In fact, my father's regular response

我的父母都是很了不起的教授， 他們沒有宗教信仰。

to the question about why we didn't go to church on Sundays was,

事實上，我父親通常都會這樣回應

"When others go to pray, I go to play."

為什麼我們星期日不上教堂的問題：

Tennis, in case you're wondering.

「當其他人去禱告時， 我去玩樂（音近禱告）。」

Faith found me and my siblings when university students came to our house

如果你想知道，他的玩樂是網球。

to invite us to Sunday school.

信仰找到了我和我的手足， 那時是大學學生到我們家裡

I was drawn by their sense of personal conviction

邀請我們去主日學。

and their life of service,

我被吸引的原因， 在於他們的個人信念感

and opted for baptism into the Christian faith

以及他們的為人服務的人生，

as my 10th birthday present.

我接著選擇受洗，接受基督教信仰，

My faith has shaped my work as a social entrepreneur,

那是我十歲的生日禮物。

attempting to address Africa's most pressing challenges

我的信仰讓我成為社會企業家，

over the last 17 years,

在過去十七年間，試著處理

and my work training youth as leaders

非洲最迫切的挑戰，

and promoting ethics across Africa.

我也在訓練年輕人成為領導人，

Twenty-nine years later,

在非洲各地提倡倫理道德。

as a Sunday school teacher myself,

二十九年後，

my faith was challenged by a young nine-year-old

我自己也是個主日學的老師，

who asked a series of questions.

我的信仰被一名九歲孩子挑戰，

He asked,

他問了一連串的問題。

"Ms. Ndidi, does God hate Africans?"

他問：

To which I quickly retorted, "Of course not.

「恩迪迪女士，神痛恨非洲人嗎？」

God loves all his children equally."

對這個問題，我馬上回：「當然不。

Then he asked, "So why do so many young African children die?"

神給祂所有的孩子平等的愛。」

I stumbled and mumbled as I responded.

接著他問：「那為什麼 很多非洲小孩會死掉？」

"There are many reasons why young African children die.

我含糊咕噥地回應。

Most of them are man-made, and we cannot blame God."

「非洲小孩死掉的原因很多。

So he asked, "Why does he let it happen?

大部分的原因是人為的， 我們不能怪神。」

He could stop it."

他問：「神為什麼讓這些事發生？

And I said ...

祂可以阻止的。」

"Yes he could, yes he could,

我說…

but he sent us here as change agents,

「是的，他可以，是的，他可以，

light of the world, salt of the earth,

他派我們到這裡當改變推動者、

and we are failing."

世界之光、地球之鹽，

Africa has had a mixed affair with organized religion,

而我們失敗了。」

with both positive and negative consequences.

非洲和有組織的宗教 有著很複雜的曖昧關係，

The Christian missionaries educated most of our political elite,

後果有正面的也有負面的。

like Senghor and Nkrumah,

我們政治上的菁英大部分是 由基督教傳教士所教育的，

built many of our first hospitals and schools.

比如桑戈爾和恩克魯瑪，

Similarly, Islam has introduced commerce and mathematics

我們最初的醫院和學校， 很多都是他們建立的。

across the continent.

同樣的，伊斯蘭把商業和數學

Today, we have over a billion Africans who profess a strong faith.

推廣到整個大陸。

What is the net effect of this on our continent?

現今，有超過十億 非洲人有強烈的信仰。

A recent "Economist" article said that the face of the future

這對於我們的大陸，淨效應是什麼？

of the world's most popular religion is African.

近期有一篇《經濟學人》的 文章指出，世上最普遍的

Now, both Islam and Christianity underscore the importance of social impact

宗教的未來面孔，是非洲人。

as critical tenets of our faith.

伊斯蘭教和基督教都強調， 社會影響力做為我們信仰的

Muhammad is noted for stating

關鍵信條是很重要的。

that he is not a believer who goes to bed on a full stomach

穆罕默德有段很有名的陳述，

when his neighbor to his side is hungry.

說他並不是一個當鄰居 在挨餓時會自己吃飽

And all through the New Testament,

上床睡覺的信徒。

Jesus Christ talks about loving your neighbors as yourselves,

在新約中，從頭到尾，

giving to the poor, caring for the sick,

耶穌都在談要愛你的鄰居 如同愛你自己，

and James, too, says that "faith without works is dead."

救濟窮人，照顧病人，

So I strongly believe that faith-based organizations have a critical role to play

而雅各書也說 「 信心若沒有行為就是死的 。」

in driving social impact in Africa.

