Medical Mission to 1)Abancay, 2)Peru
文字难度：★★★☆
每年，各国许多医学协会都会到一些贫困山区开展“爱心医疗” 援助活动，如文中讲述的秘鲁阿班凯之行，然而“授之以鱼，不如授之以渔”，给当地的医生提供先进的医疗技术培训，更多的人才能受惠于此类活动！ ——Lavender
The hallways cast shadows since the only light available was from open windows and doorways. The lights are kept off to save money on the electricity bill. The rooms, borrowed rooms, did not 3)emit any personality from the regulars who staff it on a regular basis. There were no colors on the walls, or framed pictures for us to be distracted by. There were no magazines to look at, or pens to snatch. There were no plants, or matching chairs, or paper spread over the examining tables.
走廊和过道很阴暗，因为仅有的光线是从敞开的窗户和门口射进来的。为了省电费，灯都关着。病房是借来的，医院的员工照常打理医院，从他们身上看不到医院的生气。墙上没有色彩，也没有挂任何镶框的图片来转移候诊者的注意力。这里没有杂志可供阅读，没有笔可供使用。植物，成套的椅子，展开在检验台上的纸张，这些全都没有。
By the second day of a medical mission hosted by 4)PAMS (Peruvian American Medical Society) in Abancay, Peru, it was easy to start adapting and taking advantage of what we did have inside the hospital. I learned to reuse a brown paper bag in order to transport items the entire week. I hid my mask, hat and shoe covers whenever I needed to leave the surgery floor to be sure they were available again. The one towel in 5)gynecology was creatively folded so that we could keep using it. (There was none to cover for privacy). By the third day, I 6)cringed at how wasteful I was the first day. I had thrown out a rubber band that had held a stack of envelopes, a used water bottle, and worst of all: we had used two gloves instead of one. The free medical care the local Indians were receiving today was a new experience for many of the people. The director of the mission, Dr. Julio Sotelo, grew up in Abancay, Peru and graduated from 7)San Marcos University Medical School in Lima, Peru. He trained in Minneapolis and then at Mercy Hospital in Chicago where he met his wife, Celeste, and decided to stay in the United States of America.
PAMS（秘鲁裔美国人医学协会）在秘鲁的阿班凯发起的医疗援助活动进行到第二天时，我们已经对这一切习以为常，并且能充分利用医院里仅有的那点资源了。我学着循环利用一个牛皮纸袋，整整一周用它来装东西；每次离开手术楼层的时候，我都会把口罩、帽子和鞋套藏起来，以免被人拿走；妇科病房里唯一的一条毛巾也被我们巧妙地折叠着，以便可以长期使用（这里根本没有维护隐私权的遮布）。到了第三天，我意识到自己第一天是那么浪费资源，为此感到极度惭愧：那天我扔了一条捆过一叠信封的橡皮筋、一个旧水壶，最糟糕的是，我们用了两只手套，而不是一只！当地的印地安人现在享受的这项免费医疗对他们大多数人来说，还是一件新鲜事。这项医疗援助活动由朱利欧·索特罗医生统筹。他在秘鲁的阿班凯长大，毕业于秘鲁首都利马的圣马科斯大学医学院。他先后在美国的明尼阿波利斯市以及芝加哥的慈善医院里接受培训，并在那间医院遇见了他现在的妻子塞勒斯特，因此决定留在美国。
They moved to Teaneck, New Jersey when he joined the faculty of 8)Columbia University as an 9)internist. As their family grew with four children, Julio joined PAMS, giving help to a country who needed the medical help badly. PAMS is a nation-wide, non-profit organization that helps bring Peruvian and American doctors together to offer medical treatment and education to towns in Peru. Several other towns including Cusco, Lima, Huanuco and Trujillo also benefit from these medical missions. All the volunteers donate their own time and services and some expenses are tax 10)deductible. The mission is organized for two weeks, once or twice a year. Volunteers are encouraged to stay as long as possible. Abancay is a beautiful town, 7000 feet above sea level with a population of 80,000 people.
朱利欧·索特罗随后进入哥伦比亚大学成为了一名内科医师，他与妻子也因此移居到了新泽西州的蒂内克市。夫妻俩共同养育了四个孩子，其间朱利欧加入了PAMS组织，对极需医疗援助的秘鲁伸出援手。PAMS是一个全国性的非营利性机构，目的是联合秘鲁和美国医生的力量，为秘鲁的一些市镇提供医疗和教育方面的帮助。得到援助的另外几个城镇包括库斯科、利马、华努科和特雷希略。志愿者们贡献出自己的时间，向当地人提供帮助，部分开支可以抵税。援助活动为期两周，每年举办一到两次。活动鼓励志愿者在秘鲁待尽可能长的时间。阿班凯是一个海拔7000英尺（约2133.6米）的美丽城镇，人口达8万。
This first week, there are 19 other people who volunteered to help those less fortunate. Many of the volunteers stayed in the same hotel together and many were paired up to have a roommate. On the first night, the mayor welcomed everyone as the high school children performed a dance of local custom. Pisco sours, a kind of 11)tart liquors, were passed out to taste and in thanks.
