9. Manna issue 63 - A Perfect Job in Hard Times 困難時的完美工作
Brooke Cheng—Chicago, Illinois, USA 美國伊利諾州芝加哥
Having been away from the workforce for more than thirteen years,
I am now back working full time.
In today’s recessive economy,
it is a miracle that I have been able to start a new career.
It was a big change for my family and me,
but God’s grace made all the transitions possible.
因為離開職場已經十三年多了，
我現在回到了全職的工作。
在經濟衰退的今日，
真的很奇妙，我能夠開始新的職業生涯。
這對我和家人來說，都是一個巨大的轉變，
但神的恩典使所有的轉都變成為可能。
On the surface, God has helped me start a new career.
But on a much deeper level,
God has taught me how sweet it is to trust Him.
表面上來看，神幫助我開始了新的職業。
但在更深的層次來看，
神教導我信靠祂是有多麼的甜蜜。
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
(Prov 3:5, 6)
5你要專心仰賴耶和華，
可倚靠自己的聰明
6在你一切所行的事上都要認定他，
他必指引你的路。
（箴 3：5, 6）
BECOMING A SCHOOL TEACHER 成為教師
I never considered teaching as a career.
God gave me the opportunity to be a RE (religious education) teacher
after I moved to Chicago shortly after marriage.
Teaching RE was great training for my spirituality and servitude.
I also realized I enjoyed being in the classroom with children.
我從來沒有想過把教學當作是一種職業。
神給了我成為 RE （宗教教育）老師的機會，
結婚之後不久，我就搬到了芝加哥。
教道 RE 宗教教育，是對我靈性和事奉很好的訓練。
我還意識到，我很喜歡和很多孩子一起在教室裡。
Nevertheless, my true calling came
when my husband’s business began to run into trouble.
I wanted to help bring in income for the family,
but I was absent from the workforce for more than ten years.
After much consideration and research,
I knew I needed to own a new job skill to secure an income source
if my husband’s business was to fail completely.
儘管如此，我真正的呼召終於來臨0了，
當我先生的生意開始遇到困難時。
我想幫忙家裡增加收入，
但我已經離開職場十多年沒有工作了。
經過多方的考慮和搜尋，
我知道自已需要掌握一門新的職能，才能獲得收入的來源，
如果我先生的事業徹底失敗了。
Teaching came into my mind.
At this point in life,
I wanted a career that was rewarding.
Becoming a teacher would also be good role modeling for my children.
I decided to pray to God to see if He would bless my wishful thinking.
我想到了教書。
在人生的這個階段，
我想要一份有報酬的職業。
對我的孩子來說，成為老師也是一個很好的榜樣。
我決定向神祈禱，看看祂是否會祝福我希望的想法。
Obtaining teaching certification is a two-year investment of time and money,
and I simply had no confidence
that my husband’s business would last that long.
Even if it did, finding a teaching position afterwards was a big uncertainty.
I also hoped to teach somewhere close to home
so I could be home early to care for my children after school.
取得教學證書需要投資兩年時間和金錢，
我根本就沒有信心，
認為我先生的事業可以持續那麼久。
即便如此，之後要找到教書職缺也是一個很大的不確定性。
我也希望，能在離家近的地方教書，
這樣，我就可以早點回家照顧我放學的孩子。
The first step towards eligibility for enrollment in a teacher program in Illinois
is to pass the state’s Basic Skills test,
which is a grueling five-hour test of reading, writing, and math.
I heard that many people had to retake the test numerous times before they passed.
第一步就是要獲得伊利諾伊州，註冊教師課程的資格，
就是要通過州立的基本技能考試，
這是一項時間長達五個小時的閱讀、寫作和數學的艱苦測試。
我聽說很多人要重考很多次才能通過。
In prayer, I asked God to allow me to pass the test in one sitting.
Then I would know I made the right decision to go into teaching.
If I failed the test on my first try,
then I would know it wasn’t meant to be.
我在禱告中，求神讓我一次就通過考試。
然後我就會知道，自已做了正確的決定可去進行教學。
如果我第一次的考試就失敗了，
然後我就會知道，事情不該是如此發展的。
Taking the Basic Skills test and the subsequent tests
until I was finally certified were all nerve-wracking experiences,
and I felt under-prepared each time.
Nevertheless, I passed all the tests without retaking.
With the success of each test,
it was clear that God was guiding me.
參加基本技能測試及後續的測試，
直到我帶著令人心驚膽顫的經驗，最終才獲得認證，
而每次我都覺得準備不足。
儘管如此，我還是通過了所有的考試，沒有重考。
隨著每次測試的合格，
很明顯的，神在引導我。
Some might think I was just lucky.
I knew when I looked at the questions that they were not easy.
But I was able to remain calm throughout the exhausting tests
and came to educated guesses after re-reading the questions.
