2023珍惜生命親子夏令營㊤

2023珍惜生命親子夏令營㊤

◎ 美國忠恕道院提供

緣由

由於傳統家庭結構的改變，在這忙碌的社會中，要建立良好的親子關係是非常挑戰的，所以我們每年的夏令營一定是辦「家庭式的親子夏令營」。每個活動的設計皆有針對孩子的部分、針對家長的部分，以及親子共同的部分，是一個親子共同成長的機會。幾年下來，無論孩子及父母都有很正面的影響及回饋。

社會的變遷、科技的發展、槍枝的氾濫，加上人與人之間越來越疏離，甚至忘了真正的自己是誰。所以槍殺、霸凌、自殺、自殘案例頻傳；傷害他人也傷害自己，不由得喟嘆現今社會許多人太不珍惜生命了。基於此，我們即以黃成德點傳師慈悲講述過的一堂課：「一貫道的修行觀─―熱愛生命（熱愛自己的生命、熱愛家人的生命、熱愛他人的生命、熱愛動物及大自然）」改為「珍惜生命」，並設計規劃四個單元為：珍惜自己、珍惜家人、珍惜他人、珍惜動物及大自然，為今年親子營的活動設計核心。希望藉由這個過程，將一貫道的修行觀傳達出去並可踐行。特別感謝黃點傳師慈悲帶給我們的啟發。

今年6月22至25日於美國舊金山忠恕道院、7月27至30日於美國密西根忠恕道院，前後各包含兩天輔導／志工研習、兩天的親子夏令營。來到密西根第二站時，匯集了更多已準備多時的輔導員及成人講員加入。活動前兩天的輔導及少年志工培訓營，由明理的清口講師、禮節組長，以及有愿力的講員全程參與輔導、帶動。因小小志工有心學習，英文青年道親在艱辛的情況下（抱病、成長環境不足的條件下）仍認真學習，帶動的社青隊輔也不敢掉以輕心。

此次親子營是生命對生命的交流，在無形中一貫道的修行觀穿透到每一位參與者的心中，無論是學員、輔導學長、服務人員、天廚菩薩……，皆因此對修道有了更深的體悟，對彼此及所有的一切更加地珍惜了。

感謝　天恩師德、道場的栽培，感謝當年加拿大多倫多明華道院何阿木點傳師慈悲，於密西根忠恕道院成立初期，介紹經驗豐富的黃惠蘭點傳師帶著團隊來到密西根指導與帶動，使我們學習到如何嚴謹地辦營隊。

Vow & Performing - In sharing Tao we deepen our realization

By Heather Storeng

In August 2022 I was staying at a health care facility because I was in poor health. One day while I was there, we watched a talk from someone who said it is essential to find your Purpose in life. At that moment I thought, ‟I know my Purpose I’m just not doing it.”

This was a shocking realization. My Purpose was to help other English Tao speaking people learn more about Tao by working alongside our Dien Chuan Shi at the temple. The goal was to help her in any way that I could. Yet I was not doing that, because I was too sick and too afraid to ask her if she wanted my help. 

The next time I talked to my husband. I told him about my Purpose and he called our DCS and she said she would welcome my help. From that moment on, I started working on getting healthy so that I could eventually stay at the temple with her for short periods of time. My desire was so sincere that it only took six weeks before I left the facility. And within five months I was living my Purpose at the temple.

As part of my journey, I wanted to do something for children. It occurred to me that we need books about Tao aimed at teaching children, so I wrote a story, illustrated the pictures, and shared with our DCS’s at temple. Not only did they like it, they came up with the idea of creating three more stories, all centered around the idea of ‟Cherish” which was going to be the theme for Summer Camp this year. There were four primary sections: Cherish Self, Cherish Family, Cherish Others, Cherish Earth (and Animal).

Immediately I was excited about this concept and sat down to write the stories. Children are so important, and need to know that they are precious and cherished. Sharing the message of Tao to children is essential, so that they know about their True Self and know how to help others that are struggling. I have taught music to children for many years and was thrilled to be able to teach them to be respectful of themselves, others and the planet as well. It was an honor to write four stories where these ideas were explored.

