力行植林慈善基金會

 《力行圖書館 - 2020夏日興趣班》簡報（徐桂梅）

請點擊鏈接：

greenaction.org.hk/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2020summerclassXuKM.pdf

力行13週年聯歡簡報   

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greenaction.org.hk/web/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/13anniversarylunch.pdf

2017週年聯歡聚餐分享

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greenaction.org.hk/web/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017annuallunch.pdf

力行植林慈善基金會2016週年聯歡(黃潔霞)

2016年2月28日，一個陽光絢麗的中午，我懷著愉快的心情出席力行植林慈善基金會的周年聯歡午宴。甫到達會場，迎來一張張熟識的笑臉，一眾義工團隊又敍首一堂了，互相祝福，互相問候，樂也洋洋。

宴會隨即開始，首先司儀請出基金會副主席鄧錫英醫生致歡迎辭，接著由執委會關永光醫生總結過去一年基金會在生態林種植，扶貧復明，助學助養，關懷送暖等項目的成績。另外亦有義工分享參與活動的點滴和感受。

今年還設了頒發義工獎狀的環節，各得獎者可謂實至名歸。尤其是我們公認的大廚關綺蓮女士，獲得“美女廚神”的封號，看來我們日後要改口稱呼她了。

席間，資深義工麥汝深伉儷還為我們獻唱了一曲“施比受更有福”,歌詞由麥太有感而發填寫,道出了義工們的心聲。接著，大會還進行了一個別開生面的抽獎節目，除了得到大家的互贈祝福語外，我幸運地還獲得了獎品呢！

今年與會者均獲贈陽山縣的文學刊物“賢令山”,內有紀實文章介紹力行植林慈善基金會的工作,還有高山“南非國寶茶”一罐，可謂滿載而歸！

多謝“永義(香港)有限公司”送出“南非國寶茶”及抽獎禮品！

宴會的尾聲，執委會成員分別到每席與大家合照留念。周年聯歡會在歡樂的氣氛中結束。 

義工 黃潔霞

2016年3月5日

2013年力行週年聚會於 2月24日在醫學會舉行，期間與會者一起歌唱 - 力行義工情(頌扶貧復明)。事緣義工麥汝深先生及太太多次參與本會的“扶貧復明”活動，有感而發，填詞唱頌；歌詞盡訴出義工們的心聲。

                           

請觀看：齊歌唱 - 力行義工情(Video)

greenaction.org.hk/web/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/annualdinner.mp4

歌詞 - 力行義工情(PDF)

greenaction.org.hk/images/2013/03/-2012-11-19.pdf

Reflection for Annual Trip at Dongshan 2012

Hou BaiJing HKU Year 1

This summer I joined the annual trip of Medical Outreachers and Dongshan part of the trip was very impressive and I wish to visit children in Dongshan again in the near future.

Dongshan part of annual trip lasted for five days and we all made good friends with children there in less-than-a-week time.Dongshan is part of Qingyaun city, Guangdong Province. Villages in Dongshan are surrounded by mountains and there is inadequate water in this area. As a result, Dongshan people are poor and some of them try their best to leave Dongshan to make a better living. Luckily, Green Action started a project there to plant trees to keep and protect water resources. Thanks to the project, many families now do not have to worry about water. Apart from this, Green Action has provided financial support to poor families so that children can proceed their study successfully. I was really impressed by what Green Action has been doing in Dongshan. Children are hope and future of many families, and to a wider extent of the society. Before establishment of education project by Green Action, many children stop school as young as primary school students. Thanks to Green Action, financial problem no longer hinders promotion of study of many capable students. Therefore, contribution to education by Green Action is worth appreciating. However, with limited resources, Green Action can only subsidize students with good performance in academic field. Those less capable students therefore still have to face the cruel reality of poverty and consequences of poverty. Resources of a single NGO are so restrained that it cannot solve all problems in a region. Therefore, I do hope the government can take up the responsibility to invest more in education to provide each student the possibility of receiving further and better esucation. Also, I wish to raise the awareness of education problem in Dongshan among general public. To achieve the goal, as a teammate of publicity team of the trip, we are making a video to present the problem. We do hope the video can arouse interest in Dongshan children and provoke thinking of the problem.

Dongshan trip taught me a lot and I hope to share my impression, witness, thought and inspiration with everyone of you.

Ashleigh Chu (HKU Year1)

Not until meeting those lovely children in Dongshan could I really understand why Dongshan is so attractive to our past participants that they are so eager to re-visit again and again.

Dongshan is no doubt a poor village that beyond my expectation. Can you imagine a place without public lighting facilities and torch is the only essential lighting at night? Or can you imagine a village with only two little stores selling daily necessities? Even more, can you imagine a child living in a cave deep in a forest before being found and sent to school? Before arriving in Dongshan, I could hardly imagine all of these. This annual trip is definitely an eye-opening experience for me.

In this trip, we were lucky enough to have chance walking around the village, following children back to their homes, and even having home visits with their family members. I could never forget how poor their living environment was. In Dongshan, people not living in the main street usually live in a one-storey house. Their houses are often wear and tear with little lighting, and most importantly having hundreds of flies flying all around. I could hardly bare those flies even for a one-hour home visit so I do not dare to imagine how to live or sleep with so many flies sticking on us but those children and villagers are so used to these and manage to do so. I feel great sympathy to them for such a bad living condition but besides psychological support and basic medical checkups, what a medical student can or should do to truly help

people living in Dongshan?

Besides the living environment, children in Dongshan are also another essential element that impressed me most. Children there are of diversified background, some are orphans living in dormitory, some are children left behind by parents who need to work in town, some are elder sisters and brothers in the family with more than four younger siblings needed to be take care of, and some are relatively with no financial burdens, such as being the son of store owner. Despite their diverse background, they are common in the same way that they are really eager to play with us, the big sisters and big brothers from Hong Kong, seeking our attention. They treasure us a lot and so do we. In these short days in Dongshan, I am so glad to have made friends with some of them. Making friends with them do not simply mean playing with them but also giving them love and care, which they are quite lack of in their childhood. Through

chatting and writing letters to them, I hope to be their companion along their path to adulthood and I believe this is the reason why we are so eager to revisit this place again and again.

This annual trip to Dongshan is so precious and memorable to me that I would never

forget any bits of it. I would remember well the smiling faces of the children, the beautiful, unpolluted natural scenery, and most importantly the passion I get to help and serve people in need.

Mak Chun Hei (HKU Year1)

Visiting dongshan was really a valuable experience for me. Before actually going there, I thought my jobs was just to provide voluntary teaching to children, provide health education and conduct basic checkups. However, it was much more than that. We actually made good friends with a lot of children and we gain deep understanding of the difficult situation of the families through home visits. Such experience is valuable and I gain a lot in this trip.

In the first day in Dongshan, we became teachers of Dongshan primary school teaching English and health education. The first lesson was English and we need to teach phonics. To be frank, I was not proficient in English and I knew very little about phonics and I was not well prepared for the lesson. Luckily, one of our teachers had taught this last year and he took up the main role in teaching and I could just occasionally assist his teaching. The second lesson was health education and we taught the pupils the gastrointestinal system. Although my class is primary six, it seemed that they were unfamiliar with the components of gastrointestinal tract and their functions. However, they were quick learners who rapidly memorize the main organs and the functions of the organs in the gastrointestinal system. After one day of teaching, my impression to the pupils was they were quite smart but sometimes not confident enough to answer questions. I think they were as competent as Hong Kong pupils but they were just less fortunate to receive better education.

The second day was a Saturday and we organised a Sports day for the children. I was in the compass team and I had to teach the children the correct way in using compass and then led them to use compass to complete a task. The first group of pupils I had to guide was of primary 2. It seems that they had not learnt about directions and using compass was a bit too difficult for them so we simplified the task for them and explained the concepts in greater detail. But after explanation, they were able to find the 8 directions using the compass. The second group of pupils was of primary 6 and they demonstrate deep knowledge in using compass and they were able to complete the task with minimal assistance. The compass teaching experience had further deepened my impression that the children in Dongshan are actually as smart as their counterparts in Hong Kong or in other developed countries.

The next few days I conducted a few home visits. I think that visiting the student’s home was a good experience. It was because through visiting them, I got to know how far some of the students have to walk to school. Besides, I understood what were the difficulties which they and their families encounter. Although Green Action has greatly improved the water supply in Dongshan, in some months of the year, e.g. June, villagers may have insufficient water supply which made their lives difficult. Moreover, most families had low income which can only merely meet their expenses. In one of the families I visited, the grandfather of the child had a traffic accident a few years ago and the family had to borrow money for the medical cost. They carry a huge debt and this made their lives pretty difficult.

This trip was a valuable life experience for me. It made me understand that there are still many people in China who require our help. Although this service trip may not actually help them to improve their living condition, at least it allow them to know that there still many people out there who love and care about them.

Wendy Leung (CU Year 1)

This trip in Dong Shan is definitely a worth joining trip without any regrets! At the beginning I was quite afraid of not being able to get along with kids. However, when I saw them on the first day, some of them gave me bright smiles and asked me who I am! This gave me courage to start chatting with them and play with them.

Teaching primary five on the first day was a great challenge to me. We were still not familiar to the environment in Dong Shan and the children there. So I was quite embarrassed at the first lesson when I found them not quite responsive. But then I tried to talk to some of them during recess and they started to get more involved in the following lessons. At the last lesson which was game time, we played “The world most…”and they were very active and lively. This was a good experience to me as a teacher as I could see their changes when I saw my “students” getting more and more active and involved in class.

Mowing was also a very special yet unforgettable experience to me as I have never tried to hold a sickle before, no need to mention mowing. On the way to the place for mowing, we needed to hike for about an hour. We were paired up with the children and I got this golden chance to talk to her for quite a long time. I got more familiar with her studies in school, her dreams, her hobbies, her family conditions and so on. This was quite different from the previous days as most of the time we were playing and chatting with a group of children. So we could just talk about some very simple things such as their names and which forms they were in. However, through the way to the mowing place, I could stay with one child only and had a long chat with

her. Therefore, we could talk about more personal stuff. When we arrived at the place of mowing, I was surprised by how skillful the children were in mowing when compared to us! They could clear quite a large area in a short time while I was still struggling with a small piece of land. That day was really a great day to me and I have got a really nice time with the children.

Those days in Dong Shan were great moments to me. Every day I was overwhelmed by the warmth of the children. Every day was a day full of happiness and laughter. Every day was a chance for me to play and chat with kids. It was so worth cherishing that I never wanted the trip to end.

Though Dong Shan was hot and all we got are fans but not air-conditioners, I still love the place and the people there. Their smiling faces are not based on their materialistic comfort, but the close relationships between them and the simple lives they are living. They do not have expensive entertainments, but a basketball can give them tremendous fun. They do not have Haagen- Dazs ice-cream, but an icy bottle of orange juice can give them so much joy. They showed me that simple can be great, and life can be happy just because it is simple.

Janice Liu (CU Year1)

這次是我第一次到訪內地山區。在東山，我們有機會接觸到當地的小朋友及他們的家人，從而增加了對當地人的生活水平和環境的了解，亦令我感到生活在香港的幸福。

當地的小朋友真的十分熱情和活潑，他們上學前後、午飯時間都會到我們宿舍前的地方找我們。雖然他們的物質不太豐富，但他們都生活得很開心，只是隨手拾起些石頭也能玩上大半天。除了跟他們玩耍外，我還到了幾個小朋友的家作家訪。家訪能使我們更深入認識當地人的生活情況。東山大多小朋友的父母都到城市工作，剩下祖父母照顧他們；而他們日常吃的以玉米和蔬菜為主。我們生活在香港真是比他們幸福得多，我們有更多的食物和物質享受，也有父母的照顧。

此外，透過跟當地小學校長的對話，我們知道教育是東山的一個重要問題。小朋友聊聊天後，發覺他們很多都不重視讀書，不太了解讀書的重要。大部分高小的學生當被問到關於升學的問題時，大多的答案都是不知道，。我認為我們可以做的事就是跟他們多談讀書的問題，透過書信鼓勵他們努力讀書，至少也要完成初中的學業。

短短幾天在東山，我們實際上可幫到當地人的東西實不多，不過我希望能透過書信跟小朋友保持聯絡，幫助他們在成長中的需要及遇到的困難，日後再有機會再到東山探望他們。

Antonia Castilho (CU Year2)

跟隨力行到訪東山村，這才是我的第一次。到達東山力行眼科基地的第一印象，是「熱鬧非常」。除了終於和只參加下半部分的其餘十名參加者匯合了外，就是因為眼科中心的門外，已經被小孩子「重重包圍」了！

很久以就聽過曾經到訪東山的朋友說過這裡的事，而我打從那時候便很嚮往親身到訪這個地方。我們到東山的目的，主要是和那裡的留守兒童相處，透過傾談玩樂去跟他們交朋友，又透過家訪嘗試深入了解他們的家庭背景和生活狀況。若發現充滿潛質但又因家境貧困而未能升學的孩子，我們就有責任告知力行的負責人，商量一下是否能提供經濟援助給他們。而為求達到更深入和全面的了解，和能掌握他們隨著成長的轉變，這項工作是需要長期付出的 — 我們當中有不少是曾多次到東山來過的義工。他們對東山的小朋友已建立了較深厚的友誼，而且都會以書信保持來往，以增進彼此間的了解。最初，我有點兒擔心，擔心自己會不會不懂得和這些成長經歷和我這樣不同的小孩交往呢？後來我發現，這些孩子想和我們交朋友的熱心程度真能打破許多隔膜，他們絕不會讓任何一位哥哥姐姐被冷落！反而，連很多初次到訪的同學都終日被小孩子「鎖定」了，一大清早還未張開眼的時候已經能聽到小孩呼喚著哥哥姐姐的聲音了。

我們在東山的數天裡，除了和小孩玩耍外，也要當他們的老師，和他們上健康教育、道德教育和英語課。此外，有一天我們在小朋友的帶領下，手執鐮刀往山上斬除雜草去，感受一下農村生活之餘又為力行的植樹工作出一分力，而且上山的過程中給予了我們和孩子單獨談話的好機會。或許是由於家境困迫使東山的孩子在成長中經歷很多磨練吧，這些孩子都比城市的小孩成熟懂事些。可惜的是，他們在面對升學就業的問題上，都會寧願早些離鄉找工作以支持家庭的生計而放棄繼續升學的機會，或從小就覺得念書是既浪費金錢又浪費時間的無聊事，無心向學。到後來才會發覺，未完成初中的話根本不會找到甚麼好工作，而城市的生活指數高，到了外面工作連自己都是勉勉強強撐過去，哪有多餘的錢寄回家養弟弟妹妹呢？所以我們帶著自己是由城市來的大學生的身分和小孩們接觸，很希望能夠感染他們，給他們一點點的激勵，一點點的啟發。我們告訴他們，「其實這個世界比你想像中大」、「知識就是力量」，不知道他們能否真正明白，但假如我們的存在能影響到他們將來的人生抉擇，或許，有一、兩個人的命運從此就改變了；或許，他們有一天都能脫離貧困！這就是我們的期盼。

然而，我覺得農村裡的生活亦非我們想像中簡單，我們若硬把自己的價值觀套用在別人的身上，有時候對他來說未必是最好的……我認為這種道理我們都需要慢慢學習，逐步累積經驗。希望日後我會有機會再到東山這個地方，除了更深入了解這裡的人外，亦藉此更深入了解自己 — 願我在這裡學到的，不僅能幫助這些小孩，更能使我成為更好的醫生，幫助我未來的每一位病人！

Jiminy Liu (CU Year2)

第三次來到東山，讓我更深入認識東山的小朋友，也更深入感受我們可以為他們做的事不多。可是，我從他們身上學到的，卻比我原來想像的，愈來愈多…

小朋友的成長給我很多鼓勵。他們生活這麼艱難，卻有很強的韌力，不但在家裏幫忙照顧家人，做家務，下田，還會爭取時間學習。東山的小朋友的童心裏藏著對殘酷現實世界的認識，他們比我平常接觸的香港小孩複雜得多。因此，我必須多探訪他們，認識他們更多。

我常想像，如果我們這群在溫室生活慣的香港青年被送到東山，我們能否跟小朋友一樣把生活各方面處理得那麼周到呢？想到這裡，不由得感到慚愧。我們常常跟小朋友談遙遠的夢想，卻避開了現實的問題。對東山小朋友而言，夢想可能是美麗的謊言。空談夢想，不但難要幫助小朋友，更可能令他們承受更大的壓力。東山的小朋友要達成夢想，就要征服一個又一個的現實阻礙。我們除了讓他們知道自己的夢想，還要理解他們的實況，想辦法幫他們一步一步地邁向目標。

這次探望的其中一位小朋友告訴我，她的家有很多經濟問題，哥哥甚至因此而要被迫輟學。當時我想，過去的一年，我不斷告訴她努力讀書就能改變命運，但其實我根本不了解她求學路最大的問題不是心態，而是金錢。

來過幾次之後，我發覺一開始的我真的太高要求了，以為去接觸這班小朋友一次，就可以改變他們的想法，令他們的生命有重大的改變。東山的小朋友不但心智比正常小孩成熟，他們的背景更是我們難以設身處地想像的。來過幾次後，我發現我們真的要一步一步的先認識那些小朋友，知道更多他們的性格，成績和家庭背景等，也要讓小朋友對我們慢慢建立信心，這樣我們才能站在他們的同一位置，給他們最有用的支持。

Felip Lai (CU Year1)

在這次東山之旅中，我們探訪了很多留守兒童的家庭。他們的父母都因為不同的原因不在家，有些是出去城市打工，有些是父母離異。而兒童多由祖父母照顧。他們的家庭環境大多欠佳，三餐溫飽成問題，房子破落，衛生情況欠佳。在缺乏父母的照顧下，在加上祖父母要下田工作，部分兒童缺乏家庭溫暖，非常可憐。其實我很同情他們的處境。同時，我也非常欣賞村民堅強的個性。即使環境差劣，他們也會努力生存下去。

與兒童相處和玩樂時，他們表面上很高興。但開心的背後隱藏著很多的痛苦故事﹑很多困難。這些並不是玩樂時所能發掘的，而是要仔細與他們溝通才會知道。與他們溝通後發現，部分學生即使成績良好，也打算輟學出城打工賺錢，為的就是改善家庭生活或支持弟妹繼續學習。為此，我感到很可惜，如果他們繼續讀書，將來的工作和收入肯定可以比現在出去工作高。

