Restoring human dignity at the US southern border | Norma Pimentel

譯者: Pui-Ching Siu 審譯者: Catherine Ge

I'm here to honor the sacredness of life

我來到這裡是為了向 德克薩斯州南部邊界

that I see at the border in south Texas.

我所見的神聖生命致敬。

In 2014,

在2014年，

I visited a detention facility

我拜訪了一間拘留所。

where hundreds of little children,

在那裡，數百個小孩，

immigrant children,

移民兒童，

were detained for several weeks

被囚禁了好幾個星期。

in conditions that were very heartbreaking.

他們所居住的環境十分令人痛心。

They were dirty and muddy

那些小孩很髒，沾滿泥巴，

and crying.

他們在哭泣，

Their faces were full of tears.

臉上流滿了淚水。

I had the opportunity to go in and be with them.

我有這個機會進去陪伴他們。

And they were all around me.

然後他們圍繞著我。

They were little ones,

他們很小，

some of them not older than five years old.

其中有些不超過五歲。

And they were saying to me,

他們跟我說

(Spanish) "Sácame de aquí."

（西班牙語）"Sácame de aquí."

"Get me out of here."

「請把我從這裡帶走。」

(Spanish) "Por favor, ayúdame."

（西班牙語） "Por favor, ayúdame."

"Please, help me."

「求你了，請幫幫我。」

It was so difficult to be there with them.

跟他們待在一起非常困難。

I started to cry with them,

我開始和他們一起哭泣，

and I told them,

然後我告訴他們，

"Let us pray."

「我們一起祈禱吧。」

(Spanish) "Vamos a rezar."

（西班牙語）"Vamos a rezar."

And they repeated after me,

他們跟著我重複

(Spanish) "Diosito, ayúdanos."

（西班牙語）"Diosito, ayúdanos."

"God, please, help us."

「神，請幫幫我們。」

As we prayed, I could see the Border Patrol officers

在祈禱的時候，

我可以看見邊境巡邏軍官 透過玻璃窗看著我們，

looking through a glass window.

They were at the verge of tears.

聽著小孩子的祈禱和表明信念，

As they heard the children praying and witness.

他們幾乎落淚了。

I had a little boy get close to me, closer,

有一個小男孩挨著我越來越近

because they were all over,

這是因為他們坐滿了整個地方，

we could barely fit in that little cell.

我們很勉強地擠在小小的屋子裡。

And this little boy tells me,

這個小男孩跟我說：

(Spanish) "Ayúdame.

（西班牙語）"Ayúdame.

Quiero irme con mi mamá."

Quiero irme con mi mamá."

"Please, help me.

「請幫幫我，

I want to be with my mother.

我想跟我媽媽在一起。

She is here, I was separated from her."

她也在這裡，但是我們被分開了。」

I said to him,

我跟他說，

"Mijo, if your mom is here,

「親愛的，如果你母親在這裡，

I'm certain you will be reunited."

我很肯定你們將會團聚。」

When I walked out of the cell,

當我走出牢房的時候，

an officer got close to me and said to me,

一名軍官接近我並跟我說，

"Sister, thank you.

「修女，謝謝你。

You have helped us realize

你令我們意識到，

that they are human beings."

他們依然是人類。」

You know, sometimes, no matter what job we have,

有時候，無論我們是什麼職業，

we must never forget to recognize

我們切勿忘記尊重他們的人性

the humanity in others.

Otherwise, we will lose our own humanity.

否則，我們會失去自己的人性。

Let me tell you a bit about what I see and what I do

讓我告訴你在美國南部邊界，

in the southern border of the United States

我所見的和我所做的。

where I live and where I work.

那是我居住和工作的地方。

Hundreds of families enter the United States

上百個家庭度過格蘭河，

by crossing the Rio Grande river.

進入了美國。

And once they are in the United States,

一旦進入美國之後，

many of them are given permission

大部分人會獲得批准，

to continue their process of immigration

並在某些時候繼續移民美國的過程。

at another point in the United States.

What has amazed me for all these years

這些年來，最令我驚歎的是，

has been the amazing humanitarian response

德克薩斯州南部社區

of the community there in south Texas.

表現出的出色並人道的反應。

Thousands of volunteers

上千個志願者

have given of their time so generously.

慷慨地付出自己的時間。

For me, they're all amazing people.

在我看來，他們全是出色的人們。

And the whole community,

然後，整個社區，

city government,

包括市區政府，

from local business leaders

當地的企業領袖，

to civic organizations,

公民組織，

all faith communities,

全部信仰團體，

in the Border Patrol and ICE.

邊境巡邏隊和美國移民及海關執法局，

We have all come together in an effort to help

我們大家同心合力，

150,000 or more immigrants since that first day that we got started.

我們極力幫助 150,000 多名移民者， 自從從第一天開始。

Back in those first days

回到一開始的時候，

when we were first involved in helping the immigrants,

我們剛參與幫助移民者的工作，

we were at our respite center,

我們在暫託中心，

and an officer from the city walks in

一個來自城市裡的警官走進來，

and tells me,

他問我：

"Sister, what are you doing here?"