所以我堅定相信，在驅動 非洲的社會影響力方面，

But for this to occur, we need three critical changes.

信仰型組織要扮演很關鍵的角色。

The first is that we need to change our mindsets.

但我們先要完成三項重要 改變，這才可能會發生。

Both as people of faith and of those who are not religious,

第一，我們要改變我們的心態。

their perceptions of those of us who are people of faith.

身為有信仰的人， 以及對於不信教的人，

Now, for people of faith and those of us who are religious,

則是他們對於我們 有信仰的人的看法。

we often say, "If God wills, I'll do this;

對於有信仰的人以及信教的人，

inshallah, I'll do that --

我們通常說： 「若這是神的旨意，我會去做；

by God's grace, I'll do this."

若那是阿拉的旨意，我會去做——

Now there are many things, I believe, that we can control --

出於神的恩典，我會去做。」

some we cannot.

我相信，有許多事情 是我們可以控制的——

I believe that God is all-powerful,

有些無法控制。

but he's not a micromanager.

我相信神是全能的，

(Laughter)

但祂不會連小事都要插手。

He has sent us here as his change agents,

（笑聲）

and we must stop making excuses

他把我們派到這裡來， 做改變的推動者，

and using him.

我們必須要停止找藉口，

That means that if you're a teacher,

停止利用祂。

go to school and give your students the best.

那表示，如果你是老師，

If you're a public-sector official,

就去學校，把你最好的都給予學生。

release the funds meant for that school or public health-care center

如果你是公部門的官員，

instead of stealing it for your personal purposes.

釋出要給予學校 或公立健康照護中心的資金，

By claiming that we have no power over our past, present and future,

而不是為了自己個人的目的偷走它。

we give too much authority to the wicked

我們聲稱自己無權控制 我們的過去、現在、未來，

who steal funds and beg God for forgiveness.

因而給了惡人太多的權限，

Now for those of you who are not religious,

他們竊取資金，然後請求神的寬恕。

you also have to change your mindsets about us.

如果你沒有宗教信仰，

There are many of us who are hardworking,

你也得改變你看待我們的心態。

ethical and intellectual.

我們有很多人是努力辛勤、

It might surprise you.

合乎道德的知識分子。

(Laughter)

你可能會感到吃驚。

Now the second step

（笑聲）

is that we have to utilize our resources and assets

再來，第二步，

for social impact.

我們得要把我們的資源和資產

In England,

用在社會影響力上。

1,900 churches have been shut down since 1969,

在英國，

due to shrinking congregations,

自從 1969 年起， 有 1900 間教堂被關閉，

while in Africa, every single day,

原因是集會縮減，

a church or mosque is being built.

而在非洲，每一天，

In some communities, you might not find a public health center,

就有一間教堂或清真寺被建立起來。

a post office or even a school,

在一些社區中，你可能 找不到公立健康中心、

but you'll find a church or mosque.

郵局，或甚至學校，

Some of these churches and mosques are world-class,

但你能找到教堂或清真寺。

with excellent audio-visual systems,

這些教堂及清真寺中， 有些是世界級的，

wonderful meeting spaces,

有極佳的聽覺視覺系統，

and they organize events that rival international concerts.

很棒的會議空間，

The sad reality is that many of them are empty during the week.

他們所安排的活動， 比得上國際音樂會。

I live in the Lekki area of Lagos,

感傷的現實是 在週間它們常常是空的。

and in my community, there are at least 50 really nice churches,

我住在拉哥斯的萊基區，

but there's no adult literacy center,

在我的社區中，至少有 50 間真的很棒的教堂，

no homeless shelter

但沒有成人識字中心，

and very few public schools and hospitals.

沒有遊民收容所，

Many of these spaces could be utilized for social change.

公立學校和醫院也非常少。

Imagine if every single church in Lekki opened its doors

許多這些空間都可以 被用來做社會改變。

to the homeless at night,

想像一下，如果萊基的 每間教堂都打開它的門，

gave them a sleeping bag, a warm meal and a voucher in the morning

晚上讓遊民進入，

to learn a vocational course,

給他們睡袋、熱食， 早上再給他們一張券，

offered by the unemployed youth who attend that church.

可以參與職業學習課程，

That would demonstrate what we preach

由上那間教堂的失業青年提供。

and what we speak about as people of faith,

那就能展示出我們所講的道，

and what led me to Christianity in the first place.

以及我們身為 有信仰之人所談的事情，

Similarly, we have to utilize our resources for social change.

