家可归者因该是又脏、又瘦、又病（媒体的刻板印象）。因此，我非常惊讶的发现走进救助中心的无家可归者，大多数都超胖。这难免让我怀疑，进来的人，到底是不是真的无家可归。无家可归者中，有一对年轻夫妇、一位穿着麻省理工毛衣的中年男子（师伯说可能是捡到的）以及不少衣着整齐的乐龄人士。他们与救助中心的员工犹如忘年之交、侃侃而谈。从此可推论，因该是长期来往于救助中心的。
After the whole event, I was really thinking hard: are we really helping them by giving them food or are we encouraging their dependence on welfare? There are a few that look really thin and sick, I am really glad that I helped them during the downturn of their life. Furthermore, the thought of "teaching him to fish is better than giving him a fish" is always behind my mind. Since young, we were taught that nobody own
发放结束后，我认真思考：发放日食是帮他们还是害他们？孤老贫病，义不容辞。不过，授人于鱼，不如授人于渔。从小，新加坡教育的中心思想是：发奋图强、自力更生。为此，当师姑说，有不少慈善组织希望为救助中心提供日食，但因反应过好而不得其门而入时，我不禁纳闷，慈济人的时间与精力是否能用于更有意义的事。
A couple of weeks later, again during the car trip to Tzu Chi Sunday school with Jian Fa SX and Judy SJ, I told them what I feel and my thoughts. Their reply surprised me. Jian Fa SX told me that most of the homeless in USA have a family. They just choose to roam the streets instead. Most of them have some bad memories with the concept of home, family or society. Hence they choose to live alone on the streets. It is more of a mental rather than a poverty issue.
几个礼拜后，在建发师兄与小芳师姐的车上，往中文学校途中，我与他们两位分享了我的感受。他们的答复令我十分惊讶。建发师兄告诉我，在美国，大多数的无家可归者，都有家庭。不过他们可能与家庭、家人或整个社会有几许不愉快的经历，而甘愿只身在外，风餐露宿。经师兄解说，贫困问题顿时成了社会或精神问题。
What Tzu Chi and other organizations, including Boston Rescue Mission, are trying, is to provide some comfort to them during their self-exile and hope that they will eventually walk out of their desolate.
众多机构，包括波士顿救助中心与慈济，正在努力做的，是在无家可归者自我流放的这一段时间，想方设法的送温暖。希望在不久的将来，他们能走出自我的阴影，从新面对人生。
After Jian Fa SX and Judy SJ explanation, I realized that I am very ignorant of American society. It is very different from Singapore. I was too quick to jump into a conclusion. Now, I am very happy to return to Boston Rescue Mission again in the near future.
一言惊醒梦中人，对美国的社会百态，我是管中窥豹。新加坡的国情，与美国不可同一而论。至此，我希望在不久的将来，会带着欢喜心再一次到波士顿救助中心。
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