当时我在新泽西州庞姆特湖的圣玛丽教堂教书。10月份,在一次宗教课上,我向我班上8岁的学生宣布了我的计划:“我希望所有的同学能在学校附近做些额外的工作,挣些钱,”我说,“然后用这些钱买些感恩节晚餐用的食品,送给那些可能连顿像样的晚餐都吃不上的人。”我想让孩子们自己去体会书上所讲的:给予比接受更能使人偷快。并想让他们明白,信仰可不光是知道和说一些悦耳动听的美妙思想言词,更重要的是应该做些什么,使它变成活生生的现实。我希望他们能够切身感受到自己具有能使生活发生变化的力量。在感恩节那个星期,男孩子和女孩子早早就来到班上,他们得意地攥着自己挣来的辛苦钱。他们为此去耙过树叶,这从他们手上起的水泡可以看出来;他们摆 I was teaching at St. Mary’s Church in Lake Pumont, New Jersey. In a religion class, I announced my plan to an 8-year-old student in my class in October: “I hope all of my classmates can do extra work and earn some money near their school,” I said. “And then use the money to buy some of the food for Thanksgiving dinner, for those who may not even eat decent meal dinner. ” I want the children to understand the book itself: to give more than to accept Make people happy. And want them to understand that beliefs can not only know and say some sweet and wonderful words of thought, more importantly, what should be done to make it a living reality. I hope they feel the same feeling that they have the power to make a difference in their lives. On the week of Thanksgiving, boys and girls arrived early in the class, gripping their own hard-earned money proudly. They raked the leaves for this, as can be seen in the blisters from their hands;