我也深深感受到內地教育所面對的問題。透過入班教學，我發現他們的學習差異非常大。能力高的同學吸收到的知識遠比能力稍遜的同學高，導致老師教學時很難遷就不同同學的能力，亦導致同學上課未能專注。而且，學生要上初中便要到鎮上上學，要上高中更要到城市去。一方面令上學變得非常不方便，另一方面令同學要離鄉，非常痛苦。與他們相比，我們在讀書上所遇到困難比他們小，因此我們更應該好好讀書。相比之下，我們在香港生活真的非常幸福，要好好珍惜啊。

Karen Yueng (HKU Year1)

今次是我第二次通過力行植林慈善基金會到內地進行服務工作。上一次到陽山縣參與「扶貧復明」- 白內障手術篩查的時候，只感覺到村民的生活素質一點也不富足，但是經過今次東山一行，就親身體會到貧窮對中國農村家庭的影響。

貧窮，不是單單的沒有錢買食物、生活用品，而是一連串的問題，不是單單靠錢就能夠解決。一個地方的居民貧困的話，當地政府就沒有稅收，沒有稅收，就沒有錢搞好經濟、基建，更不用說教育了。沒有良好的教育，小朋友就沒有能力考入高中、大學。在這個沒有文憑「沙紙」就沒有好收入的社會裡面，這些小朋友的將來，就只有繼續貧窮下去。

我曾經問過好幾個小朋友：「你有聽過『書中自有黃金屋』嗎？」他們都說，他們聽說過，但是他們不相信這個道理。我沒有問他們為何這樣說，因為我也知道，就是考上了高中、大學，要付的學費又可以從哪裡來？根本就沒有錢。

在香港，我們只要努力讀書，政府就會借錢給你繼續讀上去，但在東山，你就是有能力，付不了錢就沒有升學的機會了。他們寧願中三畢業就快快打工賺錢養家，像爸爸媽媽、哥哥姊姊一樣。雖然我們這一趟能夠帶給他們的不是太多，可能是幾天嘻嘻哈哈的歡樂，可能是一點點的人生道理，可能甚麼都沒有……但我希望，將來通過與他們更多的接觸，能夠對他們的生命做出一點點的改變，協助他們脫貧。

譚慧琳 CU Year 1

東山之旅，最令我意想不到的，就是我不只是付出了，而是獲得了。出發到東山以先，我一心希望能將我的關心送給當地的村民，令他們知道他們並不是被忽略的一群，同時也希望能透過一些教學的環節，將我所知道部分的衛生知識教導小朋友們，增加他們的衛生意識。此外，也是希望家訪時能向老人家們送上祝福，同時，也能為他們作簡單的身體檢查等。我一直都認為醫學行的目的就是要提供機會讓我能多服務他人，讓我能帶給他們什麼什麼的，但原來，我錯了。 是次東山行，讓我穫得了不少。

家訪，讓我明白到自己的幸福。當地的村民的確很貧窮，家徒四壁，有些家庭就連電視也沒有。他們每天每餐也離不開麥羹，因為他們根本就沒有的其他選擇。雞肉牛肉這些如此奢侈的食物，也只是每逢過節才有機會吃得到。有些家庭幾代十多人都住在同一個屋簷下，他們種地賺來的錢就不夠他們生活。但他們並沒有因此而放棄生活。反之，有部分香港人卻因厭倦生活而放棄人生。相比起他們，我們的年輕人實在太容易選擇放棄，做很多的事情，學什麼的也只是三分鐘熱度。這種態度實在不要得。每一次家訪，小朋友的公公婆婆們都會很熱情的招待我們，甚至會邀請我們留下來一起吃晚飯。雖然他們連自己的份也不夠，但他們仍如此熱情的招待我們，實在令我感動。我們做的對於我們來說還只是很少，就是去探一探他們，問候他們幾句，但他們卻願意將他們有的大部分，與我們分享，實在不得不感動吧。

教學，燃起我要更努力讀書的心。看到那些小朋友，雖然家境貧困，他們仍努力讀書，讓我覺得自己很不勤奮。我是被安排教學前班。 學前班的小朋友們非常可愛，每天都帶著笑臉非常活潑的來上課。雖然教的很少，就ABC而已，但和他們一起玩耍，也就是很快樂。當然學前班的小朋友談不上什麼勤力不勤力，但當我於課餘時間接觸其他小朋友的時候，還有從同學的口中，都發現農村的小朋友都很用功讀書。雖然他們的生活的環境和條件都比我們差幾倍，但他們學習的心比我們更熱衷。相比起他們，我們既有良好優厚的生活環境，且有很多學術上支援的時候，不是應更用心的去讀書，學習做一個好醫生嗎？

最後，很高興我不只在這醫學行獲得到知識，學習到不少，更贏得了多份天真無邪的友誼。東山的小朋友都很可愛，每天他們放學後都會來找我們哥哥姐姐玩耍。雖然經過一天的教學己很累，但只要見到他們的笑容，就一點也無阻我們和他們玩耍的心情。與他們在一起的那幾天，我發現其實開心真的可以很簡單。雖然當地村民真的不富裕，我們也沒有什麼wii,ipad的電子產品，但也可以玩得很愉快。雖然生活簡單，但卻可比於香港生活快樂。有時候，到底一個人快樂不快樂，可能也真的視乎心態。若我們能像小朋友般不怎麼比較和埋怨，常抱樂觀的心態，我們也很容易能滿足，能快樂起來。最後一天走的時候，我真的很不捨得他們，很不想失去這份珍貴的友誼。希望以後能繼續以書信溝通，繼續保持聯絡，成為他們成長路上一個好朋友，或有機會的話更可再到東山找他們！

Au Chi Chun ( CU Year 2)

東山，已經第三次來到了。從第一次開始單純去接觸這些小孩，探訪這些家庭，去認識、了解這個地方，到現在第三次來到這個地方，一切也熟悉了許多，小孩的關係也成功的建立起來。一次一次的到來，也看到一次一次一些正面的改變。

小孩們縱然十分天真無邪，也懂得分辨哥哥姐姐對他們的關心。有好些小朋友，第一次第二次也沒有很多溝通的時間或者機會，但他們看見你一次一次的來到時，他們也知道這一個哥哥姐姐是真的關心他們，關係也慢慢建立。我一直在跟進的一個比較沉默的小朋友，也開始願意和我交談多一點，分享多一點，發現關係不再需要以討好他們的方式來建立，因為當你真正疼愛他們的心，他們已經明白了。

也發現，原來哥哥姐姐一些簡單的說話，也為他們帶來一些影響。我曾不經意地和一女孩開玩笑說：Janice 這個名字我覺得不適合你喎！沒想到她竟然會回信說：那你幫我起一個新名字好嗎？家訪的時候也發現到，有些時候一些簡單衛生的小建議，父母聽到後下年再來家庭環境真的改善了！這些也是意想不到的事。

看到孩子們的長大，真的很開心。願這一份關係，能繼續承傳，直到他們真真

正正長大，我們也其實一同學習著、成長著啊！

最後都思想了一些個人所見東山的問題：

成長上：

營養不足影響發育的問題

學習上：

學習動力不足

英語數學基礎不穩

個別家庭問題：

家庭重男輕女的問題

單親家庭的問題

Kah Hie Wong (HKU Year 2)

小孩子，对我而言，像张白纸，一出娘胎，天真无邪。今日我们所见到的每一位小孩，都是主要由父母、公公婆婆，以及环境的一点一滴所雕塑而成的。因为小孩将来长大成人之后，会成为社会的栋梁，所以，如此，便会影响一个人的一生了!

正所谓: “三岁定终生”，通过这个东山之旅，我更能深深地体会到。这也是为什么我们的东山之旅主要是在小孩子的方面着手，从而深入至家庭探访。有机会做家庭探访的小孩子，更是让我深深了解到小孩子的言行举止、思想行为，都是有迹可寻的。例如，小孩子是否注重个人卫生，每天洗澡刷牙，视乎监护人是否有严加管教，本身是否亦注重个人卫生，同时也视乎家境是否负担得起平日所须的牙刷及牙膏。住在大径街的家庭大致上相对来说较为富裕，因此，大致上并没有个人卫生的问题。而住在上坪及下坪的家庭则是恰好相反。

因此，除了以种植生态林，植林造水，以及提供部分医疗服务来改善当地居民的生活，力行植林慈善基金会也非常重视教育以及小孩的生活环境，因为良好的教育以及生活环境可以将一个小孩子塑造成一位国家栋梁，改变家境贫穷的宿命。久而久之，甚至有希望改善整条村落，延伸至整个东山的贫境了。当然，这不是一朝一夕的易事，还需要各方的支持，各界长期以来的耐心、努力，才是有可能达成的壮志伟愿。

然而，同时，我发觉自己是多么的微不足道。只能待在东山短短6天，说实在的，真的无法对当地的居民以及小孩子带来任何改变。例如，一位8岁的小孩是由他过去的8年里，每一天家人，环境及教育所带来的影响塑造而成的，总共加起来就有2920天。那么，我在东山只有那天壤之别的6天，又做得了什么呢？但是，经过几天的相处以及家庭探访之后，我发现，我们可以带给这群小孩子的，并不仅是这几天短暂的欢笑、相机、人力车。因为我们向他们说的话，即便有时候是一些不经意的话，他们都会牢牢记着，留在他们的记忆里。所以就算我们不能常常在他们的身边，那些话也会留在他们的脑海里，继续在他们的生命里，影响着他们。这或许是因为我们是所谓从“远方”来的，所以特为珍稀，从“远方”带来的祝福，爱和关怀，也被每一个小孩子以及绝大部分的家长珍惜、珍藏。

当然，我相信有时候，他们会忘记我们曾给他们的一些鼓励的话语，或者一些他们并不是很爱听的劝告，所以，我非常地欣慰我们可以继续通信，保持联络，增进感情，常常提醒、督促他们，并继续关注、了解他们生活中的一点一滴，希望我们可以继续在他们的生命中影响他们。或许在短短一年之后回去东山探望他们，他们会有意想不到的改变呢？。。。

Chris Cheung ( HKU Year1 )

隨著科技的發展，上一次用紙筆寫信，不知是多久前的事了。然而，今天我卻一口氣寫了十多封信。

我是寫信給東山的孩子們。在這個貧窮的地區逗留了五天，與當地的孩子們熟絡了不少。居住在這個貧窮的地區，經過跟他們的溝通和家訪後，我們對這裡的情況也有點認知了。大部份的東山人都是以耕作維生，同時，有很多孩子的父母也到了異鄉打工，掙錢養家。因此，很多孩子不但缺乏了基本的生活所需，同時也失去了應得的父母關懷。我們也只好盡盡綿力，關懷一下這些小孩吧。

也許，我們關愛這些小孩，的確不能替他們脫離貧窮的問題。沒錯，若東山需要脫貧，只是給予關懷一定是不足夠的。即使不斷捐款也不能解決問題，因為那裡的人們根本不知道致富的方法。他們那裡的風氣，不是希望孩子們成為有識之士，而是要求他們實實際際的早日出來工作，減輕家庭的經濟負擔。要社會富有，就要有基本的建設、知識和科技，因此，若此風氣持續，東山也很難會富有。以我們能做的，也許就只有給予關懷。

即使如此，經過了這次旅程，我從東山人中領略到了一點道理。我們從香港來的人，有高的生活水平，但是，我們真的生活得快活嗎？即使生活清貧，在東山人的臉上，總是帶著笑容；家訪時，也有很多受訪者說他們滿意現在的生活。快樂，其實可以很簡單。經歷了這次旅程，自己的確學到了不少，同時，我也希望能為孩子們成長的路途中，塗上一點點的色彩。

東山夏日 英語興趣班 義工感想

日期：2012年7月19日 – 29日

地點：清遠市 陽山縣 杜步鎮 東山村 力行圖書館

一個個熟識的地方、一張張可愛的面孔、一段段美好的記憶，在我踏進力行圖書館時不斷浮現腦海。東山，我回來了！以培養自學能力為目標的東山英語興趣班再度開展，今年為期十一天的課程有著清晰明確的目標，加入進度表和達標要求兩項元素後，大大提升了學生的學習動機。早上首先是課前集會，老師們會簡單交代每日的流程和講故事，高年級的同學多會較專心聆聽故事內容，希望她們能領悟到故事的寄意吧。之後是三小時的課堂，低年級學生學習ABC和英文書法，高年級學生則學習發音、查字典、句子結構和英文朗讀。午飯過後是閱讀和唱歌的時間，人人都在努力過關，挑戰更高級數的書本；音樂果然是不同人的共同愛好，同學們都打開嗓門，高歌一曲。

閱讀材料在牆上

這次李老師有一個新提議，就是將故事書的影印本貼在課室的牆壁上，方便學生閱讀。其實，起初我是反對這項建議的，因為我估計會事倍功半，製作海報既費時，成效又跟直接拿著書本看分別不大。然而，付諸實行之後才發現這是個極好的建議，書本貼在牆上以後，學生們就好像參觀博物館一樣圍著看，當老師們為其中一個同學講解書本內容或考核升級時，其他人就會因好奇心作崇而自然地在後面聽著，旁敲側擊，使得所有圍觀的人都有所得著。升級制非常有效地鼓勵學生閱讀，因為他們要先懂得朗讀和解釋第一級的書才可以看第二級的書，如此一級級往上走就如打機一樣，想打爆機的欲望被轉化成動力，令學生們踴躍地挑戰和閱讀。

大踴進

眼看小朋友的成績突飛猛進，有的考獲九十多分幾乎全部答對、有的進步三十分之多、有的平日懶懶散散卻主動提出要看英文書，作為施教者當然驚喜萬分。最教人鼓舞的是一些不太好學的如陳永貴竟會將一本英文書拿到一旁，靜靜的一邊查字典一邊閱讀；一些好朋友如家文和偉梅會一起閱讀，不懂的地方互相指導，同儕學習；一些好學的如桂花會向師姐請教，知識共享。我認為學習態度比知識水平更重要，因為只要肯學肯努力，就能得到無窮無盡的知識；要是無心向學，勉強將知識填進學生的腦袋也是徒然。授人以魚不如授人以漁，教授學習技巧和培養自學習慣，比灌輸一堆英語知識更勝一籌。

叫破喉嚨

今年雖然多了義工，但是喉嚨變得沙啞的速度卻沒有減慢，到第二天的時候喉嚨已經有點痛了。主要原因是同學們聲如洪鐘，上課時用盡嗓門去讀英文，作為老師的我要改正她們的讀音時便要比她們大聲；加上閱讀課時大家共聚一室，各自朗讀，課室裡比街市更嘈吵。加上，行程中段忽然下起大暴雨，那天香港應該懸掛十號風球，淋雨使我得了傷風，加劇喉嚨痛。但是，當我們教小朋友在集誦加入動作時，由於她們的反應實在太好，極之投入，所以那刻即使我已經筋疲力盡，卻仍可以興奮莫名的繼續跳舞，樂在其中。

家訪安樂窩

行程中有一天，我們有空餘時間可以家訪，了解小朋友們的學習環境和生活狀況。若以香港人對居所的要求去判定東山小朋友的生活環境，那些滿地積水、昆蟲滿天飛和如密室一樣漆黑一片的房子必定不合格。但我再細心一想，其實大家所處的城市和生活條件不同，香港人看東山家必定會感到骯髒難耐，東山人看香港家也必定會感到華麗奢侈，但只要居住者感到家裡是舒服和安全，就已經足夠。

教的藝術

上年那兩個經常搗蛋的小朋友，今年乖很多了。但是，要為小學生上課確依舊是一件不容易的事。在沒有完善的學校系統和學生缺乏紀律訓練的前提下，老師不能期望他可以簡單的走進課室，拿起一枝粉筆在黑板上寫字，同學們就會個個都用心聽課，努力學習。現實的課堂是，不少人會和鄰座的朋友玩耍、會因為跟不上進度而發夢、會自己在摺紙或寫信，要對症下藥，重新吸引她們對課堂的注意，非要一些特別方法不可，例如走出課室轉換上課的環境，為學生帶來新鮮感。然而，今年同學們的操行已經比上年進步了很多，至少沒有在上課時擲東西或走出課室；加上她們只是小學生而已，怎可以要求全程專注呢？再回想一下作為大學生的我，現在上課時不也是經常發夢嗎？曾經當過小老師之後，我體驗到在課室裡不被尊重是甚麼感覺，所以當我的身份是學生時，就算我對那課堂多麼的不感興趣，我也會給予老師最基本的尊重，最起碼他望著我時，我會給他一個笑容作回答吧。

童年

東山小朋友喜歡摺紙和在街上遊蕩，悠閒的度過童年。而我的童年呢？很多時間都花在打機和玩具之上。而當下香港的小朋友呢？童年可能充滿著各種樂器和興趣班，當然也不少得各種蘋果產品吧。我在想，怎麼樣的童年才最完美？是像東山的小孩一樣，渾渾噩噩，無憂無慮地平淡度過，還是該像香港的小孩一樣，習百般武藝於一身，周遊列國？坦白說，我現在回想時，都會慨歎兒時沒有多學一些特別技能、沒有機會到處旅遊、沒有拓闊眼界，有時候也會妒忌和羨慕別人多姿多彩的童年，自己卻因生活條件所限而好像錯過了一些東西。不過，有時候看到電視報導說一些家長會帶她們只有一、兩歲的子女去參加學前遊戲班，學習外語呀、嘗試打鼓呀、參加鬥快爬行比賽呀，我不知道這些小朋友將來回想童年時會有何感覺，但看在我眼裡，我為他們感到辛苦，年紀這麼少還未懂性便要上課，將來還要為履歷表上的獎項數目奮鬥，又要為升幼稚園升小學升中學而與人競爭，這樣的童年不錯是充實有意義，但小孩子會快樂嗎？童年不應該是開開心心，無憂無慮的嗎？