第一个星期，另外19个人也参与了援助行动，帮助当地的贫困居民。许多志愿者都住在同一家旅馆，并且两两合租一个房间。第一天晚上，阿班凯市市长亲自欢迎我们的到来，高中学生还表演了当地的土风舞。为了表达谢意，当地人还奉上了秘鲁出名的皮斯科白兰地酸味酒供我们品尝。
Work started at 8 a.m. the next morning. The first task to accomplish was setting up a room to be used as an office and 12)pharmacy. Everything that was donated, and that made it past customs in Lima, was set up on 13)portable shelves that were assembled for the occasion.
第二天早上，援助小组8点钟开始工作。他们要做的第一件事就是搭建一个用来做办公室和药房的临时屋子。所有的捐赠品，以及通过了秘鲁海关检验的物品，都被摆放在临时组装的轻便支架上。
Not being in the medical field, my job was to be a run-around between all the doctors. Every half hour or so, I would freely open doors and check in with them. My 14)scrubs gave me the 15)leeway to be able to walk anywhere in the hospital. I also realized that my blond hair and blue eyes seemed to be an enjoyment for the people waiting in the hallways on the benches. Little children either stared or reached out to touch my hair. On the days that I took out my camera, children, who are never 16)bashful, would start jumping into the frame and end up leading an 17)entourage of people who wanted portraits taken. The mission was able to teach so much to so many people. Not only did the local people receive the care that we could provide, but also high school students came to help us translate and medical students and residents from both countries were able to practice medicine.
由于我不是专业的医护人员，所以我的工作就是在所有的医生之间跑腿。大约每隔半个小时，我就需要自由地打开临时诊室的门向某个医生报告。身上那件只有手术科医护人员才穿的大褂给了我随意进出医院任何地方的机会。此外，对于那些坐在走廊长凳上等候的病人来说，看见金发碧眼的我仿佛是一种享受。有的小孩子紧紧地盯着我看，有的还伸出手来摸我的头发。好些天当我拿起相机的时候，那些毫不羞怯的小孩子会兴奋地跃入镜头，其他人受到感染，也纷纷要留影。援助活动教给许多人许多东西。当地人不仅接受了我们提供的治疗，高中生还跑来给我们当翻译，来自美国和秘鲁两国的医学生和市民也借此机会实践他们的医学本领。
The word “bittersweet” played over and over in my mind because it was the simple things that I take for granted, that I would have supplied had I realized it was special in someone else’s eyes. Pens. The stack of mismatched pens in my house. I did not know they wanted pens. People, children, nurses. Pens. Just pens. Pencils made them happy too. And sheets. And toilet paper. And soap.
“亦苦亦甜”这个词萦绕在我的脑海里，因为我发现那些在我看来微不足道、理所当然会拥有的东西，在别人眼中竟是如此特殊与珍贵，我本来可以为他们提供这一切的。笔。我家有一大堆笔套与笔身不配套的笔。但我事先不知道他们竟然会缺笔。大人、小孩、护士都想要笔。仅仅是笔。铅笔也能让他们开心兴奋。还有床单、厕纸以及肥皂。
Bittersweet also applies to the sweet hope that we could help, to the hope that made people come, and to the bitter feeling when we just were not able to help. Sometimes the supplies weren’t available. Sometimes it was too late to apply treatment, and sometimes it was just because, here in Peru, it just wasn’t possible.
“亦苦亦甜”中的“甜”，源自我们盼望能帮上忙的美好的愿望，也源自前来的人怀揣的希望；“苦”则苦在我们也会有无能为力之时。有时候是因为救援物资缺乏，有时候是因为治疗已经为时太晚，还有的时候，仅仅因为是在秘鲁，有些简单的事情变得不可能。
Out of the thousand people we did see the first week, at least 100 people received surgery who never would have been able to have it otherwise. Hundreds of patients received their first toothbrush, vitamins, and deworming medicine. Some patients received reassurance that they were not sick. Hopefully some received motivation to study and become doctors. I learned that little things could help in a big way. Next year I am definitely flying down with boxes of pens and the printed pictures.
第一个星期里，我们见到1000多人，其中至少有100人接受的手术是他们一辈子本来永远无法得到的。几百位患者平生第一次领到牙刷、维生素营养片以及打虫药。有的患者经医生检查后得知自己健康无病，如释重负。希望这次活动会激励他们一部分人立下学医的志愿。我意识到，一些看似无足轻重的小东西也可以给人带来巨大的帮助。明年，我肯定还会再来，并且要带上几箱笔和印制的画片。
