????他們對我們也抱著懷疑——周四晚上，45名高管親身體驗他們的生活。但這些年輕人與圣約家園工作人員的關系卻令人非常詫異。我所在小組的專案經理勞瑞，可以非常自如地與家園的居民們開玩笑。同時，她始終堅持對他們的期望，不斷為他們加油鼓勁，幫助他們實現自己力所能及的事情。

????圣約家園的58位居民都有各自的“個案工作”，針對自己對于成功的定義制定計劃：一份工作、一間公寓或者實現自立等。勞瑞說：“對于這些年輕人來說，完成自己的個案工作非常關鍵。提交和執行他們的計劃能夠帶來更加成功的效果。”大多數居民都有工作。他們會將80%的收入交給圣約家園保管。等到他們搬出這里時，他們可以要回這筆錢，同時帶著從這里得到的激勵，走出收容所，去解決生活中的問題。

????They suspected us--the 45 executives who showed up Thursday night to learn first-hand what their lives are like. But it was amazing to see the bonds between the young residents and the Covenant House staff. Lorie, a case manager in my small group, joked effortlessly with the residents. Meanwhile, she was firm about her expectations of them, constantly reinforcing their strengths and what they're capable of achieving.

????Each of the 58 Covenant House residents has "case work," a plan toward his or her own definition of success: a job, an apartment, or maybe independence. "For our youth, completing their case work is critical. Submitting their plans, working their plans leads to more successful outcomes," Lorie said. Most of the residents have outside jobs. Covenant House holds 80% of their income until they move out. Then they get all of their money back -- along with lots of encouragement to tackle life outside the shelter.

????這一夜讓我認識到，通常情況下，我們認為一個人的環境決定了他的才能。但在參觀圣約家園色彩斑斕的美術室時，我看到了令人驚奇的才能——非常具有獨創性和表現力，都是真誠的藝術作品。我也親眼見證了非常積極的態度。小組討論時，一位男性居民說：“決定一個人的并不是他過去做過什么，而是他將來想做什么。”

????午夜時分，本和我并排躺在鋪在紙板箱上的睡袋里，我凝視著晴朗夜空中的那輪明月。露宿活動小組一片寂靜。這種寂靜并不是因為寒冷，而是因為沉思，因為理解和對可能性的信念。

????周五早上回歸正常生活的時候，許多人問我夜里冷不冷。坦白地說，我不知道。因為我的注意力都放在了對其他事情的思考上，而不是我自己的體溫。（財富中文網）

????克拉克的圣約家園露宿募捐活動主頁請點擊：http://bit.ly/1aETd0U

????譯者：劉進龍/汪浩?????

????My overnight reminded me that too often we assume that a person's circumstance indicates talent. Touring Covenant House's colorful Art Room, I saw amazing talent – clever, interpretative, honest, really good art. I also witnessed plenty of positive attitudes. "It's not where you've been, it's where you're going," one male resident said during a small group session.

????At midnight, as Ben and I lay side by side in our sleeping bags on our cardboard boxes, I gazed up at an unobstructed moon. There was a hush across our Sleep-Out group. It wasn't a cold silence, but rather, a silence of contemplation – and understanding and belief in possibility.

????Since I returned on Friday morning, so many people have asked me if I was cold that night. Honestly, I have no idea. My mind was focused on anything but the temperature of my body.

????Clark's Covenant House Sleep-Out fundraising page remains live at http://bit.ly/1aETd0U.