以及引領我到基督教的初衷。

The 2016 "why give" survey conducted in Kenya

同樣的，我們得要用 我們的資源來做社會改變。

reveals that close to 60 percent of adults give to faith-based organizations --

2016 年，在肯亞進行了 一項「為什麼捐贈」調查，

even more than they give their extended families.

結果發現有 60% 的成人 會捐贈給信仰型組織——

This is not unique to Kenya.

比他們給予自己延伸家庭的還多。

It's quite prevalent across Africa.

不是只有肯亞才這樣。

Many of our faith-based organizations have tremendous amounts of wealth

在非洲各地都相當常見。

that can be utilized for social change.

我們許多信仰型組織， 有相當高額的財富，

We have to check the sources of uses of these funds

能被用來做社會改變。

and curb the excesses by our faith-based organizations.

我們得要檢查這些資金使用的來源，

Now, this will require courage on the part of members,

並遏止信仰型組織的放肆行為。

who will have to put their imams and priests on straight salaries,

【富裕知名牧師的生活方式 和會眾的天差地遠】

require audited financial statements that will be published

這會需要成員的勇氣，

and even reject contributions from unethical sources.

他們得要推動 伊瑪目和牧師的純薪給制，

But it's possible.

要求稽核會出版的財務報表，

We're already seeing positive examples in South Africa and Kenya,

甚至要拒絕來自 非倫理道德來源的捐獻。

and the organizations,

但這是可能的。

such as the Africa Council for Accreditation and Accountability

我們已經在南非和 肯亞看到正面的例子，

that's checking faith-based organizations

且組織，

and ensuring that they comply with biblical standards of stewardship.

比如非洲委派與責任理事會，

Now, the third step

會去檢查信仰型組織，

is that we have to partner with all stakeholders,

確保它們遵守聖經的管理標準。

and this is especially relevant for the non-religious in the audience.

接著，第三步，

Recognizing the power and potential of faith-based organizations,

我們要和所有利害關係人合作，

leveraging their assets, their scale,

對於觀眾中沒有信教的人 是特別重要的。

the public trust and credibility they have,

承認信仰型組織的力量和潛力，

their lower operating costs,

利用它們的資產、它們的規模、

their access to the grassroots

它們擁有的公眾信任和信用、

and their presence abroad.

它們較低的營運成本、

Politicians recognize this,

它們接觸草根的途徑、

and campaign seasons are always filled with stops and picture opportunities

以及它們國外的據點。

with leading faith leaders.

政客了解這一點，

Sadly, once elected,

競選季節總是不斷去 拜訪重要的信仰領袖，

many of these faith-based organizations are ignored.

並找機會和他們合照。

And in fact, a World Bank survey revealed

可惜，一旦當選，

that 30 to 70 percent of assets owned by medical organizations in Africa

許多這些信仰型組織就被忽略了。

are actually owned by faith-based organizations,

事實上，世界銀行的調查顯示，

but that there's very little collaboration between the faith community

在非洲，醫療組織 擁有的資產中有 30~70%

and public health-care systems.

其實為信仰型組織所擁有，

One positive example is from Ghana,

但在信仰社區和公眾健康照護體制間

where the Ghana Catholic Health Service partnered with a range of stakeholders

鮮少合作。

and was able to realize a 31 percent reduction in mortality.

有一個正面的例子，來自迦納，

I believe there's so much potential that can be realized

迦納天主教健康服務 和許多利害關係人合作，

when we walk across the divide of faith

得以成功將死亡率降低 31%。

and, hand in hand, try to solve many of our problems.

我相信還有很多的潛力可以被實現，

Similarly, faith-based organizations can support the transfer

只要我們能躍過信仰的分歧，

of critical skills and knowledge.

手牽手，嘗試解決許多我們的問題。

Many of you in the NGO community or in the private sectors

同樣的，信仰型組織能夠支援協助

realize how difficult it is to even attract 150 to 200 people

重要技能和知識的轉移。

to your conferences,

在座有許多人來自非政府 組織社區或是私部門，

sometimes even offering stipends,

都知道吸引 150~200 人 去參加你的大會

reimbursements of transportation costs.

有多困難，

Meanwhile, faith-based organizations draw thousands and millions

有時甚至還提供津貼津貼

every Sunday or Friday ...

和交通補助。

with the promise of a good sermon.

但信仰型組織能 吸引數千人，百萬人，

The truth is we cannot address issues around family planning

每個星期日或星期五，

without faith-based organizations in Africa.