未雨綢繆

行程中段的一個下午，陽光普照，於是我們到雲茶行山，親親大自然。雲茶像一個獨立的生態系統，裡面的昆蟲和植物自成一角，共生共存。紅色和綠色的蜻蜓偶爾點水、尾子開叉的燕子劃過半空、像蒙面超人的毛毛蟲在蠢蠢欲動，雲茶是另一個生命力豐富的世界。走著走著，忽然烏雲密佈，下起傾盆大雨，我們趕快離開，車上撲面而來的雨點像為我洗臉，好不爽快。回到宿舍以後，不幸的事卻接踵而來。我掛在戶外晾曬的毛巾呢？不會是吹走了吧，我往後幾日怎麼辦呢？課室鎖上了門卻沒有關窗，放在窗邊的字典和教材豈非全濕透？明天怎麼上課？課室的鎖匙呢，不是放在我背包裡嗎？遺失了明天豈不沒有課室可用？讓其他人拾到鎖匙會不會用來偷竊呢？一時間，一大堆問題蜂湧而至，我突然失去方寸，不知所措。我馬上冒雨跑到晾曬衣服的地方，左探右望也不見我的毛巾；然後立刻趕去課室希望盡量把窗戶關掉，豈料大雨過後地面的積水把溝渠埋沒，在天色昏暗之下溝渠與平地驟眼看來深度一樣，心亂如麻的我冷不防地踏了個空，踩進了溝渠，腳上隨即出現了傷口，痛楚難耐。我再瘋狂地翻開背包，這裡沒有，那裡不在，怎麼亂翻也找不到課室鎖匙，怎麼回想也記不起最後一次看到鎖匙的情形。晚飯時間已到，我抱著焦急的心情用膳，慢慢冷靜下來。回神過來以後，我才得悉原來當地的工人聯姨在下雨前已經幫我收好毛巾、原來那頑皮的鎖匙竟躲在背包中放水樽的網內、原來混亂和緊張的確會影響人的判斷。未雨綢繆和在混亂中保持冷靜都是一些老掉牙的道理，但人總會「講就天下無敵，做就無能為力」，往往容易忘記那些簡單的法則。

生日快樂

二十年前的7月25號是我出生的日子，今年有東山小朋友和同行的義工為我慶祝生日，驚喜萬分。早會時，我忽然被喚到小禮堂中，接著就是大家為我高歌一曲生日快樂，一大班人為自己慶生，與上年靜靜的度過相比，感覺截然不同。同行的義工還準備了生日卡和生日蛋糕，萬分感謝他們的悉心安排。由於被動的我很少為別人籌辦生日，小時候父母也沒有為我舉辦麥當當生日會之類，所以兒時的生日多是一家人吃晚飯罷了。直到最近幾年，才接連有身邊的朋友為我慶生，讓我找回當生日會主角的滋味，我的人生著實幸福。不知何故，我生性不會熱烈地投入很多情感到一件事之上，所以沒有主動與東山小朋友們往來書信，但今年到行程末段時，有些小朋友開始寫信給我，很多都祝我生日快樂，還有不少精心製作的小禮物和生日卡，教人歡喜。更讓我驚喜的是，在24號到陽山吃政府宴請的晚飯時，上年共事多天但不太稔熟的退休幹部李大哥，在臨別前忽然走過來與我擁抱，並在我耳邊細說：祝你明天生日快樂！那一刻著實驚訝，一位住在千里之遙的陽山人，竟會知道遠方而來的我何時生日，還是第一個送上祝賀的人，使我存在感高漲。我在蠟燭前許下的願望，是希望做一位能幫助人的醫生，雖然說了出來，但願也會靈驗吧。

分別在哪裡？

回程時，我不斷在想一個問題，這十一天的英語興趣班，在東山小朋友漫長的一生之中，會有何意義呢？我做任何事也著重找到它的意義，有意義自然有動力，事情才可以辦得好。我想，那一點點的英語知識可能只是九牛一毛，但通過教授英語知識去重建小朋友對英語的信心、通過互通書信去改正她們的錯誤人生觀或避免他們誤入歧途、通過基金會的資助去幫助她們升學，當老師當導遊去變身中產以脫貧，縱使東山小朋友只是中國需要幫助的人之中的冰山一角，但憑一己之力去做點小事，已算是對自己中國人的身份作出交代。相信在這個奇妙的交往之中，義工與東山小孩也有著微妙的變化吧。

郭展堂 (香港大學 二年級醫科生)

2012年8月3日

[Show as slideshow]

2012年 香港醫學生探訪東山 活動簡報

日期 ： 2012年6月7至12日

參加人數 ： Medical Outreachers組織醫科學生 26人

力行義工 3人

活動目的 ： 1. 衛生宣傳教育

2. 跟進山區兒童成長

3. 了解山區農村生活情况

活動概况 ： 6月7日早上，醫學生10人由力行義工帶領乘坐跨境巴士前往清遠市，再轉乘

小車到陽山縣，杜步鎮東山村的力行基地；其餘16名醫學生完成西安及甘肅探

訪後，於翌日上午亦抵達東山，活動於6月8日下午正式展開。

學校授課 :- 如以往兩年，醫學生分成7個小組，到東山小學進行英語及健康教育授課，在互動教學氣氛下，小學生們都用心聆聽，獲益良多，於歡樂氣氛下完成教學活動。

孩童杜蟲 :- 醫學生於課堂上派發驅蟲藥丸，給小學生即時服食；並邀請學校老師2天後協助記錄各孩童服药後反應，並提交相關資料給力行。(藥物由杜步衛生院提供)

結果：

有2位幼童痾蟲，2位小學生有輕微嘔吐，7位小學生有腹痛，其他學生無不適反應。

植林區除草 :- 醫學生和小學四至六年級學生結隊到植樹區進行割草活動，增進友誼，加深對保護環境的認識，在小學生從旁協助和指導下，割草工作順利完成。

                  你睇我割得幾快                                              小休片刻

康樂遊戲 :- 醫學生舉辦了大型遊戲活動日，為孩子們提供了多項體能及益智遊戲，孩子們渡過了一個愉快的下午。

家訪慰問 :- 醫學生分成10個小組前往學童家中訪問，了解學生家庭生活狀况及長者健康情況，並送贈生活物資以表關懷。同時，亦跟進各學童於家裡的表現作適當評估。這些學童家境困難，如品格和學業良好，力行將會提供協助，包括學費及生活補貼，以便協助孩子繼續升學，他日學業有成，生活水平得予提升並脫貧在望。

醫學生們對是次活動感覺正面，異口同聲地表示來年將會繼續參與此項極具意義的山區活動.....................明年見!

義工 王德富

2012年6月20日

醫學生感想篇

( 2011年6月3日 – 9日探訪 陽山縣 杜步鎮 東山村 )

醫學行2011  個人反省

黃天慧Joyce (中文大學一年級醫科生)

在這次活動中，讓我深刻體會到要真正了解一項政策、一件事、一個人都並不容易。在貴州之行，我們主要希望認識當地村診所和村醫辦工的情況。事前，我們閱讀過一些有關的資料，它們給我的印象是村醫要在一個只有百餘呎的空間工作，並且每天要為絡繹不絕的村民診症，而診所內的藥物總是不敷應用。怎料，當我們逐一參觀那兒的村診所，便發覺診所的設備相對地完備——那兒不僅有治療室、觀察室、醫生休息室，還有藥房，而藥房亦存放多款藥物；而我們到達時，多半沒有村民求診，有的亦只有一個。為了了解村醫的日常工作，我們訪問村醫，惟因為有官員在場，我們根本無法知道那美好的一面是否真實的一面。因此，我們彷彿無法認識事實的全部，卻只能從不同人的口和我們自己的觀察中，一點一點的揭示真實情況。

此外，我在這次旅程中最大的得着還是可以聽到不同人對同一件事的不同感受和着眼點。有同學認為最深刻的是村醫那份助人的高尚情操，有人認為村醫不是個英雄卻是一個為糊口而努力推動公共衛生的工作人員，有人看到村醫擔當了一個基層醫療提供者 (primary caregiver)的角色——以預防而非治療疾病為首任，有人欣賞村醫和村民緊密的關係，有人質疑當中對村醫的檢察不足，等等。而在東山服務時，亦有同學在分享會中提出現行的服務方針是否合適，帶領同學思考更基本的問題，讓人難忘。所以，我是相當享受參加者各自表達意見和感受的時間，因這讓我對一件事能有較深入的體會。

在內地生活數天，我始意識到我有一個不可不跨越的心理障礙。在貴州隨村醫進行家訪時，我曾一度被屋內數十上百的蒼蠅嚇得目瞪口呆；在東山宿舍住宿時，我亦被房內外數不清的昆蟲所困擾——第一次知道一邊看着十多隻飛娥的底部，一邊刷牙的滋味；第一次把獨角仙放在大行李箱旁邊做體積比較；第一次用幾升容量的空水樽拍打牆上的兩隻大蚊和地上的一隻蜘蛛；第一次用膠紙封住木門的小洞口，防止再有飛蟻鑽洞而入……這些第一次都考驗着我的忍耐力。然而，這些經驗讓我有信心他日再到訪環境或衛生不理想的地方時，也能以較平靜的心情去面對，這是我個人的一次成長經歷。

十天的旅程不算長，卻也不短。當我要全時間與不熟識的同學生活，便發覺與人相處實在是一大學問。在貴州之旅，我作為唯一的中大一年級生，遠離原有的圈子，開始接觸香港大學一、二年級和中大二年級的學生。經過數日的相處和難忘的經歷，我們一行十二人可算是成為了朋友，這是我的一大得着。此外，在東山服務時，我要面對的更是一群從幼兒級到小學六年級的小孩子。對於不甚擅長與小童相處的我，這六天的活動實在是一大挑戰，而我亦有深感挫敗的時候；但感恩的是，在這次服務中，我總算能較深入地接觸幾位小孩子，成為日後以通信跟進和關心他們的基礎。

在這十天的活動過後，我感受到個人身心靈都有所成長，也就是適應力也提升了不少。盼望，這次活動對我們參加者和那些服務對象的正面影響能延續下去，使這十天的衝擊能造就長遠甚至一生的果效。

譚天褒 (中文大學一年級醫科生)

        到東山前，心中最大的疑慮是擔心自己和小朋友溝通的經驗不多，不容易和他們熟絡。心想不說要教他們甚麼東西，就是和他們談話也不容易。但是，在親自與他們認識過後，就會發覺之前的顧慮都是多餘的。因為自要真心和他們做朋友，小孩很快便會肯跟你玩和談天，這是我到東山第二天所感受到的。

        對他們有一定認識後，下一步就是進行教育的工作。我主要負責跟進的小朋友主要來自圖書館至學前班，跟他們說未來、夢想等大是大非的事情好像太早，較為實際、又切合我甚淺教學經驗的是教導他們禮貌的重要性和待人接物的態度。當然，若以說教形式教導，不要說是小朋友，就是大學生也受不了。所以只有從遊戲中使他們潛移默化，例如背著／抱起他們跑一圈前，先要他們說聲謝謝，更要他們明白說這句話的意義，問他們這句話是對誰說、為甚麼說等；如有多於一個小朋友想借照相機時，先要他們達成協議，每人輪流影若干張，使他們明白公平的重要性。在這個過程中，我看到小朋友的吸收和領悟力十分高，就像教授他們拍攝一樣，他們不到一會兒就把照相機使用自如，這使我更覺得學前時期的兒童教育，特別是品德教育，若能配合適當的教法，是十分有效的。

        另外，在與當地人的傾談中，我發現有時候國內教育普及不足的問題不只是硬件（如學校、老師、教學資源）的缺乏，而是軟件（大眾思想）未能配合。家訪時曾問過幾個家長，他們都不約而同的說如果有足夠的資助，會讓自己的小孩繼續升學。然而，小孩心中的想法未必如此：有些仍會覺得稍為長大（如讀完初三）就應該出去工作賺錢養家，說明這個觀念仍頗為流行。但以這樣的學歷，找到的工作是否足夠自己糊口也成問題，而到他們有自己家庭的時候，很可能負擔不了子女的教育開支，自然造成又一個貧窮的惡性循環。故要在農村推廣教育，這個問題亦尚待解決。

        最後要一提的，是這趟旅程給了我在生活態度上一個不小的衝擊。初初以為到東山是去服務當地的人，但想不到最後自己也會有這麼大的得著。雖然以前也聽別人說過、從書本、電視看過，知道過世界上落後、貧窮地方的生活苦況，但只有當自己親身經歷的時候，才會有切膚之痛，使我更珍惜現在的生活環境、學習機會、和擁有的一切，不敢再有絲毫的浪費。

Ellis Wong (中文大學二年級醫科生)

Everyday is a day of new inspiration. In Guizhou, I was touched by the altruism of village doctors, who were willing to climb up hills and travel long distance for the wellbeing of fellow villagers. In Dongshan, I was inspired by the innocence of the kids, who were satisfied with their limited possessions and determined to strive for improvements. Although people raised in villages lack the wealth and materials that big city offers, village doctors and kids are tactical in convincing themselves to continue their lives in the forgotten part of China.

The intimate doctor-patient-relationship in villages motivates village doctors to carry on, despite the minimal income. Because of the remoteness of the villages, village doctors serve as the only medical service provider in a village. Without alternatives, villagers rely on village doctors for medical advice. Geographical isolation of villages allows village doctors to develop unique relationships with their patients, which bring the doctors unparalleled satisfaction. Due to insufficient knowledge, village doctors are incapable of carrying out procedures, for example child delivery, that are normally required to grant one the title ‘Doctor’. Therefore, in our terms ‘village doctor’ is actually ‘health ambassador.’ However, in village settings, village doctors are crucial players in primary healthcare. Village doctors introduce the concept of hygiene to villagers, and remind patients the importance of immunization. Thus, village doctors are pioneers of preventive medicine in rural areas and their roles are equally respectable.

Because of limited financial resources, possessions of villagers are restricted to daily necessities, and commodities like gloves and socks may be too luxurious for them. In spite of the lack of material comfort, village kids accept their fates and are satisfied with their simple lifestyles. I love their innocence, and I love their simple mindsets, since these characteristics allow kids to be happy even when they are given simple rewards. Poverty on one hand makes kids less acquisitive, on the other hand it deprives them from opportunities that city kids enjoy. I came across kids who are capable of continuing secondary education, but financial burden is a major obstacle for them to move on. Knowing their stories is heartbreaking for many volunteers, since we understand knowledge is the only option for them to change their future. The cruel reality is no stranger to the kids too, therefore, most village kids share a common dream of working in the city through attaining higher level of education. Poverty, thus, becomes a constraint for village kids to freely explore their ideal job.

We are fortunate to be born in the city, which grants us access to world-class medical services and universal education. Our counterparts in rural area, however, do not enjoy these benefits. The role of student volunteers in changing the current village conditions is minimal, and the best we can do is not to have them forgotten by city people. Nowadays when we mention China, we would immediately visualize the crowds of Chinese big spenders at luxurious shopping malls. How often would we recall the group of villagers suffering from poverty only three hundred kilometers away? Student volunteers shall start by inspiring those living in our own community. With increasing awareness, NGOs could gather manpower and resources for village improvement projects much easier. City people should not help by facilitating the direct urbanization of rural areas, we should however, be introducing various aspects of city life and allow village people to explore the best option for them and their posterity.

Calvin Hoo (中文大學二年級醫科生)

Part 2:

            從沒想過廣東省竟會有這麼貧困的地方。到某些家庭做家訪的時候，完全被家中的環境征住了，桌面上是一羣倉蠅亂舞，地面上是一攤攤雞糞，很難想像在現今的龍頭廣東省，竟有人生活是這麼拮据。再談下去，只有一個個令人心酸的故事，揭示農村種種社會問題的最佳寫照。一邊傾談，心裡不禁暗說，為什麼大家都是人，大家都享受同一塊大地，他們的遭遇為什麼那麼坎坷，只好說世界本就是不公平的。

            農村醫療設施不足，超生問題的普遍性，農村教育水平低落，太多太多的問題只是在一條小小的，幾百人居住的村落就已經充份浮面。知識可以改變命運，這句千古傳頌的說話在這處被我深深體會。只有知識，才有力爭上遊的入場券；找到好工，掙到錢，才有機會令全家脫貧。我真的很想讓他們的小孩子知道絕處可以逢生，只要他們有夢想並向著標竿直跑，生機還是處處可找的。

            農村的小朋友也保持著一顆單純的心，只要你肯交出心來，他們也會向你敞開心扉。”將心彼心”一直是我做人的格言，你對人的熱心愛心，別人是看在眼裡，聽在耳內，記在心內，他們會因為你一句說話而被感動，因為你一個行為而改變，這就是所謂的”以生命影響生命”。和小朋友一起，你不用像日常般謹言慎行，你只需要放開懷抱，用最真誠的態度，以心交流，十分愜意。

            初初報名參加MO Annual Trip的原因，是被它每年都到東山探訪的計劃所打動。小孩子需要的不是一次的施捨及關懷，不是見了以後都不再見的面孔，他們需要的是一班真心關注他們，可以建立長久關係的朋友。東山，我心所嚮往也，期待明年和你再會！

Bernadette Cheng (中文大學二年級醫科生)

東山是我到過最貧窮的地方，透過家訪，我親身感受到東山人貧困的生活。與當地小朋友的對話中，我明白到他們在升學與家庭經濟之間的矛盾。短短的五天，的確使我有無能為力的感覺。我作為一個小小的醫學生，除了帶給村民生活物資及小朋友短暫的快樂，對於他們的困境彷似是愛莫能助。我可以做的，是貫輸小朋友「為自己的未來早作打算」的觀念，希望他們憑自己的一雙手，改變自己的命運。

此外，我十分欣賞力行慈善基金會在東山的工作，如為當地開發水源、資助小朋友升學、寒冬送暖等，實在值得我們敬佩。

當初決定參加醫心的服務團，主要是因為它對「可延續性」的堅持。這次旅程帶給我一個又一個思想衝擊，重新思考自己作為一個醫學生的責任。相信這次旅程的結束只是承諾的開始，日後與小朋友通信，甚至再訪東山，才可以真正達到可延續的目標，切實地幫助小朋友成長。

Jennifer Chan (中文大學二年級醫科生)

         未到東山前，本以為這也將會只是一次跟小朋友玩樂嬉戲的經驗。回港後才發覺，沒錯，我是跟小朋友們過了愉快又難忘的數天，但我明白了別人口中所說的──對小朋友的承擔。

    東山的小朋友有着農村的純樸，非常的熱情和好客，面對着陌生的哥哥姐姐們亦會展露他們最真心的笑容。最初害怕不能跟他們變得熟絡，原來都只是多餘的憂慮。我從他們身上學會了不少，也體驗了不少，但對他們，感情是複雜的。

    從家訪中，我了解到他們的生活情況：他們有的三餐也是吃着麥羮，只有過節時才會有肉可吃；家裏沒有廁所，只有數戶共用的公廁，家裏真的可用「家徒四壁」來形容。但他們都似乎很知足，不用因匱乏而自怨自艾。雖然生活物資缺乏，但卻很樂於分享，可能這正是農村的純樸和真摯，是人的本性。城巿人卻在一切的物慾和權利的衝擊下失去了這「善」的本性，只不停地極力爭取和奢求，不會因得到而快樂，反倒因未能擁有而自嘆。回歸農村，感受到自己出生在香港是多麼的幸運，明白了真的要時常感恩，並珍惜所有。雖說東山的小朋友不會奢求自己不能擁有的東西，但我想：面對我們，他們不期然的也會感到有點自卑。當問及他們平時會玩些甚麼，吃些甚麼時，他們的神情是尷尬的，答案也十分含糊，看到這些，不禁使我有點心酸。我們的到來，能讓他們見識一下外面花花世界的一切，這或許能讓他們快樂，立志發奮向上，但亦可能讓他們感受到自己生活的不足而自卑。事實上，這衝擊帶來的後果是正面還是負面，其實很在於哥哥姐姐們給他們傳遞的訊息，而在這方面，我自問亦有很多進步的空間。

　　來到東山，我感受到農村小孩的懂事和刻苦。他們年紀小小便會幫家人做家務，亦很會照顧弟妹，但卻會怕若自己繼續升學而不去打工會成為家人的負擔。對於他們的顧家和無私，我是感動的，但卻概歎他對於追求知識的重要性並不了解。這次的旅程後，我發現自己除了希望帶給東山小孩們數日的歡樂外，更希望可以帶來一些更深遠的影響，真的可以了解他們的需要，教導他們，正面地影響他們。但矛盾的是，我們的力量和時間真的很有限，也不知道在短短的數天內，我們所做到的有多少，更害怕離開時會給小朋友們帶來傷感。對此，

我們或許需要更深入的探討。但令人鼓舞的是，不少曾到過東山作探訪的同學們都表示，他們在某些小朋友身上看到了正面的改變。

    不論在東山或是我們自己的未來都存在着許多的未知之數，但我們和小朋友之間的感情卻是真摯的。小朋友跟哥哥姐姐們建立關係，其實一直處被動的狀態，是我們突然前去跟他們做朋友，是否再回去的決定權亦在我們的手上，他們能做的就只有等，這種無奈，我們或許未能體會到，但我並不希望給他們一種被遺棄的感覺。因此，我在此承諾，我不會就此離去，至少我會保持書信的來往，讓他們繼續感受從香港送來的關愛。

Jacky Lau (香港大學一年級醫科生)

Dongshan

The trip to dongshan was unforgettable. It is never a easy task to deal with so many kids! Fortunately, the kids are very cute and totally not shy at all. Dongshan is one of the poorest region in Guangdong. We had family visit, did education in school and cut glass with the kids. In this trip, we build up a very good and close relationship, and will continue to contact by mails. We would like to be a mentor and role model of students, motivate them to learn and be a great people in the future.

