读者文摘:"食物沙漠"到"健康中心"(3)（在线收听）

Today, thanks to Joyner's zeal,

时至今日，感谢乔伊纳的热忱、

as well as organizations such as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

感谢基督教长老会（美国）等组织、

and the Conservation Fund, which supplied logistical and financial support,

以及保护基金会给予我们的后勤以及资金支持，

that small plot has transformed into the 21-acre Conetoe Family Life Center.

这块小区已经改造成占地21英亩的Conetoe家庭生活中心。

Its mission: "Improve the health of the community by increasing access to healthy foods,

该中心成立的宗旨是：“通过提高健康食品摄取、

increasing physical activities, and providing access to health services."

增加体育活动锻炼，以及提供健康服务来改善社区人们的健康。”

The local hospital, schools, and restaurants help the center by buying its salad greens, peppers, broccoli,

当地的医院、学校和餐馆帮助购买蔬菜沙拉、辣椒、西兰花、

strawberries, and other crops for their cafeterias and customers.

草莓，以及其他农作物供应给该家庭生活中心的自助食堂和顾客。

A fourth of the produce is distributed free to church members.

免费分发四分之一的农产品给教会成员，

The results have been dramatic.

成果十分可观。

Research from East Carolina University found that Conetoe residents have lost weight,

东卡罗莱纳大学研究发现，Conetoe居民的体重已经减轻，

lowered their blood pressure, and visited the emergency room less frequently

血压降低了，去急诊室的次数也减少了

because of the fresh food and health advice available at the center.

这一切都源于该中心的新鲜食物和健康咨询。

And, Joyner says,

乔伊纳还说，

his congregation spends far less on medication than it did a decade ago.

教会会众在药物治疗上的费用比十年前要少得多。

Thinking back on the center's success as well as the town's sharecropping past,

回想起Conetoe家庭生活中心的成功以及这个小镇分粮的历史，

Joyner concedes, "The greatest pain in our lives could be our greatest deliverance."

乔伊纳袒露，“生命中最大的痛苦可能是我们最好的救赎。”