That was how I knew God was helping me.
有些人可能認為，我只是幸運。
我自已知道，當看到這些問題時，就知道他們並不容易。
但我能夠在保持冷靜，經歷那心疲力竭的測試，
並角重新閱讀問題後，就能得出有依據的猜測。
這就是我知道神在幫助我的原因。
THE LONG ROAD TO THE JOB PREPARED FOR ME 工作前的長路為我準備
Two years of school and student teaching was intense but rewarding.
I finished my certification program in spring 2008.
At that time, my biggest concern was
that my children would have both parents working long hours.
So I signed up for substitute teaching at first.
兩年的學校和學生教學，雖然緊張但收穫良多。
我於 2008 年春季完成了認證的課程。
當時我最大的擔憂是，
我孩子的兩個父母都會長時間在工作。
所以我一開始只報名了代課老師。
For two years, I had a vague idea
that my husband’s business was struggling in the worsening economy.
But amazingly, it survived another year.
We continued to pray that God would preserve his business.
I had to believe that if God had guided us so far,
He would sustain us until I found a real job.
兩年來，我一直有個模糊的想法，
我先生的事業於經濟惡化的情況下陷入困境。
但很奇妙的是，它又存活了一年。
我們一直禱告，神會保佑他的生意。
我必須要相信，如果到目前為止，都有神引導我們，
祂會保守我們的生活，直到我找到一份真的工作。
Substitute teaching turned out to be an important learning experience.
Teaching in different grade levels and classrooms
allowed me to build up the experience I desperately needed.
結果，代課教書是一種很重要的學習經驗。
在不同年級和教室進行教學，
讓我累積了自已非常需要的經驗。
I learned that even a substitute teacher needed to network.
Without good relationships with the school secretaries and classroom teachers,
I wouldn’t receive many assignments.
Without a steady stream of assignments,
the income for a substitute teacher was small and without any benefits.
我了解到，即使是代課老師也需要建立人際網絡。
如果沒有與學校秘書和班主任有良好的關係，
我不會收到很多指派。
若沒有源源不絕的課程安排，
代課教師的收入就很微薄，而且沒有任何福利。
I also learned to be versatile and flexible.
Since I was new to the district,
I often didn’t receive assignments until late at night or early in the morning.
Hence, I always said a prayer before I left for work,
asking God to give me enough wisdom to know
how to deal with a new group of kids and curriculum.
我還學會要多才多藝和彈性靈活。
由於我剛來這個地區，
我常常直到深夜或凌晨，才會收到課程安排。
因此，我每次上班前都會禱告，
祈求神賜給我足夠的智慧去了解，
要如何應對新的一組孩子和課程。
I also prayed for the safety of my children
because I needed to leave the house much earlier than them.
That year was a good training for the two of them
to get ready for school on their own.
我也為自已孩子的安全禱告，
因為我需要比他們還早離開家。
那一年對他們兩個來說，是一次很好的訓練，
要自己準備上學。
At that time, my son was in sixth grade,
so he was old enough to be responsible at home without parents for an hour or two.
I’d leave notes for them,
and we made a big poster listing all their responsibilities.
Thank God, they were never late for the school bus
or forgot to bring their lunch boxes.
那時我的兒子讀六年級，
所以他已經夠大了，在家中可以在沒有父母陪伴的情況下，負責度過一兩個小時。
我會給他們留下注意事項，
我們製作了一張大海報，列出了他們所有的職責。
感謝神，他們坐校車從來沒有遲到過，
或是忘記帶午餐盒。
By the winter of 2008,
I realized it was only a matter of time
before my husband’s business would close.
The notion of losing our sole source of income
made me realize the urgency of finding a permanent position.
到了 2008 年的冬天，
我明白到，時間只是早晚的問題，
在我先生事意將會終止之前。
失去唯一收入來源的想法，
讓我意識到，尋找永久職位的迫切性。
There was no more time to bargain with God.
I needed to find a real job.
Teaching was no longer a fallback plan
—it was about survival.
I couldn’t be choosy anymore.
沒有更多的時間可以與神討價還價了。
我需要找到一份真正的工作。
教學不再是後備的計劃
—這是關乎生死存亡的。
我不能再挑剔了。
DOORS OPENED 開門了
I changed my prayers.
I told God that I would go anywhere He wanted me to go.
I would even move to another state if necessary.
我改變了自已的禱告。
我告訴神，會去祂要我去的任何地方。
如果有必要的話，我甚至會搬去另一個州。
Around the end of January 2009, the coldest time in Illinois,
the hiring season began at the school districts.
I was determined to be more proactive and assertive in applying for jobs.
2009 年1月下旬左右，伊利諾州最冷的時候，
學區的招募季節開始了。
在求職時，我決心要更加積極主動和自信。
I continued to polish up the essay application questions
and I applied to many districts.