The annual trip 2011 give me a good exposure to China, where I learnt a lot.

I learn more about what “commitment” mean:I met lots of NGO and very kindhearted persons which help the poor in China wholeheartedly.

I learnt once again to cherish what I have in Hong Kong, and not take anything for granted.

I learnt more about how to communicate with children too!

唐宇泰 (香港大學二年級醫科生)

東山很貧困，我卻在這裡得到了很多。

一群一無所有的孩子，給了我們很多擁抱和歡笑。村子窮得沒有地方讓孩子放學後到，幸好力行慈善基金在小學旁運作了一個圖書館，讓小孩下課後有地方玩耍。我們在圖書館逗留了六天，跟孩子玩，跟他們上課，更到他們家作家訪，希望了解他們的性格和家庭背景，以更好的指導他們，讓他們有更好的成長。

這些孩子從社會中得到的很少，但他們從不吝嗇他們所有的──活力和熱情。遠遠看到他們，樣子還沒看清，卻已看到他們親切的笑容，聽到他們使勁地喊著你的名字，彷彿要把自己擁有的都跟你分享。

他們很窮，我卻從沒聽過他們埋怨。反而比我們更體享受生活中的細節，樹葉的香味、用草玩射槍遊戲，在田野中奔走。環境富裕不代表我們更懂得享受生活，單純、簡樸的環境反倒讓他們有更多時間欣賞生活中的一草一木。

幾天的相處，已分不清誰較富裕，誰較貧窮，只道我們都分享過一段美好回憶。

回途的車程上，搖搖晃晃中不知不覺睡著了，起來時迄然發現窗外盡是摩天高樓，難怪大師兄說東山之旅像場美夢。

Erin Yeoh (香港大學一年級醫科生)

Part 2: Dongshan

As compared to Guizhou, the people in Dongshan had far worse living conditions and it was a totally different experience altogether. This time, we had a chance to serve and try to increase the awareness of the villagers regarding health issues. It was also nice to come to know the villagers at a far more personal level, understand their family background and thereby advise them to change their unhealthy lifestyle or to improve personal hygiene.

I think that it is a good idea to keep Dongshan as a long term project as I feel that some of the kids there need more guidance and support, as well as the families and this can only be achieved if we constantly keep in touch with them, instead of just helping them on a one-off basis.

Personally, I think the trip to Dongshan made me re-evaluate the priorities in my life. Seeing people with minimal monthly wages and unable to afford meat except probably once a year was enough to made me realize that environment does play a major role in determining someone’s future or career pathway. For example, being able to enter university does not solely depend on results or intellect alone. Therefore, I think what Green Action Foundation, the local NGO did was very practical. It helped the villagers in the right way, which is by planting trees in the vicinity and thereby channeling clean water to the households and for irrigation. I admire their work and also their concept of “charity” that actually creates job opportunities and improves the income of farmers instead of simply giving them money etc.

Carl Wong (香港大學一年級醫科生)

身為這趟醫學行教學小組一員的我，本想以自己的知識和資料搜集，教導當地知識水平較落後的留守家庭，然而，旅途後我卻發現，學會的比我付出的更多。

當旅遊巴到達東山時，一張張天真的笑臉在迎接我們，可是笑臉背後卻是一個個辛酸的故事。剛踏上初中的她本應努力學習追逐自己的理想、和同學無憂無慮的玩耍，卻因家境貧窮，為了弟妹能繼續讀書只好作隨時輟學的準備。天真好動的他玩樂過後本應與爸媽一起大塊朵耳，但他手裡的只是一碗比粥更稀的麥羹(粟米羹)。貧窮真的很可怕，但在貧窮中看不到脫貧的路就更可怕。這次旅程讓我對扶貧有新的看法，從來我以為扶貧就是給予缺乏者所需，但原來指引他們如何脫貧和提供機會比物質上的支援更為重要，故此教育才是他們唯一的出路。

另一點我學會的就是如何快樂，我訪問的家庭生活十分艱苦，爸媽出省城工作，每年只回家兩、三趟，大家姐為了家庭輟學工作，只剩下爺爺照顧兩個小孫子，但言談中我看不到他們埋怨、看不到他們的愁容，只看到家人相親相愛，彼此記掛，原來快樂真的簡單得很，只要以最單純的心愛身旁的人，這就是快樂了。

真的很感謝力行植林基金、醫心、各位團友、東山的每一個人，讓我能對生命有如斯的反思。

Becky Ma (香港大學二年級醫科生)

It has been my first time experiencing life in a rural village of China. The experience is very different from other trips that I have participated before. I have heard poor the living standard is in areas including Guizhou and Dongshan, but still I was shocked when seeing with my own eyes what has been described to me. I wonder what if I was born in a village like that, what if I had to walk for more than an hour to school alone and barefoot, what if I had only corn congee and a small piece of cucumber as my breakfast, lunch and dinner, what if my parents have left me and I was the only one to depend on in the entire family. Life is tough for these children. They have to take up the responsibility of taking care of their brothers and sisters, their grandparents at a very young age. They understand power of knowledge to change their life, but there are too much to worry, too much to take care of. They have dreams and goals, but the experience of their parents or grandparents has told them that there is hope, but do not expect too much from walking out of this familiar zone. These children need to pay extraordinary  hardwork and determination in order to bring some change to their current living standard.  Their future is full of uncertainty; their struggle to live a better life touched me a lot.

During the first part of the trip, we visited a number of rural clinics and saw the real benefits obtained from the new medical reform. A large portion of rural population enjoyed the fruits of the reform, but still some are left behind and struggling in the dim light of poverty for a brighter pathway ahead. With the effort of local government officials and village doctors, who practice for the interests of their fellow villagers, and cooperation of villagers, I do believe China’s future medical healthcare is heading towards the right direction.

I enjoyed the 10-day trip very much with times of laughter and times of tears with my fellow team mates. It has definitely been an extraordinary experience for me.

Andrew Wong (香港大學一年級醫科生)

The trip to Dongshan has indeed been an eye opening experience. I was utterly impressed by the sense of propriety and hospitality the families have given us as we were making home visits; knowing that they have little to begin with, they still wanted to offer their best (whether it be food, drinks, or honey) as we visited them. If I were to compare this with how we interact with strangers in Hong Kong, it’s slightly disheartening to know that most of us would have to reconsider before we would offer a few dollars to the homeless on the streets, and often times we have a few hundred dollars to spare.

The kids there were not unintelligent either; their only disadvantage would be that they were not given as much resources in life as other fortunate kids in more developed countries. During the few days that I was there, I came to realize that the children there were a pleasure to work with. Though they were quite coy initially, they warmed up to us visitors within the next day that we were there. Many of them just wanted the attention from us ‘big brothers/ big sisters’ for often times they lack the affection at home while their parents have gone to work in the cities, and their grandparents have to work in the fields. However, I can only imagine that the children would have to resolve back to their original selves after our temporary visit, and sometimes I do wish that they have some sort of emotional and intellectual guidance from others besides us.  Hence I would think that a buddy system amongst themselves would prove to be worthwhile as the children pair up and rely on each other for emotional support when we’re not there. Surely there can be things they can discuss with each other that they would not feel comfortable sharing with family members.

After these few days, personally I find it difficult to connect with the boys on an emotionally level. Indeed they were rather zealous in trying to get you to play with them, but once you enter the topic of school and anything that remotely borders their non-cheeky side, most of them would switch to be rather introverted. I realize that it would take more than a few days worth of interaction to get them to open themselves us to relatively new folks, and I do hope that us college students will keep in touch with them. I once embarked on a similar trip where I got a chance to play with some orphans, and I was slightly disheartened to know that there wouldn’t be a way for me to keep in touch for them. Hence getting this opportunity to maintain contact with these children in Dong Shan was one of the reasons as to why I wanted to go on this trip in the first place.

Jiminy Liu (中文大學一年級醫科生)

東山小朋友求學之路甚艱難

這個旅程是一個既開心又沉重的經歷。貧窮引起的一連串問題，最後又會致使他們更加貧窮，這個惡性循環永無止境地繞著他們一代又一代的人。來這裏之前，我很天真地認為只要他們努力讀書，就可以憑知識改變命運。但是，主觀和客觀上，都有很多因素阻礙他們求學。作為一個真正希望給他們實際幫忙的義工，我認為我們有必要先了解他們面對的阻礙。我把這些阻礙大體上分為內在和外在因素。

內在的因素多是對金錢的慾求以及對家人的責任感。小朋友深知家長工作辛苦，想早點自己供養自己，甚至幫補家計，他們急切地想要為家庭做一點事。我們在家訪中看到一個活生生的例子，學業成績不俗的姊姊為幫補家計，放棄學業，到清遠市去當童工，但她掙到的錢根本連自己的生活也維持不了，她的家庭又因為她放棄學業而失去了一個脫貧的機會。

外在因素則包括家庭經濟情況，學校教師質素和朋輩的影響。來這裏之前，我只知道東山小朋友家境貧困，但從未想過學校的教師缺乏教學熱誠，隨意批改學生的作業，加上終日與無心向學的朋輩為伍，會令他們對學習失去興趣。我想我們忽略了他們其實都是一群天真的小學生，與我們兒時一樣都會沉迷玩樂。他們與我們唯一的分別，就是他們艱難的家庭環境，不容許他們有些微行差踏錯。對他們來說，求學的機會是要極力爭取的，錯過了就如同失去了脫貧的機會。

在香港，我們有很多選擇，人人都說「條條大路通羅馬」，但對東山的小孩來說，要脫貧，幾乎就只有一條路，而這條路上充滿荊棘。所以，我真的感到格外感恩，感謝東山的小朋友教會我堅強面對生活的種種挑戰。

黃卓樺 (香港大學二年級醫科生)

又回到東山，第四次了。

這次又問自己那個老問題：為甚麼再回來？這次的目的是甚麼？

這次回到東山，又再看到那些熟悉的臉孔，一張張的笑臉彷彿在說：我們等了你們很久了。由於受眾是一群留守兒童，他們的父母都出城打工，平日缺乏了別人的呵護和照顧，當我們與他們建立了一個緊密的關係後，服務的持續性便顯得異常重要。若果我們不再跟進的話，那他們就會有被遺棄的感覺，那比我們不出現更具破壞力。現時我們一年回去２－３次，其餘時間靠書信聯絡，往後數年會愈來愈忙，但仍然希望可以與一班有心的同學回去探望他們，畢竟可以用生命去影響生命是一個十分寶貴的機會。

這次回去亦跟其他同學討論了不少問題，如我們應該甚麼時候抽身，怎樣教導他們才是最適合等等。看來我們在再回去前要好好想清楚這些問題。

與第一次見小朋友們相隔一年，他們長大了不少，最欣慰的是看到有一部份真的不同了：有從前喜歡打人罵人的現在懂得主動關心人；有從前貪玩的到現在考第一；有從前害羞不說話的現在變得外向。可能真的因為我們而改變的並不是太多，但引用謝醫生的一句話：「你做醫生嗰時都無諗過要救全世界嘅人，幫得一個就一個。」是的，對我來說，假如只有一個小孩們因我們而作出改變，即使是那麼一個，都是值得的，因為那是一個生命。

東山這個地方很美麗，人與人之間的關係純如清水，而人與自然的緊密關係亦是非城市可找到的。回到香港的那天晚上，很不習慣五光十色的霓虹燈和嘈雜的汽車聲。我曾經說過東山像是一個夢，現在再想想，不禁要問：是夢的是東山，還是香港？

這一次仍是以籌委的身份回去，看到同學們於十天的活動內有所得著，真的是十分感動。除了幫助別人外，擴闊參加者的眼光以及令他們想得更深亦是活動的另一重要目的。十天旅程完結，有如釋重負的感覺，把過去一年的辛苦和壓力都放下了，但我知道這只是一個開始，我們只是踏出了一小步，希望能與更多想法相同的人一起走往後更長的路！

為甚麼再回來？答案原來早已在心中

Amanda Mun (香港大學二年級醫科生)

I think it is necessary to return to a place at least once more to begin to understand it and its people.

In the case of Dongshan, I found that with each trip (this being my third), there are simply a lot more than meets the eye. I learn and understand a lot more and more importantly, I find that there is so much more that I do not know, and I want to know what I have yet to know. 

Each trip seems to carry greater meaning and a bigger sense of responsibility. My last annual trip was as an ordinary participant. This time, I was part of the team involved in planning and organizing it. Both roles lead me to having very different experiences or angles of thought upon comparison between the two long trips. I realized that giving feedback was easy, but receiving feedback, choosing what sort of feedback to capitalize on and coming up with a feasible viable solution in the form of service work were educational experiences that contributed very much to my own personal development. 

During the trip, I compared the children to onions. The onion analogy may be a clichéd one but it is really apt for the context at that time.

The child is like the onion. While the first layer can be peeled with something as simple as a greeting or fun and games, the deeper layers can only be explored when there’s trust and a friendly bond between child and volunteer. Both those elements tend to come with time.

The problem with onions is that when you peel deeper and deeper, it’s easy for tears to well up in your eyes and then, you cry. To translate that into the context in mind, perhaps all I can say is that whilst the exterior of said onion may seem pretty and shiny, the layers that lie hidden may surprise you. I learnt that it’s time to dig beyond the superficial bits that I’ve had all the fun in exploring in my previous trips, perhaps including this one as well.

I learnt that things that appear pretty may not necessarily be so. I started to question if the beauty of say, a spoken word, is as genuine as it sounds or as wonderful as it seems.

At the same time, however, one can’t help but appreciate the little things that make whatever you do seem worthwhile. It may be something as little as a kid telling you, in all the sincerity that would take an Oscar-winning actress to act out, that she feels honoured to have met the bunch of us. It may be a person you met, who has successfully changed her life in a positive direction upon leaving the humble village in Dongshan. Or it may be the little snippets of knowledge or manners that you try incorporate into the daily lives of the children there that actually find its way to the children’s practices.

I personally felt that the trip was very fulfilling this time around. I may be idealistic, trying to find my way around possible actions that may help the children. Often, I miss the mark, coming up with all sorts of things that are difficult to apply in practice, but there are ideas nonetheless, and the trip acts as a motivator for me to want to do more. I wonder if my peers feel the same.

I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to learn and understand more about the very community of people that we are trying to help. I also look forward to what the future holds for the children in question, and will be extremely honoured if there’s room for me to be part of it.

Annie Chan (香港大學二年級醫科生)

已經第三次回到東山了!

其實我不是一個太喜歡想東西的人, 很少認真的想為什麼要再一次回來東山,

只是, 有機會就很想回去.

雖然是第三次回來, 但其實這一次很有重新出發的感覺.

這次很多時間都被一班其實我不太熟的女生黏著, 沒有時間去跟其他熟悉的男孩玩.

面對這一群女生, 有的我連一句話都不曾說過, 根本不了解她們.

而且這次很想多跟她們聊天, 希望我們到來真的能帶給她們一些正面的影響.

可惜, 時間真的不夠. 答應了跟她們聊天, 可惜又要一次又一次的押後, 到走的時候也聊不到.

“魚翁撒網”, 是好還是壞呢?

這次回到東山, 有一度感覺很失望很迷失.

有一個下午, 看見自己一直很疼的男孩居然為了很小很小的事跟好朋友打架.

其實真的很失望. 好像我們來了好幾次卻連這麼基本的事也教不好他們.

然後再面對著敏瑩的問題. 真的不懂得如何處理.

那一刻很懷疑我到底應不應該堅持跟他們說道理?!

還是隨便的讓事情過去就好, 這橡至少能讓我逃離那僵局, 也不用怕會破壞跟他們的關係.

不過, 我還是堅持了.

幸好第二天他們也很好的跟我玩, 也道了歉.

也許, 教他們道理和知識, 用生命去影響生命, 就是我們到來的目的. 也是我們應該堅持的.

不過, 面對著成績不好的小朋友, 我們可以做的卻只有鼓勵, 鼓勵和鼓勵.

實際上卻做不了什麼…

的確, 我們無可能幫到所有人, 就是幫得一個得一個!

這次回到香港後, 竟然有一個女生sms和打電話給我, 說很想我, 很想跟我聊天.

其實心裡很高興她這麼掛念我, 很開心她願意跟我分享. 就像朋友一樣.

可惜, 真的不想她浪費那麼多錢, 只能叫她以書信聯絡.

也許, 這裡的小朋友需要的就是這麼一個朋友, 一個大姐姐去關心他, 聆聽他的心事, 跟他分享, 陪他玩吧.