As it came closer to Family Camp, a team came together to plan out the activities and the general flow. One of the ideas was to make one of the characters from the story into a super-hero. We focused on the qualities of a hero – generous, helpful – and decided to emphasize them throughout the two-day event.

When the camp finally arrived, I was most impressed by one of the Junior Councilors. ‟Two days is not long enough!” she exclaimed as we neared the end of Camp. She had been enthusiastic about serving in whatever capacity she could and had devoted herself to seeing to it that all of the children involved in the camp felt welcomed and important. One of the children had some learning difficulties and she, along with every other counselor, treated him just like all the other children, involving him in every activity and project regardless of what it entailed. 

What I witnessed over the course of the camp was how all the children were surrounded by care, love and attention, so that they were made to feel important and truly cherished. The theme of the camp was ‟Cherish”, so all activities revolved around this, and I observed the children start by Cherishing Self, then expanding to Cherish Guardians, then opening up further to Cherish Others and finally Cherish Earth (and Animal). 

It was easy to see from their actions that they understood what they were being taught, because they were respectful of themselves and others, as well as respectful of resources, such as only taking the amount of food they would actually eat, to cut down on food waste. My heart was filled with joy seeing how much the children and counselors were getting out of sharing, and I was truly touched by the junior counselor’s comment about the length of the camp. That told me that we had succeeded in showing her that she too, was cherished.

Throughout the entire process of claiming my Purpose, writing and illustrating the stories, and helping out at Family Camp, I have felt enormous gratitude for Tao, and being able to share my life and gifts with people. 

(Editor’s Note: The 4 Book Box Set of Cherish Life series will be published by Zhong Shu Temple USA, and be able to be ordered directly from Amazon.com. We will keep you posted.) 

愿行  成人成己

※希瑟．斯托倫

2022 年 8 月分，我因健康狀況不佳而住在一家醫療機構。我在那裡的某一天，我們觀看了一位演講者的分享，他說：「找到人生目標至關重要。」那一刻我想：「我早已知道我的人生目標，只是沒有去做。」

這是一個令人震驚的覺醒。我的人生目的（參加法會後所立下的愿）是在道院與李寬仁點傳師一起努力，去幫助更多英文人（說英文的道親）了解道。我的目標是盡我所能地幫助她。但我沒有去做，因為我病得太重，也不敢問她是否需要我的幫助。

之後與（同修）先生通話時，我告訴他我的人生目標，他打電話給李點傳師，點傳師說很期盼能獲得我的幫助。從那一刻起，我開始努力地恢復健康，以便最終能和她一起在道院短暫學習駐壇及幫辦。我的愿是如此地真誠，以至於在六週後我就離開了那家醫療機構，五個月內我就回到道院裡實現了我的目標。

在我的人生旅程中，我很想為孩子們做點什麼。我突然想到，我們（道院）需要一本旨在教育兒童有關於道的書籍，於是我寫了一個故事、配上插圖，並與道院裡的點傳師們分享。他們不僅喜歡這個故事，還想出了再創作三個故事的點子，所有故事都圍繞著「珍惜」的概念，這亦將成為今年親子夏令營的主題。主要分為四個部分：珍惜自我、珍惜家庭、珍惜他人、珍惜地球（與動物）。

這想法立刻讓我振奮，並坐下來寫故事。孩子們（童蒙養正）是如此地重要，需要知道他們是寶貴的、值得珍惜的。與孩子們分享「道」的信息是至關重要的，這樣他們就能了解自己的真我，並知道如何幫助其他有困難的人。我（身為專業的中提琴家）教孩子們音樂多年，很高興也能夠教他們尊重自己、他人和地球。我很榮幸寫出了四個探討這些主題的故事。

隨著親子夏令營的來到，策劃小組聚集在一起設計活動和流程。其中一個點子是將故事中的一個角色變成超級（狗狗）英雄。我們聚焦於英雄的特質——慷慨、樂於助人——並決定在為期兩天的活動中強調這些人格特質。 

營隊終於開始了，讓我留下最深刻印象的是一位國小志工，她在活動結束前大聲地回饋：「兩天的營隊實在太短了！」她熱忱而盡心地服務與付出，並努力確保所有參與營隊的兒童都感受到被歡迎和重視。其中一位孩子有一些學習上的困難，她和其他志工及輔導員一視同仁地對待他，就像對待所有其他孩子一樣，讓他參與每一項活動（別人怎麼做，就請他也怎麼做）。

