再過兩天，德菲拉女士就要由衣索比亞啟程出發到台灣，接受周大觀文教基金會頒贈的2007年全球熱愛生命獎章。安祺和我從六月份開始要在《講義》雜誌上連載個專欄，這個專欄的名稱叫做「讓我們一起來改變世界」。

專欄的第一篇就是介紹德菲拉女士，同時我們也請她透過她的聲音向台灣的讀者問好，並說出她基金會的宗旨和她的願望。

我請媽媽用文字和語音把她的錄音翻譯出來:

嗨，我的名字是德菲拉。我來自非洲的衣索比亞。我很興奮能有機會到台灣和大家見面交談。

我美麗的國家，衣索比亞，遭到愛滋病的侵襲，傷得很重。在過去，孤兒通常由他們的親戚照養。今天，太多代、太多人在愛滋病的肆虐之下，不是死就是傷，傳統的方式已經沒有辦法繼續了。我的願望就是幫助這些無法照顧自己的孤兒。如果情況許可，我希望和原來就在照顧他們的人－不管是鄰居、祖父母、或老師－商量，在這些小孩原來住的地方幫助他們。

我要告訴他們：「不要放棄這些小孩，不要把他們送到孤兒院去。讓他們在你的顧養下長大，讓我的基金會幫你留住這些小孩。」

那些不可能留在他們生長的社區或村落的小孩，我希望給他們一個大家庭，讓他們有個庇蔭之所，有食物、醫療、有學校可上，還有愛。

Hi, my name is Haregewoin Teferra. I come from Ethiopia and I am excited to have the opportunity to meet and speak with the people of Taiwan.

My beautiful country of Ethiopia has been hurt very badly by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In the past, orphaned children were absorbed by their extended families. Today, so many generations and so many people have been hurt or killed by AIDS, that the traditional networks can no longer support the children. My wish is to help the orphaned and vulnerable children of my country. Wherever possible, I would like to help sustain the children where they live, by reaching out to their neighbors and grandparents and teachers, whoever is currently care for the children.

I would like to say to those people, “Do not abandon these children who need you. Do not place them in orphanages. Let them grow up with you, and let my foundation help you to keep the children.”

For those children who have no hope of remaining in their original neighborhood, village, or town, I would like to create a bigger home so that they can have shelter, food, medicine, schooling, and love.