暑期少年網上學習小組    

(Internet Surfing Club)

去年夏天的少年讀書會結束後，我就在想下一年讓這些孩子們做什麼呢？我想換個形式會比較有意思。在現在這個時代，我們大多數的信息是來自網絡的。所以就有了這個組織上網學習小組的想法。取了個聽起來很有趣名字叫“Internet Surfing Club”。

我想讓他們了解一下歷史上和現代著名的基督徒。我想讓他們明白基督徒不止對教會有影響力，對社會也有許多重大的影響。當然我更想讓他們明白這些基督徒是如何把信仰運用在生活中的。所以，我列了一個有三十幾名基督徒的表，讓他們任選一個基督徒去研究並做PowerPoint Presentation(報告)。這三十個人中除了宣教士，牧師，福音布道人，還有作家，醫生，護士，詩人，政客，科學家，和運動員。

之後受到英文聚會小組Bryan 和Carm的影響，我有了讓孩子們在網上查找關於幫助有需要的人的經節的想法。除了查找經節，我還讓他們中的三個研究一下三個本地的慈善機構（American Red Cross, Salvation Army，和Food Bank of New Jersey）。在我們最後的報告會上（Final Presentation Day），大家投票選舉一個機構。之後大家為這個慈善機構募捐。

在準備這些材料時我是很興奮的，但實際操作起來我覺得還是很有些壓力的。長話短說，最後來有八個孩子參加了這個小組。報告會（Final Presentation）的那天，孩子們的表現都很棒。我們投票的結果是決定幫助American Red Cross。報告會之後，我覺得很開心，孩子們都很努力。他們所作的Presentations比我預計的要好的多。報告會之後，Bryan來跟我說，今年的Presentations比去年的好多了。我笑着回答，今年的題材要比去年嚴肅多了。

報告會讓我影響深刻的是Michael Hu,Bryant Wang,和Cherry　Liu。Michael用了不少有意思的圖片，Bryant列出很多相關的信息，Cherry做Presentation時最有激情。 我們這些孩子們一點也不怯場。唯一在場上緊張的估計就是我這個說着蹩腳英文的主持人。

今天，我算了一下我們一共籌到捐款170美元。這次的活動，我學到不少東西。隨便列兩樣吧。

1．孩子們最喜歡的基督徒是：C.S. Lewis（路易斯）。 其次是Bethany Hamilton。

2.FlorenceNightingale不止開創了護理業，她數學很好。在統計領域，尤其是統計畫圖方面，是當時行業中的先鋒。

“要愛人如己。”(馬太福音 22:39)這節經文，我聽過很多遍。英文經節是“Love your neighbor as yourself”，也就是愛鄰居象愛自己一樣。當它出現在幫助有需要的人的聖經經節里時，對我震動蠻大的。我知道我做不到。至少現在做不到。不過真正讓我憂傷的是我是不是在盡力去做呢？

在美國這個社會，主流文化是要服務社區，各種募捐名目繁多。在我們中國人眼裡，所謂的美國窮人，是在不可能和中國的窮人比！他們也叫窮人嗎？在我們中國人眼裡，他們窮很可能是因為他們不努力。但我們生活在美國，我們也許不覺得他們是我們的鄰居。我們的孩子是美國人，這些人對他們來說就是鄰居。也許不是一個小區的，但至少是社區的了。所以我組織這樣的活動，某些意義上講是不想讓孩子覺得我是個假冒為善的人。如果你覺得幫助有需要的人會對自己是損失，請查查聖經上關於幫助有需要的人的經節吧！

關於幫助有需要的人的聖經經節已列在我博客里，這裡就不多說了。

下面是這次活動的精彩片段：                          

暑期少年網上學習小組 （Internet Surfing Club)

Final Presentation Photos

C. S. Lewis – Novelist

What Lewis thinks of God?                                                                               

Quotes

Lewis said: Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.”           

Lewis also said: I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

Lewis also said: Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be moderately important.                                    

What he thinks

He said that the bible was the word of god.

Lewis believed that god created the world.                          

Bethany Hamilton  - Professional Surfer          

Her Faith Along the Way

—        At age 5, she was introduced to Jesus

—        She states her faith has been her source of truth, hope, and strength

—        After the shark attack a paramedic said toBethany, “God will never leave or forsake you.”

—        She states that Jesus gives her a really strong foundation for everything she does in life

—        Her faith was true before and after the shark attack

Paul Brand  -  A Well Accomplished Medical Doctor

          What Brand thinks of Pain?

Pain is not against life, but a requirement of life

“God designed the human body so that it is able to survive because of pain.”

William booth and Salvation Army

       The army’s message is based on the Bible

       The ministries the army does is motivated by the love of God

       The Salvation army’s mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet the needs of human beings in His name

Florence Nightingale -  The Founder of Modern Nursing

Back then, women were expected to make a good marriage and raise a family,Florencesensed a calling from God at a early age and beelived that she was destined to do something greater with her

life. As a child, she was very academic and was particularly interested in Math. Her religion gave her a strong sense of moral duty to help the poor and over time, she held a growing belief that nursing was her God-given duty.

John Bunyan  - Christian Writer and Preacher                             

When he was Child, he cursed God. He had very little schooling. He even once forgot how to read. But he wrote the “Pilgrim’s Progress”, which is regarded as one of the most significant works of religious English literature. It has never been out of print and has been translated into over 200 languages, including Russian, Chinese, and Urdu, and has been made into many movies.

後話：

我們花很多精力教育子女，希望他們多學一些本事，以便日後生活可以有保障。可是我們面對是一個公義缺失， 道德淪喪，自然環境在不斷被破壞的世界。如果神用自然災害，或是戰爭來審判這個駁逆的時代，孩子們現在忙着學的東西能給他們保障嗎？也許那時候我們只能信靠神的恩典。