在整個夏令營的過程中，我親眼目睹了所有的孩子都處在被關愛、受重視的氛圍中，讓他們感到自己很重要，且確實地被珍惜。營隊的主題是「珍惜」，所以所有的活動都以此為重心，我觀察到孩子們從珍惜自我開始，然後擴展到珍惜家人，再進一步到珍惜他人，最後是珍惜地球（與動物）。

從他們的行動中，很容易看出他們明白（營隊）所教的內容，因為他們尊重自己和他人，也尊重資源，比如只取自己實際吃的量，以減少不必要的浪費。看到孩子們和輔導員從分享中獲益匪淺，我的心裡充滿了喜悅，小志工（國小輔導員）對夏令營天數的評論也讓我深受感動。這告訴我，我們已經成功地向她表明，她也是被珍惜的那一位。

在詮釋及體證我的人生目標、撰寫和畫故事插圖，以及在親子夏令營付出了愿的整個過程中（前後兩、三個月裡），我對「道」懷著無限的感激，並且慶幸能夠與他人分享我的生命和天賦。 

編註：作者的四本英文兒童繪本書籍即將由美國忠恕道院於美國出版，透過亞馬遜網站直接銷售，敬請期待。

Reflection of 2023 Michigan Zhong Shu Temple Tao Family Camp ‟Cherish Life”

By Fatimah Lewis

I am sincerely grateful to have had the opportunity to experience 2023 Michigan Tao Family Summer Camp. This year’s Summer Camp theme ‟Cherish Life” was very appropriate for this season of time that we are living in due to many people having a difficult time cherishing life. With the guidance of our Tao Transmitting Master, the planning team set an intention to use every moment and every activity (from the welcome to the departure) to give all attendees an opportunity to reflect on and to model what it truly means to ‟cherish” all life (self, family, others and Nature).

This year’s camp was also a great example of the true meaning ‟for youth by youth”. Most of the camp activities were created, and facilitated by our young adult counselors and Jr. counselors. To observe their confidence, competence, creativity and their innate embodiment of Tao principles was truly a heartfelt experience.

This year's activities also included the theme of ‟super-hero’s” to help the campers understand and connect to their own inner super powers (virtues). I was truly humbled, as I watched the counselors and campers put into practice their super powers (virtues). 

We watched them transform obstacles into opportunities for growth, resolve challenges with creativity, and accept one another’s differences with compassion. We are all deeply inspired by and proud of our youth! My heart is filled with joy and hope for the future.

I look forward to future opportunities to engage with our youth and to learn and grow with them in service, leadership and modeling Tao principles and practices.

2023密西根忠恕道院珍惜生命親子夏令營有感

※法蒂瑪．路易斯

由衷感激有機會體驗2023密西根親子夏令營。今年夏令營的主題「珍惜生命」，非常適合當下很多難以「珍惜生命」的人。在點傳師的指導下，策劃小組決定利用每一個時刻、每一個活動（從歡迎學員到學員離去）讓所有與會者都有機會反思，並體驗「珍惜」所有生命（自我、家庭、他人和自然）的真正含義。

今年的營隊也以「青年帶動青年」的模式建立了傳承的範例。大部分的營隊活動都是由當地的社青輔導員和小小志工輔導員來設計和帶動的。看到他們展現的自信、能力、創造力，以及與生俱來對道的體現，確實是一個感人的經驗。

今年的活動還包括「超級英雄」的主題，幫助學員了解並連結自己內在的超能力（美德）。當我看到志工輔導員和學員展現他們的超能力（美德）時，我真誠地感受到自身的渺小。

我們看到他們將障礙轉化為成長的契機，用創造力解決挑戰，並以同理心接受彼此的差異。我們大家深受下一代的表現感動，亦為下一代的付出而驕傲！我的心裡充滿喜悅和對未來的希望。

我期待未來有機會與我們的年輕人接觸，並在服務、領導力、以身示道上與他們一起學習和成長。

（續下期）