Teaching English

After four hard days, I am done teaching my students from China. I walked in the first day to a classroom of 14, 16 year olds.  I was very intimidated, especially becuase I was supposed to be teaching them in english and they were fairly fluent.  We played a game of pictionary and they wrote all the words on a piece of paper- they chose words like: natural, atmosphere, and substance.  When I saw their words choices I thought, " What am I doing here, these kids know english better than some kids here!"  They were also pretty shy and difficult to engage in discussion.  But there was one girl, Aurora, who really knew english well so she would help explain things.  She also helped me in their inside jokes.  I felt so out of it when the kids would bust out laughing and I had no clue what was so funny.  The other cool thing about Aurora was that she was a Christian too!  She even gave me her Chinese Bible- such a great gift!  Everyday we opened class in prayer and I tried to be open about my faith.  A local church had given them Bibles and I noticed during the breaks several kids pulled out their Bibles to check them out.  Each day got easier and easier.  They were still shy but I think they got used to my style and seemed to be having more fun.  I really wasn't sure that many of them liked me though.  But by the last day they were showering me with cool little treasures- perfume- some smelly bug repellent juice, scarfs, bags etc.  During their graduation ceremony one of the students that I thought for sure didn't like me, hugged me and said that she was really going to miss me!  It was such a cool experience and I learned so much from these kids.  Anyway I just wanted to tell you about a great experience that God allowed me to be a part of! 

Currently Listening Sound of Melodies By Leeland see related

Flat Tire Day

How often do you get a flat tire and a man sitting outside in 108 degree weather says, "Hey, I've got a fork lift and I just changed my friend's tire who also has a truck like yours."  Now I might have been able to do it myself but I had just worked out so I was tired and hot and the spare is really hard to get to.  Although my new friend Mike changed it in 5 minutes.  Guess it can't be that hard.  As he changed it he looked at me like my Dad would and said, "Now are you paying attention so you can do this yourself?"  Hmmm.  Then I drove down the street and got a new tire in 20 mins.  I was so blessed that day because I didn't even have a minute to panic.  It doesn't always work out this way but I saw God blessing me and reminding me that He cares about the big and little things- something I very much needed to remember.  Unfortunately I had to buy four new tires because apparently relatively new tires can still crack in the heat- so check your tires and get them rotated every 6,000 miles :) . 

Currently Listening Phil Wickham By Phil Wickham see related

I Love Summer!

Summer break is wonderful!  I hate to brag.  Though I haven't been completely lazy.  I have been tutoring which is actually pretty fun.  My favorite student is a freshmen and she and I have been discussing Romeo and Juliet.  I highly recommend No Fear Shakespeare which translates everything into a modern day context, but I never realized how truly naughty old Shakespeare was!  I have also been going to a new church called the Vineyard which is a nice and needed change.  I probably like it because it is full of Wheaton grads young and old.  It's very relaxed with a dress code of sandals and shorts and fantastic worship.  They also don't place an emphasis on the building and money- it's just a rustic room with handmade crosses on the walls.  Another cool thing I am doing is teaching English to Chinese students who will be here this summer.  I am planning the curriculum with only a little ESL experience so if anyone has any ideas let me know.   And I am off to the Grand Canyon in a few days!

Snow Day!

School has officially started and I have spent practically every waking hour cutting, gluing, coloring and planning planning planning and I LOVE it!  It really feels good when you realize that for at leat right now, you are doing what God has made you to do.  My students, all eleven of them, are so good.  I haven't been spit on, bit, cussed out, or had rocks thrown at me yet, I think that's a good sign.  It is so nice to be in a supportive atmosphere and in a place where I can not only be open in my faith but really encourage my students to develop a Christian world view.  At the same time I realize how necessary it is for there to be Christians out in the public schools and how desperately those children need an advocate.  So, who knows, I may be back there again someday.  It's just very hard to work in a place when you disagree so much with what's going on.  Our education system is severly flawed.  Anyway, those are just some things I've been thinking about.

Currently Reading Total Truth: Liberating Christianity From It's Cultural Captivity By Nancy Pearcey see related