只因為保證有好的佈道。

Issues such as democratic rights and voter registration,

事實是，在非洲，我們若要 處理問題，不能只靠

ensuring that every member of a congregation

家庭計畫而不靠信仰型組織。

has a voter registration card,

比如民主權利及投票登記這類問題，

understands their democratic rights

確保集會的每一位會眾

and can exercise that.

都有一張選民投票登記卡，

I really think it's critical that we consider partnering

都了解他們的民主權利，

with faith-based organizations to deliver social impact.

且能夠行使。

It's also important to note that African faith-based organizations

我真的認為，很重要的是

have a strong presence globally.

要和信仰型組織合作 來實現社會影響力。

There are over 2,000 African nuns and priests in leadership positions

另一個重點是要注意到 非洲的信仰型組織

in Europe,

在全球有很強的勢力。

with more influence than some of our diplomatic envoys,

在歐洲，有超過兩千名 非洲修女和牧師

operating at a fraction of the cost.

擔任領導職務，

They can serve as influencers and supporters.

比我們的一些外交使節 都還有影響力，

Similarly, some African churches have a presence

運作的成本也非常低。

in countries across the globe,

他們能擔任影響者以及支持者。

and the Redeemed Christian Church of God has a presence in 196 countries,

同樣的，有些非洲教堂的勢力

serving as a bridge to the diaspora and providing support.

遍及全球許多國家。

If our public-sector organizations could partner with these institutions,

在 196 個國家有 上帝救贖基督徒教會，

we could unlock the potential of our diaspora populations.

擔任海外散居僑民的橋樑 並提供支援。

I know some of you are still struggling with this topic,

如果我們的公部門組織 能夠和這些機構合作，

but I challenge you to think about it.

就能釋出我們僑民的潛力。

A wise man once said, "Faith is a risk,

我知道在座有些人 還在為這個主題掙扎，

but it's a risk that I cannot afford not to take."

但我挑戰各位去思考。

I would suggest that partnerships with faith-based organizations are a risk,

有位智者曾說：「信仰是一種風險，

but one that all stakeholders that are committed to social impact in Africa

但我無法承擔不去冒這個風險。」

cannot afford not to take.

我會說，和信仰型組織 合作是一種風險，

I often reflect on my conversation with that young boy,

但所有致力於在非洲造成 社會影響力的利害關係人

and I believe I should have ended it a little differently.

無法承擔不去冒這個風險。

First, I should have commended him for asking tough questions.

我常會深思我和那年輕男孩的談話，

Africa needs more young people who challenge the status quo,

我認為我當時應該用 略不同的方式結束那段交談。

even in the faith communities.

首先，我當時應該要 稱讚他問了很艱難的問題。

Secondly, I should have given him a little more hope.

非洲需要更多年輕人 來挑戰它的現狀，

Not hope in the afterlife,

在信仰社區中也一樣。

but hope in Africa today,

第二，我當時應該給他一點希望。

because the faithful are powerful.

不是死後的希望，

Not just because of their beliefs but because of their assets,

而是在現今非洲的希望，

their resources, their army of volunteers,

因為有信仰的人是強大的。

and because working together, across the divide,

不只是因為他們的信念， 也因為他們的資產、

we can live as positive examples for what our children --

他們的資源、他們的志工大軍，

my children, your children --

也因為一起合作努力，跨越分歧，

deserve to see.

我們能成為我們孩子的正面典範，

An Africa that demonstrates that God loves Africans

我的孩子、你們的孩子 應該要看得見

and that we are just as capable as any other world region

一個能夠展示出神愛非洲人的非洲，

in solving our problems

展示出我們和世界上 任何其他區域一樣有能力

in peace ...

能解決自己的問題，

and love.

能達成和平，

I love this quote that says,

能去愛。

"Hope is the ability to hear the melody of the future.

我很喜歡這句引言：

Faith is the willingness and the courage

「希望是能夠聽到未來旋律的能力。

to dance to it today."

信仰則是意願和勇氣，

I hope that we, as people of faith,

能在今天就隨之起舞。」

can truly live up to the promise of social impact

我希望，我們身為有信仰的人，

that we have been called to do as change agents in society.

能夠真正做到 產生社會影響力的承諾，

And I believe that working with you,

我們身為社會中的改變推動者， 那是召喚我們的使命。

all stakeholders,

我相信，和各位， 和所有利害關係人合作，

we can truly solve Africa's most pressing challenges.

我們能真正解決非洲最迫切的難題。

I have that hope ...

我有那樣的希望，

and I have the faith,

我也有信仰，

and I've started to dance.

而我已經開始跳舞。

Won't you join me?

你們不加入我嗎？

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）