「修女，你在這裡做什麼？」

I turned and looked to see what was happening

我轉過身去看暫託中心裡 正在發生什麼。

at the respite center.

I was amazed at what I was seeing.

我為所見到的一切感到驚歎。

There were hundreds of volunteers

那裡有上百個志願者，

helping so many families there that needed help.

正在幫助許多需要協助的家庭。

Giving them ways to get cleaned up

志願者幫助他們清理自己，

and to get clean clothing, food,

取得乾淨的衣服，食物，和衛生用品。

hygiene items.

Just love and compassion was seen everywhere.

愛與同情心到處可見。

So I turned back and I responded to him and I said,

我轉回身來，回應他：

"Restoring human dignity.

「恢復人的尊嚴。

That's what we're doing."

這就是我們正在做的。」

I don't think he expected that answer from me,

他完全沒想到我會這樣回答，

because he took a step back

因為他向後退了一步，

and then approached me again and said,

然後再次接近我，問道：

"Sister, if I had a magic wand,

「修女，如果我有魔法棒，

what would that magic wand do for you?"

你會用它來做什麼呢？」

"Showers?"

「沐浴器？」

Sure enough, that evening we had a mobile unit of eight showers.

結果，那天晚上我們 獲得了8 個移動沐浴設施。

Amazing.

太神奇了。

And after that,

在那之後，

我們獲得了市區政府百分之百的支持。

we had 100 percent support of the city government.

We were there,

在那裡，

wanting to make sure that we were helping

我們確保能夠幫上忙，

and be successful with our response

並且成功地應對

to so many families that we were seeing

我們每天看見的許多家庭。

every single day.

I think that we must help others see

我認為，我們必須讓 其他人看到我們所見的。

what we see.

I think it's important

我覺得跟別人分享

that we can share that with others.

是一件很重要的事。

You probably heard this idea before --

你應該有聽過這個概念——

that we must always see God's children as equal.

我們必須對神的孩子一視同仁。

But in order to do that,

為了做到這件事，

I think it's important to be able to see them

必須要先把他們視為人類。

as people.

To be able to have a personal encounter,

能夠親身經歷，

when we can feel what they feel,

體驗他們所感受到的，

when we can understand what they're hurting.

明白他們的痛苦之處，

To really meet up with them.

在現實中與他們見面。

It is then that we are present to them

出現在他們當前，

and we can make their humanity

把他們的人性

a part of our own humanity.

變成我們人性的一部分。

And we'd recognize

然後，我們會意識到，

that we are all part of the same human family.

我們全部都屬於同樣的人類大家庭。

During those days,

在那些日子中，

I had a lady approach me and tell me,

有一個女士接近並告訴我：

"Sister, I am 100 percent against what you do,

「修女，我百分之百反對你

helping these illegal aliens."

幫助這些非法移民者。」

And I said to her,

我跟她說：

"Let me tell you what I do and why."

「讓我告訴你我所做的和當中的原因。」

So I shared with her and introduced her to the families and the children,

因此，我跟她介紹每個家庭和小孩，

shared the stories that they are living.

分享他們生命中的故事。

When I finished talking with her,

當我和她講完時，

she turns and looks at me and says,

她轉過身來，看著我說：

"Sister, I am 100 percent in favor of what you do."

「修女，我百分之百支持你所做的。」

(Laughter and applause)

（笑聲和掌聲）

That evening, her husband calls me,

當晚，她丈夫打電話給我，

he tells me,

他告訴我：

"Sister, I don't know what you did to my wife.

「修女，我不知道你跟我妻子說了什麼。

But this evening she came home and she said,

但是今天晚上她回家後跟我說，

'If Sister Norma ever calls you,

『如果諾馬修女打電話給你，

you make sure you do what she tells you.'

一定要照著她說的做。』

So I'm just reporting to let you know I'm here to help in any way."

所以，我來跟你報告， 我樂意以任何方式幫忙。」

Well, you know ...

那個，你知道的...

I'm thinking that --

我在想——

was it a personal encounter that she had?

這是不是因為她的親身經歷呢？

I think it's a nice idea, a nice message,

我覺得那是一個好的理念，好的信息，

but I don't think it's the whole story.

但那不是完整的始末。

In that encounter, we must put aside our prejudice that we have toward others,

在見面時，我們必須 把對他人的偏見放在一旁。

that separate us and don't allow us to see them,

偏見把我們分開， 令我們無法正視他們，

our walls that we put up in our own heart

它是我們自己在心裡建起來的墻，

that keep us separated from others.

隔離開我們和其他人。

When we are able to do that,

當我們做到這件事，

we're able to reach out to them.

我們能夠向他們伸出援手。

You know, I think what doesn't make it possible is fear --

我認為恐懼令我們做不到這件事——

that we're afraid.