這次很開心能夠有一班很好的同伴. 一班很有心也很努力的曠工 : )

下一次, 再有機會, 我還是會再來.

因為, 我真的很想他們.

因為, 我知道他們也很想我們.

因為, 我想自己可以做的更好

這裡的小朋友, 擁有的就是一份純真. 這裡的人, 擁有的就是多一分信任和愛.

東山, 就像那麼現實的世界中, 一個像童話的地方, 一個夢的地方: )

ps, 情情竟然從東山SMS到香港祝我生日快樂, 真的很感動呀 : )

Michelle Yu (中文大學三年級醫科生)

再一次回到東山, 是因為對這地方的愛,是因為對小朋友的承諾,是因為還有末完的事, 最重要的是希望在更了解這個地方後能付出更多更好的自己給東山的小朋友。

從來都很喜歡東山的小朋友, 喜歡他們的純真。 世界是不公平的但她們並非不幸。 她們沒有因為本身的缺乏而埋怨世界而放棄自己,她們知足常樂懂得從簡單的事中尋找單純的快樂,她們勇敢追求夢想,在她們每一個人身上我看到漂亮的光采,更時刻提醒自己因着自己擁有實在太多太多要感思。

這次回去與小朋友相處時間多了,對她們的了解也加深了。家欣是我其中一個很喜歡的女孩,從前的她是個很惡會打人的孩子,但今次與她多聊天才知道她有一個小時候經常打她的精神病母親,父親兄弟姊妹都不在身旁,從小缺乏家庭温暖才造就霸道的性格,這次,跟她熟絡了發覺她可愛的一面, 她會主動替你拿袋子拿樽子, 其實每一個小朋友背後都有自己的故事,要對一個人下評价的先決條件就先要了解清楚他們。更甚者很多時他們需要的只是你的爰及關心,所以請不要吝嗇一個微笑一個擁抱,付出多一點你會得到更多。

在這次旅程中我學會堅守原則,記得在班房內因進娣及敏滢犯錯而責怪她們一事,那時的我曾疑惑自己決定的對錯,我的責罵可能會令她們損失美好的回憶,但我們的身份正正要教她們明辨事非,指出她們的錯誤令她們學做一個好人,並不是只是陪玩的遊戲提供者,幸運的是她們隔天主動跟我道歉,令我體會教導小朋友要堅守自己的底線,不能因為小朋友會不跟我們玩而放棄應做的事。

令人感動的還有看到小朋友的改變,看到林娣從被動逃避我們到主動跟我們割草,在她身上我看到讚賞和肯定的力量,亦感受到我們要做得幾多得幾多,勿因善小而不為,因為你永遠不知哪些事對她們的影響有多大,正如力行基金會的創辦人謝醫生說 :[做醫生不能夠幫哂全部人, 幫得幾多得幾多 ]

慶幸的還有認識了二十七個同路人,多謝大家擁有同一顆心努力為同一個夢想同一個地方奮鬥。

漫天星星的天空,滿園的螢火蟲,每晚勤力的礦工,最愛的小朋友,東山帶給我太多美好的回憶,那裏,是我永遠的依歸,正如zoe所說:[無論將來有多忙碌,下一次依然會再回來]!更期待的是, 以後用另一個身份,用自己的力量去幫助去服務更多有需要的人!

東山, 下一次再見

Tracy Ho (中文大學二年級醫科生)

很慶幸這一次我選擇了再次回到東山，也有機會再次回到東山，這一次我的得著更多，感受更深。

第一次到東山，沒錯，的確和那裏的小朋友還得很開心，但歡樂過後又留下了甚麼呢，我們又可以為他們的困境帶來甚麼改變？上一次有參加者提出夢想這個問，他們和一些較年長的小朋友討論這個問題，有些小朋友可能沒有想過，有些則哭了起來，我仔細想了想，其實這是對的。這一班小孩很快便要上初中，然後他們便要作出人生一大決定，繼續唸書或是出外工作，這一個很可能是影響到他們可否扭轉現在這個困境的關鍵。這一次再到東山，重點便放了在小四至小六的學生，我很希望可以把握時間，了解他們。

知識改變命運，這句說話我們都耳熟能詳，但放在東山這個地方身上，又是否適用呢？農村的小孩大部分都很懂事，這是一個東山的小朋友跟我說的。正正因為這份懂事，可能令他們失去讀書，失去改變命運的機會。家訪時去到一個有四兄弟姊妹的家，大姐姐已經出外打工，二姐姐亦有此打算，目的是為了掙錢供弟弟還有妹妹讀書，可惜事與願違，學歷不夠，年紀太輕，工資往往被剝削，所掙的錢可以只是剛好可以糊口，那什麼可以供弟妹讀書呢？如果她當初選擇繼續唸書結果會否不同？我明白這個觀念不是一時三刻可以改變的，而我們可以做的只是鼓勵他們努力讀書，至於結果如何，是我們無法控制的。

教學質素也是一個問題。有家長向我反映老師並沒有認真批改功課，平時也沒有約見家長討論學生學業情況，也沒有進行家訪。我明白這也或許是現實逼成的，因為老師的薪水也不高，很多老師都需要找外快或耕種來幫補家計。但我認為，即使他們沒有教學熱誠，也至少把份內工作做好，否則一些本來資質不差的學生只會被埋沒，然後惡性循環只會繼續，不能打破貧窮這個厄運。

然而，困擾那些小朋友的還有戶籍問題。因為超生要罰款，父母假如沒有能力繳交罰款唯有不向有關當局申請戶籍。但沒有戶籍，小朋友即使多聰明，也不能繼續唸書，也不可以找一份好工，結婚生子，整個人生就好像給毀掉了。這時我便明白即使他們多努力也只能維持這樣，一想到這裡我便有些心酸，但我們卻甚麼也做不到。

我明白我們所做到的或許不多，但永遠不要輕視自己為其他人帶來的影響，我們的一句說話或者可以令一個已經吸煙的多年的人戒煙，或者能夠令小朋友友好好讀書，然後成材。所以我希望可以和那些小朋友保持聯絡，以一個大姐姐的身份去引導他們，即使最終不能出人頭地，也至少可以教導他們成為正直的人。

以生命影響生命，這是我做過最有意義的事。

Kevin Cheung (中文大學二年級醫科生)

第二次回到東山的去程中,一直在思索一個問題:究竟在東山的服務有多大成效?那裏的小朋友大槪己經忘記一年前上去的我們及我們的說話了吧? 若是這樣?每年同學花上五六天在東山家訪,教小學,跟小朋友玩又有甚意義?

抵達東山時,卻令人喜出望外. 安頓後不久小朋友就放學了,站在二樓遙遙望到入口的小朋友便有人叫我的別名!看來他們的記性也不太差.

及後的幾天接觸到小朋友比去年成熟了.有些會主動跟我們說會努力讀書,有些去年成績很差的小朋友今年突飛猛進……愛玩的他們同樣地喜歡被人背著;大槪是不夠營養所以一樣的瘦小,但思想卻有顯著的不同. 一年光景,已有如此分別,假若多年持續下去,改變可以有多大?

正如謝太多次強調: 要重返故地才可親身感受我們帶來旳改變. 回頭一看,一年前到東山沒有多大實質感受,卻竟似為重訪埋下伏筆.一年後的重訪,才是主角. 東山之行,讓我明白’不以善小而不為’,因為你無法預知自己帶來的改變可以有多大.

Zoe Ip (中文大學二年級醫科生)

離開，是為了再回來

當初決定再回來東山，採訪孩子們，純粹是為了守信用，因為不想孩子們失望，所以選擇回來。慶幸這次的決定，令我更了解孩子們，對東山的牽絆也更深。

第一次探訪東山的孩子，是在去年十二月，當時曾經問自己，為什麼希望來這裡，那時候，是因為其他參加過的義工都很掛念東山，令我好奇東山的吸引力何在。後來，我在這裡短短四天，和孩子們玩，歡樂的時光總是一縱而逝。回到香港後，一直都記掛他們，於是當知道可以有機會再回來，真的很高興！

重臨東山，在這六天裡，我認識了更多孩子，了解到更多東山的情況。正如我們的籌委AMANDA 說，要了解孩子就像剝洋蔥一般，剛開始剝開外層，打破隔閡，認識到他們有的活潑，有的文靜；之後繼續剝，慢慢了解他們各人的家庭背景，越剝下去才能真正了解他們，然後幫助他們。做家訪的時候，其中一個孩子父母已去世，由她的姑媽照顧她。她常常曠課出去外面玩，雖然年紀還小，但我不禁擔心她的將來，這幾天以來，不斷提醒她不可以再曠課，下次有機會再來的時候，她會記得我的話嗎？

讀書可以為孩子們帶來改變命運的機會，可是，我們都發現單純鼓勵孩子努力讀書，不代表就可以令他們努力。即使力行基金會願意提供資助給成績好的孩子，他們仍然會因為各種因素放棄學業。有不少孩子的父母並不希望孩子升上高中，因為他們認為孩子應該早日出去城市打工，幫補家計，他們不覺得讀書是有用的。既然父母有此想法，孩子又怎會明白讀書的重要？

此外，有些孩子升上杜步的中學後，成績追不上其他同學，而且更被人欺負，學校生活令他們恐懼和不開心，又怎可能享受上學？而師資也是其中一項重要因素，我們觀察到其中一部分老師並沒有多大的教學熱誠，充其量只是把教育看作一份普通的工作，至於學生對學習有沒有興趣，上課明不明白課程，他們毫不關心。可惜，我們只是一年來東山一至兩次，但孩子們卻有更多時間受他們影響，我們只能多寫信給孩子，盡量令他們明白讀書的重要，聽起來似乎是杯水車薪，但就如力行基金會的創辦人謝醫生說：「既然知道不可能幫助到全世界的人，但至少幫得到多少個就幫吧！」

這次旅程中，其他義工都是充滿熱誠的同路人，尤其是Valerie。最記得她在最後一晚的分享會，對我們說：「別因為怕小朋友不喜歡你而不去糾正他們，你只要做你自己就可以了，總有一天，他們會明白你是為了他們好。」Valerie又常常跟我們討論東山孩子的將來，可以怎樣令他們過得更好，更願意努力讀書，改變自己的命運。她真的把孩子們看做自己的兒女啊！

這一次，我寫了更多的信給孩子，本來我不肯定自己能否再有時間回東山，但因為聽了Valerie的一番心底話，和讀著孩子們寫給我的信，字裡行間的感情，我知道，我不會遺下孩子，無論將來有多忙碌，下一次依然會再回來！

約定好了，要再和你們相見。 =D

歐子進 (中文大學一年級醫科生)

在東山裡我們感受的卻是另一個世界，一個真正農村的世界，一個沒有科技的世界。知道這裡的兒童大都是留守兒童，家中父母很多都不在家，所以來之前我希望的就是能夠與他們玩，帶給他們快樂。來到之後，我發現我們要做的不單是這樣。在玩的過程中，我們發現了很多農村小孩的問題：他們缺乏父母的教導，所以不明白什麼是禮貌；沒有人談過他們為什麼要讀書，所以他們也缺乏努力進取的動力；他們不知道衛生的重要性，所以亦沒有想過要怎樣改善家中惡劣的環境。這些都不是他們的錯，而是真正缺乏知識所帶來的種種問題。所以後來發現，我們做的不單是與他們玩那麼簡單，而是成為他們的大哥哥大姐姐，灌輸正確的價值，建立小朋友的生命。建立生命，並不是一次半次的行程就能夠做得到的，感謝力行和醫心的安排，讓我們能夠長期跟進數個家庭的孩子，讓我們可以為孩子的將來真正的帶來改變。行程的完結只是一個開始，感受到的卻不再是無能為力。

Paul tong (香港大學二年級醫科生)

東山

同是廣東地區，說著同一種語言，同步的感受著四季的交替，想不到過著這樣不同的生活。

清遠陽山的東山村住著一群留守兒童，他們的窮不在於現在，而是在於未來。這次的體驗令我明白到要減輕人的痛苦，除了從醫學著手外，也要從社會政策和條件來看。在東山這個缺水缺資源又偏遠的地方，貧窮是無可避免的。所以作為醫者，除了要關心醫學上的問題，社會的問題也要好好了解，因為畢竟很多問題的根本都要在杜會政策上才能改善。希望我們在東山能好好扎根，真正地治好當地的大病。

蘇樂平 (中文大學三年級醫科生)

This is my second time to go to Dong Shan to visit my little friends. I hesitated to come back before because I thought they would have forgotten me, to my surprised they are so good in memory and know my name so well. I was so touched.

The more I be with them, the more I want to help. I wish I can come back and come back again to equip them with more surviving skills and the proper view of life and the world. They are so adorable and treasurable that we should not leave them behind and take them as burden to the society.

I wish more and more people will notice the need in China and decide to contribute more and more to our country and to the under-privileged in the world.

何嘉琳 (香港大學二年級醫科生)

從東山回來，一直都很記掛東山的小朋友，記得回來後一覺醒來，發現看不見從陽台上看出去的美麗風景、聽不見小朋友大聲呼叫我的名字、亦沒了小朋友衝上來擁抱自己，才知道自己有多掛念東山這個地方……

        我很懷念東山那種簡單的農村生活，還有人與人之間那種很簡單的關係。在這裡可以放下香港的一切，沒有facebook，沒有電視，每天心中都只有小朋友，有時亦可以靜靜地自己思考一下，亦正因為這裡的生活很簡單，這裡少很多鬥爭和猜度，人與人之間的關係很簡單很親近，人情味很重。

        不知道是否因為農村生活簡單這個緣故吧，這裡的孩子特別熱情，不少一會就可以跟他們玩得很熟。對於這裡的孩子，最感動最深刻的莫過於是看到他們的轉變和成長。記得有一天我們教小朋友甚麼是夢想，然後叫他們填寫夢想紙，希望他們都能擁有自己的夢想而努力。有很多小朋友都不知該怎樣填寫那張夢想紙，因為他們從來都沒想過這個問題，於是我逐一上前講解，走到其中一個女孩身旁時，她十分迷茫，於是努力向她講解夢想的重要性，更向她說了我小時候是如何訂立自己的夢想，這件事到了後來我自己都差點忘記了，誰料在最後一天我收到了這個女孩的信，她告訴我她終於想到自己的夢想，還說一定一定會很努力讀書，完成自己的夢想！短短的一封信，卻是令我不知有多麼的感動！起初我一直以為教導這群這麼小的學生夢想，他們到底吸收到多少？得着有多少？原來我的想法是錯的，我明白到我們不應吝嗇對我們來說看似作用不大的事，因為我們永遠不知道對小朋友的影響有多大！

        到了離別的最後一天，我終於知道什麼叫依依不捨，那天都不知說了多少遍再見──從圖書館說再見，忍不住又衝上去說送她們上學，過了一會打算從小學門外離開，又有小朋友衝出來，拉我們入去，出來後又有人拉我們入去，希望待到上課時候才離開，如此拉扯了好幾番才離開……所以，我對自己說將來一定要回來再探這群小孩，亦會繼續與她們來信，與這群這麼可愛的小孩保持聯絡！

香港 26位醫學生探訪東山後感想

1.      Peter Li Ho Ming

The first part of this trip was to visit Dong Shan, which is one of the poorest parts of China. It was quite an experience to me as I was able to talk to the local children, visit the family, eat what the local people eat and do some farming there. For most of the families, only the elderly and children are staying home while their parents are usually working in cities. Through talking and playing with the children, I realised how innocent they are and how much love and care can do to them. During home visits, we provided them with basic medical check-up and brought them some daily necessities. Frankly, I doubted that our visits could do much to the local people but I did believe that our presence had already made them feel happy, as seen in their hospitality. The next place we went to is Fu Ping where I had chance to visit several local hospitals and talked to the doctors there, which helped me to know more about the healthcare system in China. I was also able to talk to and examine the patients in some small clinics, which truly widened my horizon. The last place we went to is Xian, purely for visiting purpose. We have visited places like the Bell Tower, City wall of Xian, Mausoleum of Qin Chi Huang and his Terracotta Army and Lishan. Overall, I am very happy about and satisfied with the trip to China and would like to visit China again soon.

2.      Sandy Mak

這次旅程主要分為兩部分，第一是到東山區體驗當地農村生活，第二是到富平參觀當地醫療設施和關懷行動的服務工作。這些經驗都令我獲益良多，擴闊視野。

我們首先到廣東東山村，探訪當地留守兒童和長者。在家訪中，透過與當地人的對話，聆聽每一人背後的故事，讓我了解他們的生活文化，甚至社會背後的黑暗。其中一次訪問，我們與一位中年婦女談天，她向我們反映超生小朋友的問題。農民很多時候都會超生，養兒防老，希望下一代能繼承他們的土地。然而，內地推行一孩政策，有些官員以此為藉口，濫收費用，壓榨當地居民。假如他們不能負擔，官員可能會破壞他們的房屋，逼居民交錢。因此，為了逃避他們，有些農民會私下生子，不但缺乏適當的醫療照顧，而生出來的孩子沒有出生証明，影響他們日後出城工作的發展。另外，不少農民亦向我們訴說當地醫療問題。從這些訪問中，雖然農民陳述他們面對的種種困難，然而他們沒有主動要求我們的援助，沒有怨天尤人，只是猶如把我們當作朋友一般，訴說他們的故事。而且，令我更意想不到的，是他們熱情好客的性格。即使生活貧困，三餐不得温飽，每次家訪，農民總會主動邀請我們吃飯，讓我深深感受到他們的友善。

在東山村，我們亦有機會到學校進行健康教育。雖然當地小朋友天資未必很好，但他們十分投入，積極學習。我們叫小朋友朗讀文章，他們每一人都會大聲讀出來；我們問問題，他們亦會主動舉手回答。反觀香港小朋友，即使他們有充足資源，有良好讀書環境，但他們的學習態度反比東山小朋友差劣，不懂珍惜所擁有的一切，甚至不懂潔身自愛，身在福中不知福，這些都是我對山區小朋友的一番體會。

另外，這次旅程讓我更了解力行的服務工作。對於謝醫生夫婦和一眾義工所負出的努力，我深感佩服和感動。要扶貧，不是只是給人民金錢，而是探究他們面對的難題，從而對症下藥，才可真正幫助他們解困。力行在食水，教育，醫療等方面都提供援助，出錢又出力，他們的善心，實在是難能可貴。但愿我日後能參與更多這類義工服務，幫助其他弱勢社群。

行程另一部分，是與關懷行動合作，參觀他們的工作和了解內地醫療制度。我有幸能隨梁秉中教授，到商南看症。這次過程，我更體會到讀萬巻書不如行萬里路。在那兒，我看見不少奇難雜症，亦從教授學習不同的臨床診斷技巧，這些都不能只從書本學習得來，只有親身體會，才能加深印象，讓我終身受用。我亦有機會參觀內地不同階級的醫療設備，包括衛生室，衛生院，中醫院，以及大醫院，使我更了解當地醫療制度。縱使大陸現時發展一日千里，政府開始投放更多資源在醫療硬件，建立完善的設備，然而軟件上依然有不少改善完間。從關懷行行義工口中我得悉很多病人會被醫院敲榨金錢，有些醫護人員會利用病人的無知，胡亂收費，令他們因病致貧。因此，我認為大陸政府需要加強監管醫護人員操守，才可真正為人民提供完善醫療服務。

總括而言，我很滿意這次行程安排，讓我在短短十一天內，體會中國社會生活文化，亦可以讓我反思自己現時的生活態度。除了醫學上的知識，我還學習生活上的哲理。這次旅程是我人生中寶貴的一課。

3.      Jennifer Lau (CUHK Med 1 student)

This trip is indeed the very first medical service trip that I had ever had before. Though I had prior exposure to volunteering work teaching high school students and science as well as being a student intern at a medical center oversea, nothing I have experienced before was comparable to what I had seen during this trip. What strikes me the most from the trip was the first week staying at Tong Shan, one of the four poorest communities in GuangXi, was seeing how difficult side of poverty that most Tong Shan people are experiencing. Since many of the people including parents of children left the villages to work in the city, left behind were a group of elderly and young children who were often very vulnerable to poverty. It pulled my heartstrings to see toddlers and young kids wandering in the street without much care; many of them were malnourished and underweight. Thanks to the continuous effort of GreenAction, these children now have the options to go to the library (aka pre-school care center) where there are nannies to teach and care of them. As a medical student, I was very impressed and astonished by the establishment of Greenaction, a non government organization founded by a kind hearted doctor who spent endless effort and money to help improve the living condition of Tong Shan people by planting trees to enable a stable source of clean water.  I have learned from him a very important message about how to resolve a problem by tackling the root of the problem (how to improver poverty by ensuring the basic supply of clean water). He has set a very good example to us medical students in applying his knowledge outside of his medical expertise to reach out for people in need. Being enlightened by his benevolent act, I have gained new perspective about how a doctor can help others aside from his work.

