More Days in our life...
July 14, 2008
Ah yes, the day from Hell. Well, let’s see, the students wouldn’t listen to anything anyone had to say. They were absolutely disobedient. They talked while the teacher attempted to talk. Have you seen the move, the Concrete Jungle I think it is called staring Glen Ford as a teacher in an inner city high school back in the late 50’s? Yea, that is what it made me feel like. My counselors are beginning to question why they are here; one of them breaking down had a crying fit again. We broke for lunch, mentally preparing for the afternoon activity of Valentine’s Day.
Well, let’s see, you take 67 kids that are already ADHD and feed them about two cups of rice, starch, carbohydrates and what do you think you get? A) Sweet docile students ready to learn or B) little Asian rubber balls bouncing all over the classroom. The correct answer, B. Valentine’s Day was a bust. The only part that went well was making Valentine Day cards. To date, everything that has worked in the past has failed here in Hong Kong.
Back to the question of why we are here, this is a vast unknown question. Only God knows the answer. As I spoke to my counselors, I encouraged them with the fact that at the very least, God is working on you. I explained to them that when they emerge out of the other side of this experience, they are going to be different people. Secondly, they may leave Hong Kong never knowing that they have indeed, impacted someone’s life for the positive. Finally, they are of course laying a foundation and building upon the foundation for future teams. Those future teams may and will see fruit harvested. Fruits grown from seeds planted by us, or by teams working on what we have built. It is a collaborative effort and only the Father knows where we are at in the chain. A positive is that three of the counselors went and ate with some of their students and began building personal relationships with them.
As team leader, I Covent your prayers for me, that I can sustain a positive mental attitude, and put my trust in the Lord. Also, for my counselors, pray that God will grant them patients and energy and that they will build long lasting and deep relationships with their students, and they will be able to plant seeds in some good soil.
July 13, 2008
Sunday, we went to church today, the two girls and I. The married couple went off to visit their friend’s church. While there, I ran into an old friend who moved to Hong Kong seven years ago. She normally goes to a Lutheran church but because she is leaving HK, heading for the U.A. E. she was visiting to say good bye to some old friends. The church we are attending is an Evangelical Community Church and can be found at www.islandecc.hk if you would like to see what they are up to.
After church we explored a bit and found the jade market. I’ve never see so much jade in on spot before. Two buildings filled with it and other stuff as well. We were out and about in an area known as Mong Kok. This is a more seedy part of town but it is also were the good shopping is at. On the way back to our dorms we ran into a teacher from the school we are working at. He and his family are heading off to Vancouver BC. Nine hours from Portland. They wanted to invite us to dinner but we had McDonalds, that’s right, we cheated and ate McDonalds. We finally met up with the married couple back at the dorm and hammered out the week’s events. I hope this week will be better than the first week. Three to go and still searching for what the Lord has brought us here for.
I think at the very least, the married couple is discovering something about themselves. They are learning how to be a team. The two girls are growing as well. Both suffer from mental disorders of sorts, such as anxiety. They are facing their problems and creating coping skills. For me, I am learning to be patient, and graceful. I am also learning how to deal with the Asian people. After the break up with Hoa, I didn’t know how to act with Asians or Asian girls anymore. I didn’t want to spend anymore of my love capital for what could amount to be a waste of expenditures again. I also wasn’t sure how I would receive them. I feel so cheated and thrown to the pigs by what she has done. I am learning that each are individuals and must be treated as such. I cannot gauge the whole on just a part. God has given me a heart for Asians and to block it is to block God. No can do.
July 12, 2008
What a deal, I’ve spent so much money trying to call home that it’s not funny. First I bought a SIM card. Idealistically, you snap it into a cell phone and off you go, yea… no such luck. That was $48 dollars, ah, Hong Kong Dollars, so about $7 U.S. Next I bought a “Phone card,” for $100 HK dollars, again about $14 US. Finally, I resorted to the good old Internet. I first purchased an online card for $50 US dollars but then received a notice that they would confirm the order. That’s a no go because I gave them my cell phone as primary and the house phone as the secondary. So, I looked up another online calling card company, Penny Talk, which was recommended to me. I paid another $25 US. Hm…I called and got through; however, the automated service told me that I had only 16 minutes of actual talk time. Penny talk? Hm…I paid $1.52 per minute. If you add it all up, I paid, $6 per minute. I hope I get use out of the other cards before this trip is over. In any case, I got to say hi to Sabrina my daughter, and my wife. It was good to hear their voices even if it were only for a brief time.