我們感到害怕。

And because we're afraid --

因為我們感到害怕——

more than likely it's because we've seen in the media

極大可能是因為我們在媒體所見的，

all this negative rhetoric that we hear about immigrants,

那些關於移民者的負面言論。

they are demonized, like they're not human,

他們被妖魔化， 就像他們不是人類一樣，

that we can discard them

就像我們可以拋棄他們，

and we can get rid of them,

排除他們，

and not even feel bad that we're doing that.

甚至不會因此感到難過。

Immigrant families are not criminals.

移民家庭不是犯罪分子。

Immigrant families are like our families,

移民家庭就像是我們的家庭，

like our neighbors.

我們的鄰居。

They're good people

他們是好人，

who are entering our country and coming to the United States

正在進入我們的國家，來到美國，

only simply because they're fleeing away from violence

只是為了從暴力中逃走，

and they want to be safe.

希望能夠平安無事。

Unfortunately, what we see at the border

不幸的是，我們在邊境所見的很糟糕。

is terrible.

People are hurting and suffering.

人們受到傷害，受到折磨，

Thousands of them are.

上千的人都是。

And mostly I feel

我覺得這大多是因為

it's because of those walls that we put up,

我們在自己心裡建起來的墻，

that we have in our hearts,

that makes us not care.

它令我們不再關心。

So we have policies

我們有把人們遣返回墨西哥的政策，

that are returning people back to Mexico,

so they can wait.

讓他們等待。

And they wait there for months.

接著，他們在糟糕的狀況下，

In conditions that are horrible,

受到折磨和傷害的狀況下，

where people are suffering and hurting.

等待了好幾個月。

Abuses.

虐待。

And not even the means to be OK.

離好的方法差的遠了。

I think that it is true

我認為確保國家安全

that we must keep our country safe,

是沒有錯的，

that we must make sure who enters our country,

我們必須確認誰進入我們的國家，

that criminals should be put away.

犯罪分子必須被帶走。

But it is also true

但是事實上，

that we must not lose our humanity in doing this.

我們不可以在這麼做的 同時失去自己的人性。

That we must have policies and procedures

我們必須要有一些

that do not contribute to the human suffering

不會增加人們的苦難

that people are already suffering.

的政策和程序。

And that we can find solutions that are respectful to all human life.

我們能夠找到尊重 所有人類生命的解決方案。

We can do this,

我們可以做到的。

if we can allow the best in us to come out.

我們只需要展現最好的自己。

Because what I see at the border

因為我在邊境看見了家庭，

are families, men, who will take a child

一些男士抱著哭泣中小孩，

and will try to comfort that child that is crying

嘗試著安慰他，

because that child is crying for their own dad.

因為那個小孩正在為自己的父親哭泣。

And these men are crying with that child.

然後，這些男士陪小孩一起哭。

I see men and women who drop to their knees,

我看見跪在地上的女士，

praying.

正在祈禱。

As they pray in thanksgiving.

他們充滿感恩地祈禱。

I see children who have been separated from their parents for months.

我看見小孩和父母被分開了幾個月。

And when they're reunited,

當他們團聚的時候，

they're afraid to separate themselves from them,

他們不敢分開，

because they're afraid they will lose their mom again.

因為他們害怕再次失去母親。

Once a child looked up to me after she was reunited

有一次團聚後，一個小孩抬頭看我，

and she said to me,

她告訴我：

(Spanish) "Hoy no voy a llorar."

（西班牙語）"Hoy no voy a llorar."

"Today I'm not going to cry."

「今天我不會哭了。」

And I said, (Spanish) "Por qué, mi hija?"

我問：（西班牙語）"Por qué, mi hija?"

She said, "Because I have been crying for the past whole month,

她說：「過去一個月我都在哭，

because I didn't know where my mother was.

因為我不知道我媽媽在哪裡。

But tonight, I'm going to be with her."

但是今晚，我會跟她團聚。」

The day I visited the detention facility back in 2014,

2014 年，我拜訪拘留所的那天，

there was a little boy who approached me and asked me

有一個小男孩接近我並問我

for me to help him find his mom.

可不可以幫忙找他的母親。

Well, that evening, when I was at the humanitarian respite center,

那天晚上，當我在暫託中心的時候，

the little boy walked in with his mother.

那個小男孩和他的母親一起走進來。

And as soon as he spotted me,

當他注意到我的時候，

he runs toward me, I go down to greet him,

他馬上跑向我，我下去迎接他，

and he just throws himself to hug me.

他奔向我，然後給了我一個大大的擁抱。

It was so beautiful,

那場面很美麗，

that was truly a beautiful human encounter.

真的是美麗的經歷。

I think it's humanity at its best.

那展現了人性最好的一面。

It is what we all are called to do.

我們被召喚這樣做。

Think about it.

你想想，

We just need to allow ourselves to get close enough to see,

我們只需要走得更近，看的更清楚，

and we will care.

我們就能夠釋出關懷。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）