Although we only stayed in Tong Shan for about a week, I have also acquired new insight about the medical system in mainland China. Most importantly, I have learned and sharpened my skills in communicating and showing care for people in need. Through visiting homes of the local villagers as well as interacting with kids at school and in the library, I was impressed by the positive thinking of these people albeit their poor living condition. These experiences have again proved to me that we are in fact a very fortunate group of people having everything in Hong Kong. I must admit that we medical students were not able to provide or alleviate much of the people’s burden or improve their poverty, however, I believe we have succeeded in extending our love, tender and care to these people, showing them that there are people who care for them. 

4.      Adrian Lui

Dongshan (東山), a place of tranquility, has brought me so much happiness as well as worries.  I am amazed to see how plain and unaffected it is, yet there are still many social problems to tackle.

My first impression on Dongshan was poverty and it remained the same at the moment I left.  When we visited the locals’ homes, we found that many elderly had their sons working in towns, leaving the grandsons behind.  It was not difficult to imagine how tough it was to earn money for kids in your 80s.  Upon basic medical check-ups, most elderly suffered from hypertension and poor vision.  It was very discouraging to see that they actually give up treatment because of poverty or family burdens.  Still, they welcomed us with tea and corn soups every visit.  I felt strikingly uncomfortable when we realised the hardship they had been suffering behind their generosity.

The lively and lovely kids in Dongshan are the last thing that I would forget about the trip.  They liked to leap and buzz around us – an abnormally strong craving for brotherhoods and sisterhoods.  I bet any child living apart from his parents would long to have a companion as well as a role model.  Nevertheless, it was heartening to see how diligent and dependent every child was despite the adverse living environment. 

I remember asking a boy named Shogun about his future.  His answer was short but startling – no idea.  I could not help but worry what he would become without any motivating goal.  Even if he follows his parents to work in town, how would such a naive village boy end up in a sophisticated city?  The inconvenient truth made me aware that solving a problem does not solely involve improving the current situation but also planning for future development.

The Dongshan volunteer work was followed by an attachment to a hospital in Fuping (富平).  The tremendous medical knowledge brought to us was undoubtedly enlightening and intriguing.  It reminded me how far I still had to go to become a doctor., let alone a good one.  More importantly, though, I had witnessed some of the most atrocious medical practices.  Examples were patients screaming in agony during operations with anesthetists fast asleep and practitioners completely ignoring surgical disinfection. 

I was very blessed to get a glimpse of how China’s current medical situation was.  China has been suffering from severe misallocation of resources.  It has led to incomplete treatments like insufficient follow-ups on patients after surgery. Yet, it is a mixed blessing to see some betterment as China has been revolutionising its medical system.  A health insurance policy is successfully launched for peasants to ensure that the impoverished can be subsidized when ill. Now, I am just surprised to see that Hong Kong has been, in fact, miles ahead of China since nobody is denied of treatment due to poverty or low social status. 

All in all, I see the significance of small and large NGOs in helping to rectify social problems and improve living standards of a place.  They have their own limitations yet excel in different manners and society needs them both.  The biggest thing I learned in the trip is how to work on a social problem from a radical approach.  I also felt reassured that I had made the right decision to become a doctor.

5.      Lai Chi Lun

Dongshan (東山), a place of tranquility, has brought me so much happiness as well as worries.  I am amazed to see how plain and unaffected it is, yet there are still many social problems to tackle.

My first impression on Dongshan was poverty and it remained the same at the moment I left.  When we visited the locals’ homes, we found that many elderly had their sons working in towns, leaving the grandsons behind.  It was not difficult to imagine how tough it was to earn money for kids in your 80s.  Upon basic medical check-ups, most elderly suffered from hypertension and poor vision.  It was very discouraging to see that they actually give up treatment because of poverty or family burdens.  Still, they welcomed us with tea and corn soups every visit.  I felt strikingly uncomfortable when we realised the hardship they had been suffering behind their generosity.

The lively and lovely kids in Dongshan are the last thing that I would forget about the trip.  They liked to leap and buzz around us – an abnormally strong craving for brotherhoods and sisterhoods.  I bet any child living apart from his parents would long to have a companion as well as a role model.  Nevertheless, it was heartening to see how diligent and dependent every child was despite the adverse living environment. 

I remember asking a boy named Shogun about his future.  His answer was short but startling – no idea.  I could not help but worry what he would become without any motivating goal.  Even if he follows his parents to work in town, how would such a naive village boy end up in a sophisticated city?  The inconvenient truth made me aware that solving a problem does not solely involve improving the current situation but also planning for future development.

The Dongshan volunteer work was followed by an attachment to a hospital in Fuping (富平).  The tremendous medical knowledge brought to us was undoubtedly enlightening and intriguing.  It reminded me how far I still had to go to become a doctor., let alone a good one.  More importantly, though, I had witnessed some of the most atrocious medical practices.  Examples were patients screaming in agony during operations with anesthetists fast asleep and practitioners completely ignoring surgical disinfection. 

I was very blessed to get a glimpse of how China’s current medical situation was.  China has been suffering from severe misallocation of resources.  It has led to incomplete treatments like insufficient follow-ups on patients after surgery. Yet, it is a mixed blessing to see some betterment as China has been revolutionising its medical system.  A health insurance policy is successfully launched for peasants to ensure that the impoverished can be subsidized when ill. Now, I am just surprised to see that Hong Kong has been, in fact, miles ahead of China since nobody is denied of treatment due to poverty or low social status. 

All in all, I see the significance of small and large NGOs in helping to rectify social problems and improve living standards of a place.  They have their own limitations yet excel in different manners and society needs them both.  The biggest thing I learned in the trip is how to work on a social problem from a radical approach.  I also felt reassured that I had made the right decision to become a doctor.

6.      Annie Chan

        這次的旅程中，我們去了兩個給我們感覺很不一樣的地方──東山和富平。

        在東山裏，最特別的就是可以接觸到很多好可愛的小朋友。那裏的小朋友大部份都很乖很懂事，他們在家裏都會幫助家人做家務做農務，我們去做家訪的時候都會自動給我們搬椅子。相比起來，我們香港的小朋友物質享受和生活環境都比他們好得很，可是卻沒有他們懂事。那裏的小朋友也很單純，我們這些哥哥姐姐只是跟他們玩一些很簡單的遊戲，他們都會很享受很喜歡。他們都不會斤斤計較，很願意幫助我們這些陌生人。這些都令我很深刻。

        我們在東山裏也有很多機會去做家訪，跟他們聊聊天、做問卷、做一些簡單的健康檢查。那裏的人都非常熱情和善良。他們不像我們香港人那麼複雜，對人處處防範，他們可以好好的跟我們這些陌生人聊天，就連自己生活不好都請我們吃東西，我們吃了都有點不好意思。不過，其中一次的家訪就讓我有點難過。受訪的阿娣，她的血壓好高，走路的時候又會頭暈、心痛，讓我們都好擔心。可是，就算我們事情告訴了葉姑娘，都幫不了她甚麼，真的好難過好無奈。

        在東山裏我們也有機會去耕地、割草，雖然辛苦，但是這些活動能夠讓我們好好的了解他們的生活，大概徹底的了解他們就是要幫助他們時必須的。可是，遺憾的是，我們沒有機會住在他們家裡去了解他們的生活，希望下一次可以。

        到了富平之後，令人興奮的是，可以有機會跟隨香港的醫生去查房和看他們動手術。第一次看手術，雖然沒有香港高科技的機器，但是在資比較缺乏的富平，我看到了醫生們如何運用他們的機智和創意，用不同的物資去幫助平用，好像是用一根木柱子去做一個”A”字架。不過，遺憾的是，在富平裡我們沒有機會好好的去做家訪，近距離的跟當地的居民聊天和了解他們。而且，因為安排的關係，我的那組沒有機會跟隨梁教授去學習。我們都明白人這麼多是很難安排的，就希望下一次可以安排到每一組都能參加到所有的活動。

        雖然十二天的旅程過去得很快，但是我們都很記掛東山的小朋友，都希望可以繼續用書信跟他們聯絡，鼓勵他們，希望他們的生活一天比一天好，幸福美滿了。

7.      卜錦恩

「迎著晨風想一想今天該怎樣努力」一句在東山小學門前的標語，對東山的人民卻是無聲的諷刺－－不論他們每天如何努力耕作，所得的食糧也不夠糊口。東山人民的主糧是由粟米加上石膏粉煮成的粥，這粥味道像石膏，也不飽肚，我吃一頓已經很難受。挨家挨戶跟這裏的留守老人傾談，他們說到家裏的困境或惡劣的身體狀況時少會埋怨，但提到家人遭遇悲劇，都缺堤般漰潰了。他們能忍受生活困苦帶來的痛苦，命運卻要把他們壓得透不過氣。最難忘一位痀僂的老婆婆，她的兒子和媳婦在車禍中喪生，儘管她的行動十分不便，卻要獨自撫育一雙遺孤。雖然我們幾位家訪者不能為她作任何事，但她也多次感激我們關心。那幾天我一直想，醫生或醫學生真的能解決到他們的問題嗎？貧窮牽涉到複雜的社會和政治問題，絶非單單改善醫療水平便能解決。後來力行機構在當地的工作給予我啟示－－從根本處改善教育、就業、醫療、基礎建設，並提供合理的直接援助。這裏的人民最需要的並非我們物質上的援助，而是關心與支持。

8.      Lena Xu

Whether it is in terms of leisure, personal enrichment, or medical exposure, this trip has been an unforgettable experience that has taught me valuable lessons, triggered some deeper thoughts and left me with memories that I will treasure forever.

In Dong Shan, we saw how poverty can take its toll on the life of the people. As one of the poorest villages in Guang Dong, Dong Shan lacked many of the basic commodities and essential resources like clean drinking water. Luckily, with the help of Green Action Charity Foundation, trees were planted to strategically store water, providing the villagers a secure and sustainable water supply. Furthermore, with the belief that education is a key element in stepping out of poverty, Green Action has built a library to educate preschool children so as to better prepare them for primary school and individually supports needy family to ensure that the children get an education.

The story behind Green Action is incredibly touching. The founder of the organization, Dr. Tse had a vision to provide clean water, sanitation, healthcare and opportunity to disadvantaged communities in rural China. However, in just a few years of starting the project, he was diagnosed with leukemia. While fighting the disease, Dr. Tse continued to carry through the project with his own hands. Unfortunately, Dr. Tse still succumbed to the disease, but his wife took over the torch and has been avidly devoted to the foundation and has so far helped countless people. This shows us that with clear vision and passionate people, impossible is nothing. Coincidentally on this trip, I was reading “Tuesdays with Morrie”.  Professor Morrie said, to have a meaningful life, you should “devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning”. Dr. Tse and his wife have really lived up to this standard. Death is not the end of life as the spirit continues to live on.

Through the home and school visits, I have found that despite poverty, the people are as generous and the children as polite and considerate as can be. Even though they only have corn soup as their main staple for all meals, all of the families we visited always wanted to offer us something to eat. Maybe it is because of, not in spite of their situation that they have been crafted into such pure, simple, good natured people.   

When I said good-bye to a sixth grade girl that I taught during the school visits, she asked me if I was going to come back. In that moment, I felt a sense of sadness but then I gave her a hug and told her that there is always a chance that I will. I hope that I could go back one day to see her and the many other kids that have touched our hearts.

Our trip to Xian was more medically oriented.  I was honored to have the opportunity to follow Professor Leung Ping Chung, an orthopedics specialist who is also the director of Operation Concern to Shan Nan to see patients and do screening for orthopedic surgeries. While observing Professor Leung performing physical examination, frantically taking notes, and holding up the X-ray films towards the light to look for abnormalities, I, for the first time, truly felt like a doctor-to-be. It was definitely intellectually stimulating to see so many different cases, some of which have left a lasting impression on me, for instance patients with cerebral palsy, rheumatoid arthritis, osteomyelitis, ankylosing spondylitis. In particular, there was an 18 year old patient how has suffered 13 different fractures over his short life and had a characteristic blue sclera and was therefore diagnosed by Dr. Leung to have a genetic disease called osteogensis imperfecta. What I had learned from this visit was that physical examination and performance analysis are extremely important. Some doctors often quickly resort to high tech imagining or diagnostic tests, but Dr. Leung never skips the “simple” procedures like telling the patient to walk across the room. Dr. Leung also taught me to treat the patient and his disease as a whole to look at its effects and to always make an effort to explain the disease to the patient, whether it is in terms of words or diagrams.   

12 days seemed to have passed very quickly, but the friends that I have made, the lessons that I have learned and the images that I have captured are here to stay. 

9.      Valerie So Lok-ping

The trip a great success and I have benefit a lot from it.

The experience in Dong Shan has vividly shown me the great influence of environment on people’s health, which I could not picture it or feel it when I first learnt from books or lectures. People suffer from poverty and diseases because they are lack of clean water. They could not grow crops and suffer from hunger, so that many children are found underweight in our health assessment. To save money and water, people there cannot take shower everyday and their homes were always coated with dirt and flies. The hygiene was so poor that renders people in risk of contracting different kinds of diseases. Thanks to Green Action, she restored the vegetation in Dong Shan and provides clean water to the whole area around Dong Shan. Particularly, I was so touched by the children. They are so caring, tough and independent though they do not have their parents to teach them. In Hong Kong, all parents try to provide the best environment and protect their children from any harm in order to cultivate the best development, while the new generations become so vulnerable, dependent and spoiled. It is such a tragic picture. People there are so hardworking all the time so as to make a living, which inspire me to work hard because I have the privilege of not having to worry about survival and having the ability to pursue my dreams. The founder of Green Action, Dr. Tse, is a role model for me as a doctor to contribute to the society and the world.

ß P2 children after winning a game

The most striking experience for me in Xi An is the surgery part. I nearly faint in the first surgery which I did not know I would have such a reaction in observing operations. We observed 6 operations in 2 days; it is a very fruitful experience to enrich my medical knowledge. Also, I gradually overcome the fainting reaction. I will be a great advantage for my study when I have to go into operation theatre to learn in year 3. I am also amused by the city, Xi An. It is such an artistic city with numerous historical buildings and local people are so friendly and artful. We saw people dancing and singing on the street at night, and people walking bypass would stop to enjoy the music and dance and also pay to show their appreciations. Subways are so clean and well organized. The development of China is so amazing.

10.  Yu Man Leung

During this twelve days trip I have learned a lot. My reward can be roughly divided into three parts, a medical part and an economic and a culture part concerning the general living condition of the villagers and the general attitude adapted by the locals respectively.

Begin with the economic part; it gives me a deep impression for I saw how poor the villagers can be. They have to grow crops from day to night leaving no leisure. Despite their hard work as restricted by the poor soil quality and water supply, they can only grow enough to just survive. When comparing to urban area, they are clearly deprived from opportunities. The poor economic condition complicated them with health and social problems. It is pathetic and unfair. It triggered my eager to resolve their suffering and help them.

Then is the culture part, my observation is mainly from the urban area during the last two days trips at Xian. My perception is that their civil concept is still quite inferior. For instance, they are very reluctant to quarrel. They are very capital-centered, like the tourist guide for our two days visit has tried to deceive us for the touring fee. And the racial discrimination there is also very serious between Han and Hui. The Hui people obviously had a bad attitude towards us. And our tourist guide had also black mouthed the Hui people. The experience is bad.

For medial part, I am very grateful to have the exposure. I have followed two orthopedic surgeons and observed many surgeries at fu pin hospital. It is amazing how preclinical knowledge can be applied clinically and I can also appreciate what surgery can achieve and what it has to compromise. It provides really a good insight to my further pursuit in medicine.

All in all, this trip is wonderful. It breeds my sympathy, concern to my country and interest in medicine. I grow through the trip.

11.  Judianna Yu

I want to talk about a girl I first met on the day when we went to 割草 with the local kids. Before I went to Dongshan, I had always thought kids repel me. I had never successfully maintained conversations with any child for more than 1 minute. But this girl called 海珍 changed my mind. On the way to the mountains, we started talking about her idol Jay Chou and by the end of the day we were talking about marriage, love, migrating to the city, the importance of English, her dream to become an artist and how to gain independence when she grew up. The whole day I was bubbling with feelings. I could still remember how strongly I felt like a mother and protective towards her when she held my hand throughout the day, like I had become a dear possession of hers. She would fight with me over carrying the heavy water bottles and knives. She would teach me patiently on the skill to cutting grass. I was touched when she told me that this day was the happiest day she ever had just because I was with her. Never had anyone told me something before and I felt so shocked inside. I was touched when she dragged my leg at the end of the day, wanting to massage my leg. She brought me to her friends, took me back home to see the rest of her family, waited for me in the gardens before dinner. How would I have thought this bond was possible if I had never been in this trip? I had nothing that I could leave behind for her, except perhaps the deep talks we had together and a bracelet I used to wear. Seeing my bracelet now around her wrist, I felt like I could in a way, be with her for some more time.

