2007年NPR美国国家公共电台三月-The Shelter that Gave Refuge, and Changed

Time now for StoryCorps. This oral history project is recording¹ and preserving the stories of everyday Americans.

Today we hear from Robert Crum. He's 83 years old and preached for years as a Methodist minister. He served congregations all over the country. And some time ago, Robert Crum was asked to plan stakes in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. He turned a deserted² building into a shelter for people in need and saw things he's never forgot.

I called it the House of Refuge, and in time we had youth who were troubled. We had battered³ women and children. And it was an eye-opener to live there with people struggling like that.

And I remember one evening after about 5 o'clock. It was a knock on my office door and I said come in and a young man came in, and I noticed that there were other people with him, a woman and two children. And he quickly closed the door, and didn't invite them in, and He told me (said), I hear that you're a minister and I want to talk to you before I go down the street here and rob this filling station where I would see an end and I can't feed them. I don't have a place to put them.

And I said: don't worry. We'll give you a place to stay and we'll feed you and take care of you and try to help you find a job.

And it was about, oh, maybe a month later, and he came in and said, "I've lived with this woman for six years, and these are my two children." But he said, "I'd like to honor them with marriage," and he said, "Would you be willing to perform the ceremony?"

And I said "Sure."

And we performed the ceremony. And they were married.

And the last I heard he had a job and they were making, making a go of it.

And in my ministry⁴ "It was the most beautiful time."

And I said that:"I quit preaching the gospel, and began living it."

Robert Crum, at StoryCorps in Lawtin, Oklahoma. All StoryCorps interviews are archived at the America Folk Life Center at the Library of Congress. Listen to any of them, at NPR.org


make a go of it: [美]使获得成功, 干好

1 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

2 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

3 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。