Finding My Way

Greetings!

 

            Last week represented a changing point in our ministry here in Hong Kong. After being here for a month, I evaluated what had happened in those four weeks: What did I learn? What had changed? Where do we go from here?

  

Short Version:

            Despite my busy schedule, I was feeling rather useless at Pooi To School where my duties and interactions with the young women had decreased greatly due to intensity of school and our location. For more details please read below. Therefore, I started to brainstorm some ideas on how I could benefit the school and get more interaction with the girls. The idea I developed was creating curriculum about American culture to help improve the students' English; then Emily and I could execute this one of two ways, as substitute teachers in the classroom or by starting an after school club. We set up an appointment with the Principal to discuss our ideas and she embraced it but was a little fuzzy on the execution of the plans and is trying to work something out. Please pray that we will be able to take a more active role at the school.  Please pray that these classes work out so we are able to share the love of the Lord with a new group of young women.

 

Long Version:

            Besides the daily lunch meetings, initial introductions to the upper form classes, an assembly speech, involvement with English club, and occasional assistance with morning announcements I really did not feel useful at the school. Though it may look like several of those activities would keep us busy you must count in the fact we spent about 27 hours at the school each week.  85% of that time students are in class so we work on other projects or meet with teachers. Unfortunately being on the 7^th floor of a building where students are required to take the stairs doesn't give them strong motivation to come and visit (despite our cheery dispositions). Plus, our isolation up there causes teachers to forget us also, so we don't get any classroom invites.  Truly, I enjoy the few quiet hours to work on homework and the use of the internet as we don't have it in our apartment. But this isn't why we came.

 

             I wanted to be useful while I was at the school…..so I started working on American culture lesson-plans. I began putting together some ideas for curriculum, that maybe Emily and I would be able to use in the classroom if a teacher needed a substitute. Substitute Street and Fine to the rescue! As I described my plan to Emily, she suggested we ask to start ‘An American Culture Club” after school where we would address the same type of issues (Religion, Politics, Holidays etc in the US). With these ideas in mind, we meet with the Principal who embraced them but was a little fuzzy on the execution of the plans and is trying to work something out.

         What many do not realize is school in Hong Kong is intense…..Senior students study constantly to try to pass their exam to get into college….only 18% of the student qualify to go to University in Hong Kong. The rest usually cannot afford to go overseas so they get jobs. This atmosphere makes it difficult for older students to be involved in any activities outside of studying.

 

            Please pray that we will be helpful to the school no matter what happens here. Please pray that these classes work out so we are able to share the love of the Lord with a new group of young women. Finally, please pray for the Principal as she is under immense stress.

^“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
      do not depend on your own understanding.
    Seek his will in all you do,
      and he will show you which path to take.”

-Proverbs 3:5,6

 

Blessings,

Margaret