There were a lot of precious memories in the trip: grabbing the little boy out of the lake when he drowned, following the girls around taking photos, late night Monopoly deals, hours of best chats with best friends, performing physical exams for people outside HK, noticing so many malnutrition signs in children on the game booth, hearing a systolic BP of 190, listening to Frankie’s touching speech to the kids on the last day, helping kids to swallow tablets, dancing with the locals on a plaza, listening how Dr Tse realized big dreams over the years, talking to a man with TB maskless, watching the dailos with their lengs, playing with dogs, finding cheap books in Xi’an bookshops, taking ambulances like they were private cars, soothing a pained girl who woke up in the middle of a surgery, questioning diagnoses in a psychi hospital… there were so much to feel and experience in these 12 days. This is not the first time I had been to China for a voluntary work trip, but this is the one that I will be recalling and remembering for the many years ahead.

12.  Jennifer Poon Yuen Ying

From organization to participation, it was an invaluable experience and I have to thank my fellow classmate Nikie for inviting me to join this group – Medical Outreachers. As medical students, we always use time as an excuse for not joining other activities. However, after this trip, I realized the importance of gaining other exposures outside the medical field and it has changed our values in life because with our own eyes, we saw there are people out there working so hard just to keep themselves alive.

Throughout the trip, I was impressed over and over again by the generosity of the people in Tung Shan and how they remind cheerful and self-dependent despite the hardship, which was most strikingly unforgettable. The children had occupied most of our time in Tung-Shan, and having stayed there for almost a week, we have had time to understand them and established a relationship with them. All the children are so kind and caring, although they may only be a few years-old and rarely do they see their parents who work away in the city, they already seem so grown-up and there are so much we can learn from them. From talking and sharing with them, most of us have realized how we should embrace the opportunities we have and be grateful for them. 

Once again, the things I have learned from this trip have outweighed the things I could give to the families in Tung-Shan and Xian. We might have given the children one week of happiness by being with them, but as we leave, the problems they have reminds. It may seem hopeless for us now as we did not exactly help them in any ways and as students, we are still incapable to care for them even if they are sick. But after this trip, it has made me realized the how step-by-step as we learn, and with appropriate exposure, we may one day become the doctor we want to be. 

13.  Kevin KC Cheung

As doctors in training, how we can help people is a question worth considering for medical students.  The trip 醫學行 is an exposure that gave me some insights into the question.

The two NGOs we visited, Lik Hang and Operation Concern, take very different approaches in helping the poor in mainland.  Lik Hang essentially provides basic necessities such as clean water to the town of Dong-Shan and building a ‘library’ for children there.  It attempts to provide the opportunities for the peasants there to work for what they want. Operation Concern is more medical-focused, providing free orthopedic care as well as medical insurance to peasants who are too poor to support the premium.

A way to interpret the question ‘how we can help’ is ‘in what means we help’.  Observing the achievements of Lik-hang, it reminds that doctors are capable of helping in a much wider scope than just giving diagnosis and treatment.  We should not confine ourselves to the ‘profession’.  Like Operation Concern, we can also work in healthcare policies by making use of our exposure to the medical field.

A second way to interpret the question is ‘how we would be qualified to help’. During the trip we had the opportunity to observe how Prof. PC Leung screen and examine patients.  It is lucky to witness how Prof. Leung can deliver his compassion, care and confidence to the patients.  Impressed by the experience, I know it is still a long way for we medical students to be a qualified doctor.

14.  Queenie Mak Ho Yan

旅程中，孩子、老人、病患，他們都有各自的故事。腦癱的孩子跟家人，受火傷十多年，一次又一次的手術──無奈、傷痛。很佩服專程從香港遠道而至的一隊醫生，短短的三兩天，竭力改善病患的「Quality of Life」。在陝西，很多慕名趕至篩查的病人，都是不能完全根治的。他們常以為看醫生、食藥、開刀，病就一定會好。近年內地醫療都是市場主導，病人都是「Vulnerable」的；醫者之心應以德為本，以病患者為先。 

至於「醫學行」和植樹種地割草有什麼關係呢？每天跟當地的農民聊天、和孩子們玩耍學習，融入山區的生活，環環緊扣，真切了解當地人民的需要，從根本問題入手。所謂的「Put in other’s shoes」，正是這樣。談到孩子的未來，兩校的醫學生，臨走前一天跟孩子們討論將來的願景，試著種下希望的小苗。說真的，我們得到的其實比所做到的更多。 

衷心感謝一個又一個跟我們曾經相遇的人。今次的體驗是「醫心之路」的一個啟程，發掘到多面的可能性，一步一心。醫生的工作治標不治本？答案每每不只得一個。「Whole person care」的全面關顧，是身體力行的「Devotion」。 

15.  黃海鵬

        此次東山富平之旅，獲益良多。

        早在一年前，我正在籌劃著醫科二年級後短短的暑假該怎麼度過。有感自己已經很久沒有好好了解中國的現況，所以我決定報名參加這服務團。

        經過面試得知有幸參加這次服務團並安排到家訪團隊負責安排在東山的家訪行程，我開始感覺到和我一起前往的人的認真和熱情，使我不知不覺也更認真起來。在各人的努力下最後成功安排家訪的行程。

        到了東山，才發現自己面對的是比我想像中還要貧困的農民家庭。他們每天即使身上帶病也沒錢治病，年紀多大也一定要下田耕作但求溫飽，還要養育因父母出城打工而留下的孩子，同時面對惡劣的衛生環境…種種生活困境都使我心痛。

        雖然他們生活艱困，不過他們相當好客，每次來訪他們都會堅持沖茶給我們；孩子們也相當知足，有禮貌；和他們遊玩也投入其中，每次都盡興而歸。使我覺得他們即使物質生活不佳，精神上其實是相當堅強，知足。反觀香港兒童生在福中不知福，經常要求更多享受。可見城市的人也有向農村的人學習的地方的。

        其後富平的行程使我了解到中國的醫療還是遠遠的落後於香港等發達地區。除了硬件不佳，醫院設備不足、衛生惡劣外，醫生、護士等人手嚴重不足，制度上病人也要自付醫療費用，使無數病人因無錢治病而使病情惡化。不過，即使在這種情況下，我還是見到一班熱心的香港義工團隊不辭勞苦的成功進行一宗又一宗精彩絕倫的手術，為眾多患者送上一點希望。他們的服務中國百姓深深感動了我，令我決定畢業後也要成為像他們的好醫生。

        最後古城西安的行程參觀了中國古代留下來的各種文物遺跡，也一嚐地道各種美食，為這次旅程畫上完美的句號。

16. 陳佩儀(Connie, Chan Pui Yee)

開始時在東山逗留的七天，是這個行程中給我留下最深印象的部分。從未去過貧困山區的我，當車子快要駛進東山時，已有了將會經歷完全不一樣的生活的心理預備，但我隨後發現，在這七天裏所經歷到的是遠遠超過想像的。 

每天在街道上，看到的都是幾個小孩在街上亂跑亂跳，老人坐到家門前目光散煥的望著我們經過。留守兒童和留守老人的問題表露無遺。 

家訪，做農務和割草是最能夠了解和體驗東山居民的生活和所面對的困難的活動。很多家庭都只有老人和幾個兒孫住在一起，年輕的都到清遠或其他城市工作。然而，很多年輕人都因為生活困難而沒有錢寄回給家中的父母，甚至沒有充夠的錢回家探望父母。家家戶戶的老人和小孩每天食的都只是稀麥羹，一年可能只會吃一次肉和菜，兩餐溫飽可能已成為每天的生活難題，更別說肚子痛關節痛會否去看醫生。儘管如此，這裏的人沒有因為我們是從較富裕的城市來的而討厭我們或是期待我們會怎樣協助改善他們的生活，反而是熱情地請我們喝茶，甚至要請我們嘗嘗他們賴以為生的食糧－麥羹，我們都被他們這份在城市裏少有的熱情和對人的真誠所感動，同時亦為他們的生活感到難過，他們好像是國家蓬勃發展時被忽略遺下的一群。他們都沒有期望政府國家為他們做些甚麼，好像是對這種貧困的生活麻木了，不會想到有人會對他們的生活作出甚麼改變。假如社會上沒有人正視他們的生活，他們就會一直困在這貧窮圈裏，沒有能力和最後變成沒有動力走出去。因此，我們除了在這裏聆聽他們的情況和感受以及給他們一些衛生用品外，更要想的是日後長遠來看我們能隨著一個怎樣的方向去務實地幫助這班村民，就如謝醫生用植樹方法解決東山缺水的問題。 

至於家中的小朋友，到了小學的年紀，除了上學外，還要一大清早幫助父母或家中的老人耕地，有些還要肩負起照顧家中的老人和弟弟妹妹。這裏的小孩都很懂事很成熟，肯捱苦，不會埋怨父母不在身邊或是沒有娛樂。年紀這麼少，卻會凡事都以家人為先。反觀我們小時候，只顧不斷向父母要求更多更多物質上的享受，每天過著的又是多麼奢偖浪費的生活，而且只會顧及自己。最深刻的是，跟小學生一起割草的那天下著雨，小朋友帶我們走的捷徑都是較斜和濕滑，每當我走得有點猶豫和緩慢時，跟我一起步行的小妹妹都會伸出細小但穩定的手掌扶著我：＂來，姐姐，小心＂這班可愛的小孩每天就是要走這些對城市人來說有點崎嶇的山路小徑，他們早已走慣這些路，甚至能倒過來照顧我們這班大哥哥大姐姐，既感動也佩服。自少在城市長大的我們，即使沒有驕生慣養，也是從來沒有食過甚麼苦頭，更別說有為過家庭作出很大的貢獻。比起這班懂事的小孩，以前的我們擁有的比他們多，付出的比他們少，亦不懂得珍惜和知足。 

當這裏的小孩開始熟悉我們後，他們很快就開始每天一大清早到眼科基地看著和等我們吃完早餐後跟他們玩一陣子，又會在下午等我們家訪等活動回來後跟他們玩。這大概是因為他們平日沒有人跟他們玩。像他們這麼年紀小的小孩，應該是倚著父母釀著要父母疼的，但他們的父母大都不在家，所以他們會這麼渴望我們跟他們玩。一方面我們很開心能夠帶給這班小孩甚至我們自己歡樂和溫暖，但另一方面也明白到，這是這是社會問題造成的遺憾。 

在中國有著同樣問題的地區不只是在東山這裏，而當我們正在享受國家繁盛的果實時，也應好好運用我們有的知識和能力去幫助國內的同胞，了解他們缺乏的，並改善他們的生活。這次東山之行特別是在了解力行植林慈善基金會的工作後，讓我明白到，要幫助貧困地區的人民，改善他們的生活水平，並不是遙不可及的事，只要有一班有心有力的人去了解，去作試驗，去計劃，是能做得到的。 

在行程的另一部分－富平，我們有到富平的醫院參觀。我們除了了解到當地的醫療設備和制度外，還有看一些骨科手術，康復治療等，以及探望醫院裏的病人和家屬，了解他們的情況。這裏有很多小朋友都患有腦性癱瘓(Cerebral Palsy)，因為很多人的家都離醫院很遠，一要到醫院就是幾個小時的車程，對孕婦來說是十分不方便，胎兒很容易在出生時因腦部缺氧而患上這個病，而這個病帶來的後遺症往往是終生的。傾談下，知道這些患有CP的小孩的母親沒有嫌棄自己的兒女，一直含辛茹苦和堅強地養大他們，給他們快樂和健康，又帶著兒女長途跋涉到不同的地方看醫生，迫切地希望醫生能為他們的兒女做手術或者至少裝腳架減輕兒女的痛苦或是身體上的缺憾，而這些家庭往往同時又要同時背負家境貧困的經濟負擔。記得有一位母親把很多她女兒的照片給我們看時，眼神流露出欣喜和欣慰時，我就知道，她一定十分愛這個女兒，儘管她有缺憾，儘管她和其他小孩不一樣，儘管她可能要一輩子辛勞地照顧她，她也會一直疼愛這個女兒。看到這一切，我充分感受到母愛的偉大，但另一方面亦為他們感到心痛，因為我知道這種情況是社會環境造成的，只要能在當地改善醫療配套設施和改善富平市民的生活和經濟情況，很多CP的個案都是能夠避免的，很多這些小孩和他們的家人所承受的痛苦和壓力都是能夠避免的。 

很幸運自己能夠有機會到東山和富平作體驗，雖然這次行程與醫學有關的部分並不多，但是所看到的人地事物以及所經歷過的生活，反而更是可貴，它們帶給我們對人生對自己對同胞對國家對社會很多反思，使我重新思考這一切之間的關係以及作為一個醫科生對未來對社會的定位。我亦會深深記得這裏的人對我們的那份真摯和親切的情。

17.  Carmen Chong

這次活動主要分為兩部分，第一部分是在東山村了解貧困山區的情況，第二部分則在富平參觀內地城市化的醫院。雖然兩部分截然不同，但同樣令我獲益良多。

我們首先跟隨力行植林慈善基金會在東山村停留了六天，主要活動包括家訪、探訪東山小學、做農務、舉辦遊戲日、到水庫林區割草。透過家訪，令我了解到當地居民的困難。同時，看著他們縱然生活在如斯惡劣的環境，亦能堅強地活下去，尤其是當地的兒童，他們連最基本的三餐溫飽也沒有，更遑論是香港兒童所擁有的新衣、玩具、遊戲機，但他們卻擁有最真摯最單純的笑容，卻擁有香港兒童所缺乏的懂事，這一切都令我慚愧，從小就生活在香港這片福地，卻不懂得知足，不懂得珍惜自己所有的一切，還在抱怨生活的不足，相比東山村的一群，我們的困難實在是微不足道。這亦引發我重新反思人生的意義，每天不少人在勞勞碌碌，追逐著名利物質，但他們快樂嗎？充實嗎？相反，在與小朋友相處的時間，雖然沒有任何物質上的滿足，但看著他們天真的笑容，相信我們每一名義工臉上掛著的也是同樣的笑容，因為我們得到的都是心靈的滿足，這都是單純地發自內心的快樂，並不是建基於任何名利物質。我相信人生的意義就是這樣，亦希望日後的生活，無論發生什麼事，也不要忘記人生的根本就是為了追尋心靈的滿足。

度過了在東山村樸素卻充實滿足的六天後，我們回到城市—富平，所得到的又是另一番體會。在富平，我們跟隨關懷行動的義務骨科醫生到醫院參觀。我們有幸進了手術室，第一次近距離看到了整個手術。老實說，對於一個一年級生，他們說的術語，我不懂；他們進行的步驟，我不懂；什麼muscle、tendon、bone的名字，我也不懂。如果你問我學術上學到什麼，我相信是有一點的，但也極其有限。但是，在手術完成的一刻，我感受到前所未有的激動和成功感，我真正體會到醫生救人的神聖使命。雖然每個進來醫學院的學生都是有著救人的願望，但口說與親身感受始終是不同的，這次手術令我親身體會到醫生治癒病人的滿足感，更重要的是帶給病人新的生活。我想我永遠也不會忘記這種深刻的感受，亦希望這感受能時刻提醒我當醫生最根本的理想。我相信這次的經歷給予我的體會，比學術的收穫，更是難能可貴。

十二天的行程轉眼便過去了，但這趟旅程帶給我們的收穫卻是畢生受用。

18.  Denise Cheng

I have never been to any similar trip as this before: being at the poor rural area, volunteering and come face to face with the locals there. So everyday of these 12 days were new and challenging to me. I have never expected myself to be able to cope with the primitive environment nor did I know that I can actually communicate at ease with the people there. I have really widen my horizon and learnt; for whether the way that people live there, or the setting of the health stations and hospitals, using the limited resources to maximum effect is something that you can see everywhere. Every time we visited a village we would certainly encountered passionate and generous villagers. When the kids at Dong Shan smile they melt your heart. You will forget the fact that these people are living in deficiency. It reminded me that human under rough conditions can still manage to survive, have their lives and find their own contentment.

These 12 days have been an experience of my life. As a medical student, I am inspired in a lot of ways. I understand that I should develop my interests in other fields as I study hard in the medical school. I know I need to venture the world more, to see more through my own eyes. This trip will not be an end but rather a start of me, continuing to gain varies exposures and developing into a whole person, a whole medical student.

19.  Jason Chan Chong Kit

This 12-day trip is enjoyable and valuable. I have experienced and explored a lot in Tongshan and Fuping. 

In Tongshan, I have experienced the villagers’ life, daily work and food there through home visiting, farming and mowing. Their life is simple without many entertainments. They usually start farming corns and vegetables in early morning and return home at nightfall. They sleep early after chatting with neighbors, having dinner and watching television. The hygiene is bad as wet and weather favors flies and mosquitoes. The hospital is far away so that they just buy some pills without doctors’ prescription if they have cold or flu. They seek uncertified doctors in village when they are severely sick. During the physical examination in home visiting, we found that a number of villagers have hypertension but they have never been treated by doctors. One of them has blood pressure up to 190 mmHg and she sometimes feels epigastric pain, dizziness etc. However, she has never sought help from doctors as she has no money. Although they are poor, they have not complained anything to us and they are satisfied to their life whenever they have adequate food. They are nice and generous and keep asking us to have tea or corn soup even though their food is inadequate. I am impressed by their satisfaction to life, reminding me of a Chinese idiom “Happy is he who is content”. I treasure the experience in Tongshan and I understand more about the actual needs of the poor. 

In Fuping, it is my first time to observe operations. These operations were done by some Hong Kong surgeons. For example, total hip replacement, skin grafting in patient with severe burn and lower limb problems are interesting. I have explored much and broaden my view in medical field.  

20.  Brain Luk

Indeed, as Dr. Leung Ping Chung said in a sharing in Xian, this trip is more of an event for our exposure than an event for us to learn a bunch of medical knowledge. We went to a village in one of the rural areas in Guangdong, in there I saw the importance of drinking water to a village. DRINKING WATER, is a term which appears frequently under the heading “Factors affecting health”. So simple and straightforward, that sometimes we may forget that. However, seeing the impact of a clean and sustainable drinking water supply on this rural village, I realized how important are basic life essentials to people’s lives, and how ignorant are some medical students to give little attention to these stuff when learning about community medicine. Apart from the above thought, I also grew my ability to think about different ways to solve problems. Despite of my inability to help those village children out, I tried my very best to challenge my brain by thinking solutions to their problems, such as education, hygiene, health.