As for today, the married couple on the time notified me that they were planning on spending the day with their friend that lives in Hong Kong, and that they were planning on going to church with the friend. Today being Saturday and tomorrow being Sunday. This left me and the two girls at the dorm. We did our laundry, and then headed out for a walk to the store. We got a little adventurous and boarded the subway riding it only to the next stop. There we hunted down a 7/11. Yes, a 7/11 where we purchased the useless phone cards. We then rode a bus back to our dorms and had dinner. The one thing that is nice is that I borrowed my daughters laptop and yesterday, I discovered that there are episodes of Stargate and Stargate Atlantis for my viewing pleasure. Well, that was my Saturday, how was yours?
July 11, 2008
I woke up this morning, the thunder of last night’s storm still echoing in my ears. It was a bad storm that blew through last night. I have a strange sense of energy flowing through me. I sleep at least as much as the others, probably less, but I am vibrant all day. The married couple on the team is 38 and 40 years old. I am turning 50 this year. Again, waking up this morning I sensed energy, waking up joyful and looking forward to what the day has to bring. I am of course praying that the students will settle down in their behavior while coming out of their unresponsive behavior towards doing activities. God has been good to me, and I’ve not been very good to him.
Today, we executed our disciplinary plan. Teachers separated students, and we threaten exile to room 306 which is the disciplinary master’s room. I did have to actually yell at a boy and that seemed to get everyone’s attention. Yesterday, a strange thing happened. One of the teachers approached us and asked if we were going to share the message with the kids within the school setting. That is absolutely unheard of in China. Today, the principle of the school asked me if we were going to invite any students to services with us, and he went on to say that it would be okay to do so. He further stated that we could intertwine the message into the curriculum because they want to see them become familiar with the faith. I was in shock. This is of course a good thing, and we will adjust accordingly.
Things went a bit better, still had discipline problems, but we also took the kids outside and played Ultimate Frisbee and baseball in the sweltering heat and humidity. I was drenching wet by the time an hour and a half passed. Each drop of sweat and or tear is progress in the right direction.
Ah yes, the day from Hell. Well, let’s see, the students wouldn’t listen to anything anyone had to say. They were absolutely disobedient. They talked while the teacher attempted to talk. Have you seen the move, the Concrete Jungle I think it is called staring Glen Ford as a teacher in an inner city high school back in the late 50’s? Yea, that is what it made me feel like. My counselors are beginning to question why they are here; one of them breaking down had a crying fit again. We broke for lunch, mentally preparing for the afternoon activity of Valentine’s Day.
Well, let’s see, you take 67 kids that are already ADHD and feed them about two cups of rice, starch, carbohydrates and what do you think you get? A) Sweet docile students ready to learn or B) little Asian rubber balls bouncing all over the classroom. The correct answer, B. Valentine’s Day was a bust. The only part that went well was making Valentine Day cards. To date, everything that has worked in the past has failed here in Hong Kong.
Back to the question of why we are here, this is a vast unknown question. Only God knows the answer. As I spoke to my counselors, I encouraged them with the fact that at the very least, God is working on you. I explained to them that when they emerge out of the other side of this experience, they are going to be different people. Secondly, they may leave Hong Kong never knowing that they have indeed, impacted someone’s life for the positive. Finally, they are of course laying a foundation and building upon the foundation for future teams. Those future teams may and will see fruit harvested. Fruits grown from seeds planted by us, or by teams working on what we have built. It is a collaborative effort and only the Father knows where we are at in the chain. A positive is that three of the counselors went and ate with some of their students and began building personal relationships with them.
As team leader, I Covent your prayers for me, that I can sustain a positive mental attitude, and put my trust in the Lord. Also, for my counselors, pray that God will grant them patients and energy and that they will build long lasting and deep relationships with their students, and they will be able to plant seeds in some good soil.
July 13, 2008
Sunday, we went to church today, the two girls and I. The married couple went off to visit their friend’s church. While there, I ran into an old friend who moved to Hong Kong seven years ago. She normally goes to a Lutheran church but because she is leaving HK, heading for the U.A. E. she was visiting to say good bye to some old friends. The church we are attending is an Evangelical Community Church and can be found at www.islandecc.hk if you would like to see what they are up to.