After many prayers, I finally worked up the courage
to approach the new principal at the school
where I student taught to ask for an interview opportunity.
我繼續美化申請的申論問題
我申請了很多的地區。
經過多次祈禱告，我終於鼓起勇氣，
去接近學校的新校長
我學生時期在那裡教習，去要求面試機會。
I went to teacher job fairs,
where I stood in line competing with many new college graduates
for a five-minute interview with each district.
I needed to show God how much I wanted to work now.
我參加了教師招聘會，
我和許多大學畢業新生一起排隊競爭，
與每個地區進行五分鐘的面試。
我需要向神展示，自已現在是有多麼想工作。
In February, I finally got my first formal screening interview
with the district where I substituted.
Maybe it was the talk I had with the principal,
maybe it was the sub experience.
Whatever it was, I was just elated about this opportunity.
二月，我終於進入第一次正式篩選面試，
是與我代課的地區。
也許是我與校長的談話，
也許這就是其他次要的經歷。
不管是因為什麼原因，我對這個機會感到很高興。
I tried my best during the interview
but my nerves got the better of me.
Two weeks later, I received the rejection letter.
I was completely dejected.
I had no more connections left.
The last door had closed on me.
面試的時候我盡了全力，
但我實在是太緊張了。
兩週後，我收到了拒絕信。
我徹底很灰心。
我已經沒有更多的聯結關係了。
最後一扇門已經對我關上。
When I shared the news with the resident pastor in Chicago,
he encouraged me, saying,
“God has already found you the job,
you just have to wait for it.
Don’t give up!”
當我把這個消息告訴芝加哥的駐牧傳道時，
他鼓勵我說：
「神已經為你找到了工作，
你只需要等待即可。
不要放棄！”
I told myself that I was allowed to mope for two days,
and then I needed to move on.
The failed experience was another learning experience.
Next time, I would do better.
我告訴自己可以生悶氣兩天
然後我需要繼續前進。
失敗的經驗是另一種學習的經驗。
下次，我會做得更好。
From then on, I just kept praying.
I held onto Philippians 4:13:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
從那時起，我就一直禱告。
我堅持抓住腓立比書 4 章 13 節：
“13我靠著那加給我力量的，凡事都能做。”
Indeed, when all human doors are closed,
God’s door of grace is opened.
In March, I was referred to a district thirty-five minutes away
to be a one-on-one aide to a student who was recently adopted from China.
確實，當所有人的門都關閉時，
神恩典之門才打開。
三月時，我被轉介到三十五分路程外的地區，
成為一個最近從中國收養學生的一對一助教。
Since it was just a temporary job until the end of the school year,
there were no benefits and the pay was even less than a substitute teacher’s daily rate.
I took the job anyway.
I considered it more training from God,
and I could put this new experience on my resume.
由於這只是一份臨時的工作，直到學年結束，
沒有任何福利，薪水甚至還低於代課老師的日薪。
無論如何我就接受了這份工作。
我認為這有更多是來自於神的訓練，
我可以把這段新的經歷寫進自已的履歷表。
The Chinese student turned out to be extremely challenging.
She had never been in school before and had physical and psychological disabilities.
Every day was a new challenge with her.
But the principal appreciated my effort
and offered to look out for job opportunities for me.
I felt much encouraged.
結果，這位中國學生極具挑戰性。
她以前從沒有上學，身體和心理都有殘疾。
對她來說，每天都是新的挑戰。
但校長讚賞我的努力，
並且提出為我尋找工作機會。
我感到很受安慰。
Shortly after I started as an aide,
I received news that a district nearby
opened a position in a middle school for a Chinese teacher.
Although my certificate was for elementary education
and I did not have a middle school endorsement,
I updated my resume and submitted the application anyway.
在我開始擔任助教後不久，
我收到訊息說，附近的一個區，
有一所中學開設了一名中文教師的職位。
雖然我的證照是國小教育，
而且我並沒有中學教育的認證，
我更新了履歷，並且不管怎樣，就送出了申請書。
With this opening, a brand new door was opened for me.
My certificate would allow me to teach in middle schools
if I completed just two more courses equivalent to six credit hours.
Most of all, the pool of applicants
would imaginably be much smaller than for regular teachers at the elementary level.
隨著這個起頭，有一扇全新的大門為我打開。
我的證書可以允許我在中學教書，
如果我再完成兩門相當於六個學分的課程。
最重要的是，申請者的群體，
可以想像的，這將比小學普通教師的規模小得多。
GOD CARRIED ME THROUGH 神帶我走過
In April, I received the call for an interview.
I was extremely nervous and asked friends at church to pray for me.
4 月的時候，我接到了面試的電話。
我非常緊張，請教會的朋友為我禱告。
That was the most challenging interview I ever experienced.