All in all, this trip was fruitful in terms of exposure to clinical cases (for we could peep live surgeries just behind surgeons!), and I would gladly recommend this trip to my friends if it could be held again.

21.  Abram Chan

Regarding Dongshan:

Prior to the trip, I was skeptical and doubtful towards the amount of aid we could give to the people of Dongshan, Guangdong.  We were just a group of year 1 or year 2 medical students, insufficient in terms of knowledge, skills and resources.  How could we possibility contribute?  After this part of the trip, it did help confirm my pessimistic thought, that yes, we couldn’t help much.  But was it that simple?  The main aim of medical professionals is not to treat or cure problems, but to relieve pain and suffering, to comfort always.  Yes, we couldn’t treat the patient who had rheumatic arthritis and couldn’t walk down the hill to receive medical help.  But we could give him a toothbrush, a piece of soap, and a towel, and soothe him through words.  Yes, we couldn’t equip the students there with enough knowledge through one or two lessons.  But we gave them hope, and an opportunity to understand the importance of working hard that might not even have happened without us spending time with them.  Short-term our help may be, but the fact that they received such help may already have overwhelming impact onto their lives.

Regarding Xi’an:

Through these few days at Fuping and Xi’an, we were given the chance to witness surgical operations performed by Hong Kong doctors at a local Chinese hospital at Fuping.  There were a few different operations carried out including tendon elongation operations on patients with cerebral palsy.  These let me understood that sometimes doctors need to “destroy” body tissues, structures in order to treat the problem at hand, as the surgeons made incisions to cut the Achilles tendon or other tendons.  We also visited a psychiatric hospital.  To most of us, this was our first experience with mentally-ill patients.  To talk to them help us gain better insight into the conditions of these patients.  But what struck me most was the fact that these patients were not handled by psychiatrists, as there was no psychiatric training in Chinese medical schools, but by ordinary medical practitioners.  This deeply saddened me by the dim future of these psychiatric patients.

22.  Amanda Mun

There are many ways as to how I can express my thoughts about the recent medical outreachers’ long trip. I can describe to you in detail the things I’ve done there with our fellow comrades along with how I feel about said things. I can give you a diary-like account of our day-to-day events, the things I have learnt and the things that are funny, happy, sad, all the jazz.

However, I think it’ll be apt (and economical time-wise) to just share with you what I have learnt throughout that two memorable weeks in China.

So first up, Dong Shan.

I learnt that medicine is not the only method in helping people, nor is it the most efficient. I learnt that one should not merely look at the patient’s blindness or broken foot as the major problem that said patient faces. Sure, those tend to be our main concerns, considering how much drilling we’re putting ourselves through in medical school but the patients may see things different from the way we do. They worry about whether or not they’re going to have enough food on the table. They worry about their grandchildren’s education, or lack of. They worry about things that most of us never had to (or have to) worry about. So it’s not necessarily just a broken foot or bad vision. There may be many more layers to that and if we really care, it’ll be of more help if we can take the initiative to explore further into the layers.

I learnt that children in the rural villages tend to grow up faster. By growing up, I don’t mean physically (sadly, quite a large number of them are underweight). It’s their high level of maturity, their politeness and obedience and honesty that really touched me and my comrades throughout our stay in Dong Shan. It’s astounding how trusting they can be towards total strangers like us, and how reliable they are in taking care of themselves and others.

I learnt that in this world, there is always something. If you don’t have water, you plant trees and the water comes. If the children find difficulties coping in school, you build a nursery to better prepare them. If the elderly people cannot care for their grandchildren due to cataract problems, you find doctors to surgically treat them for free. This taught me a pretty valuable lesson, to be honest. With a little bit of backbone and some brain, there is always something you can do in the face of a predicament.

I learnt that the kids in the village are very charming, perhaps more dependable than men even. They hold up umbrellas for you despite being half your height. They hold onto your hands all the time despite your sweaty palms. They offer to carry your grass-cutting tools for you. They watch over you and hold on to your hand as you tread tricky paths up and down the mountain. They never run out of hugs, sweet words and big happy smiles. I hope they taught our boys a lesson (just kidding).

I learnt that spiders are very hard to kill, and they shouldn’t even be killed in the first place, as long as they do not bother you sleeping.

I learnt that every single family in the village will want to treat you to some tea or tofu, no matter how limited their supply may be, though I must say that the tofu was really good.

I learnt how to say ‘medicine’ in Cantonese properly, so much so that it no longer sounds like ‘meat’.

Most importantly, here, in Dong Shan, I learnt how to help, and this is something that I hope, can be of great use to me and others in the near future.

Next, Fu Ping.

I learnt that different parts of China have different problems. Or rather, its people have different problems. Whilst the people in Dong Shan worry about basic needs like food and education, their environment can still be considered pretty safe as it’s isolated from the dangers that lurk in the outskirts of the cities with its occasional cunning crooks and very often, wild vehicles that seem to travel in all directions. In Fu Ping, there seem to be so much going on and not everybody there are like the majority of the nice honest people that we have seen in Dong Shan. With that come new problems: suspicions of corruption, crimes and well, car accidents.

I learnt that some of the hospitals in China, particularly the ones in the outskirts, are still lacking in terms of cleanliness and adequate facilities. The toilets are disguised as mere smelly drains (it may be the other way around). Sterilisation seems non-existent despite the low infection rate. As for anaesthesia… let’s just say that in all three surgeries that I have witnessed there, all three patients seemed to have had their share of being in great pain.

I learnt or at least, tried to learn how to talk to patients and the parents of patients about their respective medical conditions without sounding like a complete moron.

More importantly, I learnt how to listen to their stories.

I learnt never to ask a mental patient what he is doing in a mental hospital ever again.

I learnt that it is possible to have food that is too sweet, too salty, too sour and too spicy in the span of one complete meal, which I must say, is a painful waste of ingredients.

I learnt that orthopedic surgeries are like carpentry, though bones are probably much harder to hammer than wood.

I learnt that I get disturbingly excited when I watch a surgeon remove the head of a patient’s femur, and I hope that doesn’t scare people.

Last of all, Xian.

I learnt that regrettably, I know very little about Chinese history, and that it’s time for that to change.

I learnt that Chinese history is indeed very fascinating. From lazy emperors to archers with funny hairstyles to women who were considered beautiful if they’re fat, single eye-lidded, and round-faced.

I learnt that China had 108 emperors, and 72 of them are in Xian, and my father, who knows practically everything about Chinese history, didn’t know that.

Chinese history aside, I learnt that traveling and sightseeing with a bunch of newfound friends can really make an experience all the more special, happy and worthwhile.

I feel immensely fortunate to have had such an experience, and it will always remain as a fond and memorable one for me.

I hope that what I’ve leant will be put to adequate use in the near future, and I also hope that there’ll be more fond memories to come.

Please and thank you.

23.  Frankie Wong Chi Hang

十二天的醫學行令我有很深的體會……

學到的, 看到的比我們所能做的多很多很多。

首先，我體會到東山居民的無奈，受天然環境所限，辛苦的成果既不能賣錢，又不能為自己同家庭提供足夠營養，當我們在埋怨一分耕耘，只有一分收獲，莫講話一分耕耘，一分收獲，連十一分耕耘，他們一分收獲也未必有。

另外，我明白到要根治問題，往往要從根處着手︰貧窮或醫療問題，光是提供金錢或藥物援助是無補於事的，根本是治標不治本，謝醫生則想到透過植林為東山提供一個潔淨的水源來根治東山的問題，這正是書本中學到的”Up streaming model”。他亦知道一雙手的力量有限，因此成立了基金會令他的理想能在永遠的延續下去，教助更多的人。也許這就是人生的意義吧，人的一生有限，如何把它變得有意義，把它延續下去﹖就是影響更多的人去完成自己的理想吧！

在另一方面，從梁教授身上我學到當醫生的真正意義，醫生看的不應只是病人上的疾病，而是要當病人是一個整體來看的。另外，除了書本的知識外，與病人溝通的技巧也是極其重要，梁教授令人佩服的除了是淵博的醫學知識外，還有他那能在短短幾分鐘內與病人建立起良好關係的說話技巧及對病人憐憫之心。

總括而言，是次旅程真的令我大開眼界，見識不少，不論是在對學醫的看法上，還是對人生意義的理解上有着重大的影響。

24.  Tracy Ho Hang Yee

醫學行，我會理解為醫學生學習如何利用自己的醫學知識去幫助別人，如何以一個醫學生的身份去面對病人，大眾。這次醫學行的參加者都是一、二年級的醫學生，在醫學這個專業領域上，我們就像初生嬰兒般，在學習如何走路，走過這條漫漫長路，去完成我們最初最簡單理想─幫助有需要的人。這次醫學行提供了很多機會讓我們去接觸病人，了解他們所面對的困難，從而明白到醫治病人的疾病固然是重要，但更重要的是醫心。

雖然我對中國的環境並不陌生，但卻不太了解中國醫療制度，也從未到訪過如此貧困的地方。首次進行家訪時，便可以觀察得到東山的人民的生活情況的確比起一般貧窮地方更要差一點，足夠糊口對他們來說已經很滿足了，還談甚麼收入？雖然如此，但是他們都很好客，經常邀請我們嘗嘗他們的麥羹，縱然這已經是他們的主要食糧。很多人都覺得現代的中國人很醜陋，市儈，某情況上我認為這些指控並不是不無道理的，但是我在東山人民的身上所看到的是截然不同的一面，他們是那麼純樸，而我總能相信他們的說話。他們也沒有要求我們給予他任何物質上的幫助，而事實上，我們也不能給予他們甚麼實質的幫助，只能夠向他們表達我們的關懷和做一些簡單的身體檢查，不用說有時候我們不知道他們所患的是甚麼病，即使知道，我們又可以做到甚麼呢？只可以叫他們去看醫生，但是他們最大的難題是沒有錢，那麼，我們現階段可以做到甚麼呢？其實的確是很無奈的。

慶幸的是，雖然他們的生活環境不是太好，但很多人還是知足的。

在東山的幾天，我相處得最多的便是小朋友。他們是多麼的天真和可愛，一旦握住你的手，便不允許其他小朋友再拉你的手，即使是好朋友也不能。為什麼他們的佔有慾那麼強呢？很大可能是他們都缺乏一個完整的家。有些家庭的爸爸媽媽都出外打工賺錢，把孩子交給家中老人家照顧，即使祖父母疼愛孫子，但卻不可以代替爸爸媽媽。於是，我們的出現，帶給他們歡樂和被照顧的感覺。雖然有時候他們會比較貪玩一點，但是他們比起城市的孩子懂事得多，有時候我甚至懷疑，他們現在不是應該處於一個無憂無慮的階段嗎？然而現實卻不允許他們這樣做。我明白這些小朋友友需要的並不是短暫的怏樂，而是長期的關懷和照顧，他們經常看到不同的義工到來及離去對他們也未必是一件好事，但願我將來能再次踏上東山這片土地，幫助當地的小朋友和人民。

西安的富平讓我看見的是中國和香港醫療體制的極大對比，無論是制度、質素或設備上。由於醫療體制不同，當地醫院看錢會比較重。有一個媽媽對我哭訴說醫院的人都很黑心，甚麼都要錢，她帶著腦癱的女兒坐六、七個小時的車到醫院尋求治療，卻無功已還。她甚至還把她寫給政府的一封信給我看，我是深切明白到她的困難，我感到很心酸，但我只能安慰她，叫她加油。我知道中國還有太多這樣的情況，關懷行動沒錯能夠幫助很多人，但一個關懷行動能夠幫助全中國的貧窮戶嗎？要達到不會有人因沒錢而不去治病或病死，恐怕還有一段漫長的路要走。

另外，是當地醫療質素。我明白當地的醫療設備和水平一定比不上香港。但讓我驚訝的是當地醫護人員的態度。麻醉師竟可在手術途中不見了，直至病人痛醒了，才回到手術室，還要在手術途中講電話。更甚的是有手術室人員竟在手術室睡覺。在香港，這些情況是不能接受的。但在中國，能夠接受治療就已經很好了，還談甚麼醫療質素？我不是說香港的醫療質素沒有可改善的地方，但是我認為香港市民可理解一下醫護人員為大眾的健康所付出的努力，這樣對雙方都有好處。

這次醫學行對我來說絕對是一次寶貴的經歷，希望在不久的將來我能以醫生的身分再次踏足那片土地去幫助有需要的人。

25. Nikie Sun Ho Yee

Visiting Tong Shan was an unforgettable voluntary experience, I had not experienced by that time the importance of education. Tong Shan was a surprisingly poor village of Guangdong county, the hilly and unfertile land made farming difficult if not impossible.

It was encouraging that the deworming campaign carried out successfully in Shan Ping and Tong Shan Primary School. In the process of planning, some of our advisors, committee members and several involved parties are not fully supportive of the campaign because of various reasons, for example safety issue and the questioned efficacy. It turns out around 10% of the primary school students reported worms in feces after taking the drug. I believe that the percentage was an underestimation because the event incidents are based on self report bases by young children. This is an experience of incorporating science and real life, utilizing knowledge from books and journals to make a very small change. Nevertheless, the essential problem of fecal-oral route infection has to be solved and extensive personal hygiene education is needed in order to eradicate the helminthes disease. This further reinforced my belief of the importance of sustained and long-term volunteering. I hope that this is not the last time ‘Medical Outreachers’ sending medical student volunteers to Tung Shan.

While deworming targets the younger population, village home visits gave us another perspective of the ‘left-behind’ population. By doing a general body check up, medical survey and chatting with the elderly, we found a significant portion of the population do not feel satisfied with their lives and at least 4 of them cried in front of my home visit team. I learned that medical problem may not be the main concern by the population as they are still struggling to feed themselves.

I learnt much more about mainland in the trip and the conflict between city and village. The visit broadens my horizons and helps me setting goals of my life and career.

26.  Wong Cheuk Wah

在這短短的十二天，我得到了一次非常寶貴的經驗。我們在這次旅程中到訪了廣東的東山和陝西的富平，兩個在地埋上相距甚遠的城市，兩地的居民卻遇著相似的困難：貧窮，看病難等等的問題。這次活動除了令到我對中國農民的生活，以及整個中國的醫療架構有更深的認識外，亦令到作為一年級醫學生的我，作出了反思以及重新思索我的人生目標。

在東山時，我們有幸能與力行植林慈善基金會合作，該會的創辦人是謝醫生，他不遺餘力地參與慈善工作，並且不斷學習以應付所遇到的種種困難。他的經歷深深的打動了我，我一直都以為，當我們成為醫生後，礙於工作的繁重，我們很難再抽時間去做醫療以外的事情。可是謝醫生的例子正正告訴我們，作為醫生要照樣關心社會上的問題，困為我們都是社會，甚至國家的一份子。忙碌並不能作為少參與公益活動的藉口，作為醫學生的我們，現在除了應多參與公益活動外，還應積極培養自己的興趣及學懂如何更有效地管理時間，並要多作嘗試，不要局限自己。

透過家訪，我能夠更了解當地居民的生活，他們絕大多數都生活在貧窮下，滿足了基本的溫飽外就沒有多餘的錢。但當我們去探訪他們的時候，他們都非常熱情，把自己的糧食都拿出來，熱烈招待我們，有時我們都有點不好意思呢！雖然他們的生活並不是富裕，而且每天都要為自己的糊口而努力工作，但我們可以看到他們大部分人臉上都掛著笑容，與他們談話會發覺他們很簡單，對於自己的生活沒有過分的憂慮。這樣樂天的性格，在香港這些大城市內好像越來越難找到了。知足常樂，聽就聽得多了，可是我們又有幾多時候能夠做到？

家訪的時候，其實只要細心點，就能發覺每個家庭，甚至每個人背後都有其故事。從中，我學懂了不少與人溝通的技巧。我們亦發現，其實不少人都有著不同的健康問題，可惜他們大多數都沒錢看病，以致他們連最基本的醫療服務都未能享用。另一個問題就是，縱使他們有錢去看病，但卻遇上了一些無良的醫生或騙徒，繼而被騙去金錢，又或是延誤了醫治。而這樣的情況更不止一次半次，相信主要原因是他們知識不夠，以致未能保護自己。

這亦提醒了我在將來作為醫護人員時，應注意自己的操守及對待病人時應有的態度，由於在知識上的不對等，假如處理不當，很容易便會做成醫者對患者的一種「醫療暴力」，就如我們在家訪時看到的例子。

說實話，我們在家訪時並未能帶給他們一些實際的幫助，例如知道他們高血壓後，根本未能提供藥物，叫他們去看醫生又不太可行。這時我們都會感到有點無助，到底我們還能夠怎樣去幫助他們？

除家訪外，東山的小朋友同樣令我印象深刻，他們大多都是留守兒童，父母都到城裏打工，剩下他們與（外）祖父母同住。他們全都十分懂事，會幫忙做農務，而且年紀少少已經能自己照顧自己，甚至比我們這些大學生還要獨立，我看到後心中不禁慚愧起來。還有就是，只是短短數天的時間，我們已經由一個陌生人，變成了他們的好朋友。由此可見，他們十分渴望別人的關心和認同。可以說，缺乏關懷和照顧是留守兒童面對的最大問題。

相比東山，香港的兒童實在是太幸福了。我們不用擔心溫飽，又有良好的學習環境和設施，我們真的該好好把握每一個學習機會。

在陝西，我們參觀了一些大型的縣級醫院，又到了位於村落的衛生室。這些行程令我對中國目前的醫療體制有了一個初步的瞭解。而跟隨梁秉中教授到陝南義診更令我眼戒大開。其實很多時，醫生都不能根治病人的病，在這些時候，我們應去著手改善病人的生活和心理質數，盡量令他們好過一點，醫病之餘亦醫心。在教授身上，我們就能夠清清楚楚地看到他是如何做到這一點。另一件我十分欣賞的事是教授他耐心地向每一位病人解釋他們的情況和教導他們，減低他們日後受騙的機會。當中的溝通技巧，就恐怕只有透過經驗的累積去培養出來。

在西安觀光時，我發覺自己對中國的認識實在是非常不足。令我決心回到香港後，一定要多閱讀有關中國的資料！

這次旅程真是令我獲益良多，除了增廣了我的見聞外，我更認識了二十五個好朋友，而且加強了我將來到一些貧苦地方行醫的決心。而當我看到其他參加者都有所得著時，回頭一看，過去半年準備此次旅程時的辛酸，都一掃而空了。