After church we explored a bit and found the jade market. I’ve never see so much jade in on spot before. Two buildings filled with it and other stuff as well. We were out and about in an area known as Mong Kok. This is a more seedy part of town but it is also were the good shopping is at. On the way back to our dorms we ran into a teacher from the school we are working at. He and his family are heading off to Vancouver BC. Nine hours from Portland. They wanted to invite us to dinner but we had McDonalds, that’s right, we cheated and ate McDonalds. We finally met up with the married couple back at the dorm and hammered out the week’s events. I hope this week will be better than the first week. Three to go and still searching for what the Lord has brought us here for.
I think at the very least, the married couple is discovering something about themselves. They are learning how to be a team. The two girls are growing as well. Both suffer from mental disorders of sorts, such as anxiety. They are facing their problems and creating coping skills. For me, I am learning to be patient, and graceful. I am also learning how to deal with the Asian people. After the break up with Hoa, I didn’t know how to act with Asians or Asian girls anymore. I didn’t want to spend anymore of my love capital for what could amount to be a waste of expenditures again. I also wasn’t sure how I would receive them. I feel so cheated and thrown to the pigs by what she has done. I am learning that each are individuals and must be treated as such. I cannot gauge the whole on just a part. God has given me a heart for Asians and to block it is to block God. No can do.
July 12, 2008
What a deal, I’ve spent so much money trying to call home that it’s not funny. First I bought a SIM card. Idealistically, you snap it into a cell phone and off you go, yea… no such luck. That was $48 dollars, ah, Hong Kong Dollars, so about $7 U.S. Next I bought a “Phone card,” for $100 HK dollars, again about $14 US. Finally, I resorted to the good old Internet. I first purchased an online card for $50 US dollars but then received a notice that they would confirm the order. That’s a no go because I gave them my cell phone as primary and the house phone as the secondary. So, I looked up another online calling card company, Penny Talk, which was recommended to me. I paid another $25 US. Hm…I called and got through; however, the automated service told me that I had only 16 minutes of actual talk time. Penny talk? Hm…I paid $1.52 per minute. If you add it all up, I paid, $6 per minute. I hope I get use out of the other cards before this trip is over. In any case, I got to say hi to Sabrina my daughter, and my wife. It was good to hear their voices even if it were only for a brief time.
As for today, the married couple on the time notified me that they were planning on spending the day with their friend that lives in Hong Kong, and that they were planning on going to church with the friend. Today being Saturday and tomorrow being Sunday. This left me and the two girls at the dorm. We did our laundry, and then headed out for a walk to the store. We got a little adventurous and boarded the subway riding it only to the next stop. There we hunted down a 7/11. Yes, a 7/11 where we purchased the useless phone cards. We then rode a bus back to our dorms and had dinner. The one thing that is nice is that I borrowed my daughters laptop and yesterday, I discovered that there are episodes of Stargate and Stargate Atlantis for my viewing pleasure. Well, that was my Saturday, how was yours?
July 11, 2008
I woke up this morning, the thunder of last night’s storm still echoing in my ears. It was a bad storm that blew through last night. I have a strange sense of energy flowing through me. I sleep at least as much as the others, probably less, but I am vibrant all day. The married couple on the team is 38 and 40 years old. I am turning 50 this year. Again, waking up this morning I sensed energy, waking up joyful and looking forward to what the day has to bring. I am of course praying that the students will settle down in their behavior while coming out of their unresponsive behavior towards doing activities. God has been good to me, and I’ve not been very good to him.
Today, we executed our disciplinary plan. Teachers separated students, and we threaten exile to room 306 which is the disciplinary master’s room. I did have to actually yell at a boy and that seemed to get everyone’s attention. Yesterday, a strange thing happened. One of the teachers approached us and asked if we were going to share the message with the kids within the school setting. That is absolutely unheard of in China. Today, the principle of the school asked me if we were going to invite any students to services with us, and he went on to say that it would be okay to do so. He further stated that we could intertwine the message into the curriculum because they want to see them become familiar with the faith. I was in shock. This is of course a good thing, and we will adjust accordingly.
Things went a bit better, still had discipline problems, but we also took the kids outside and played Ultimate Frisbee and baseball in the sweltering heat and humidity. I was drenching wet by the time an hour and a half passed. Each drop of sweat and or tear is progress in the right direction.
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