There was first a forty-five minute writing test with three essay questions,
then an interview that was videotaped.
那是我經歷過的最艱難的面試。
首先是包含四十五分鐘的寫作測試，包含三個申論題，
然後是一個有錄影記錄的面試。
As it happened, the staff was friendly.
The principal was warm and laughed at all the jokes I made.
During our conversation
I was able to refer to my student teaching experience and the work with the Chinese student.
事實上，職員都很友好。
校長很熱情，對我講的所有笑話都發笑了。
在我們談話期間，
我能夠參考自已的學生教學經驗以及照顧中國學生的工作。
I received the invitation for the second interview the following week.
I was told it was down to the final three candidates.
This time, I met with the chair
of the foreign language department, two parents, and the principal.
Two days later, I received a call asking me to teach a mini-lesson
to a group of sixth graders.
接下來一週，我收到了第二次面試的邀約。
我被告知，這已經到了選擇最後的三位候選人。
這次，我遇見了主席外語系主任、兩位家長和校長。
兩天後，我接到一個電話，要我教一堂小課，
教一群六年級學生。
God carried me through the whole process,
and the school offered me the job within two days.
The day I went to sign the contract with the district in May,
I listened to the praise song “I Saw the Light” in my car.
I finally saw the light at the end of the long tunnel.
The waiting was over, and I sang along:
神帶領我走過了整個過程，
兩天之內學校就給我這份工作。
五月時，我去跟此區簽約的那天，
在車上我聽到讚美詩《我看見亮光》。
最後我看見了漫長隧道盡頭的曙光。
等待已經結束了，我跟著唱：
“I saw the light I saw the light
No more darkness, no more night
Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord, I saw the light.”
“我看見亮光 我看見亮光
不再有黑暗，不再有黑夜
現在我很快樂，看不到悲傷
讚美主，我看見亮光。”
For me, it was evident that God created the job position for me.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD,
thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope”
(Jer 29:11).
對我來說，很明顯上帝為我創造了這個職位。
“11耶和華說：我知道我向你們所懷的意念
是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，
要叫你們末後有指望。”
（耶 29：11）。
As I yielded to the possibility of moving anywhere God wanted me to go,
He placed me right back in a school that was a mere fifteen-minute’s drive away.
I had secured the contract
even before I registered for the courses for middle school endorsement.
God had given me this assurance even before I was completely certified.
當我順服，願意搬到神要我去任何地方的可能性之時，
祂把我安排回到一所距離只有十五分鐘車程的學校。
我已經拿到了合約，
甚至在我去註冊中學認證的課程之前。
甚至在我完成獲得認證之前，神就已經給了我這個保證。
In the summer, I took the state content area test in Mandarin
to qualify for teaching Chinese and completed the courses.
Everything was ready before school started in fall.
到了夏天，我去參加普通話專業內容領域的測試，
取得了漢語教師資格，並且完成課程。
在秋季開學之前一切都準備就緒。
But that is not all.
God’s grace is so much deeper and wider.
Looking back, my husband’s business continued to run in spite of the market downturn.
It held on just long enough for me to complete my teacher’s training.
但這還不是全部。
神的恩典是更深更廣。
回想起來，儘管市場很不景氣，我先生的生意仍是繼續經營。
它持續的時間剛好足以讓我完成教師的訓練。
When the business closed,
my husband was able to receive unemployment payments until I started working.
By the time I received my first paycheck in September,
his unemployment had expired.
God does provide!
當事業結束時，
在我開始工作之前，我先生能夠領取失業救濟金。
當我九月收到第一筆薪水時，
他的失業期滿了。
神確實預備好了！
LOOKING FORWARD 期待
The first year of teaching is tough.
I often feel exhausted but I remind myself to do my best to glorify God’s name.
Thank God that my husband is now home with the kids,
as I often stay late after school.
I don’t have to worry about them missing the school bus in the morning,
or that no one feeds them after school.
第一年的教學很艱難。
我常常感到精疲力竭，但我提醒自己，要盡力榮耀神的名。
感謝神，我的丈夫現在在家帶孩子，
因為我放學後常常很晚下班。
我不用擔心他們，早上會錯過校車，
或放學後沒有人餵他們吃東西。
I know I will survive
as long as I continue to trust in His guidance
and ask Him to bestow wisdom and strength on me.
我知道自已會活下去
只要我繼續相信祂的帶領，
求祂賜給我智慧和力量。
And you will seek Me and find Me,
when you search for Me with all your heart.
I will be found by you, says the LORD…
(Jer 29:13, 14)
13你們尋求我，
若專心尋求我，就必尋見。
14耶和華說：我必被你們尋見，…
（耶 29：13、14）
May all glory be onto His name!
願一切榮耀歸於祂的聖名！
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Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)