It's been way too long, I'll admit. I'm realizing just how fast even the past almost three months since I've moved here have gone and thinking about how fast the next 9 will go! I'm asking God so often to help me savor every single moment of every day. I don't want to miss anything. :)
I'm amazed at how life seems to only get more full. Full of so many gifts. An awesome Chinese teacher. Friendships that will last. A wonderful Church that welcomes us into their community. Even on the Sundays when there is no translation and I catch maybe 20 words as the Pastor speaks, I still feel so encouraged just being around those precious people. Roommates I learn from everyday. And precious children that have forever ruined me for ordinary love. Children that teach me about the Kingdom of God and what it means to be a giver. And the life I see in their dark, beaming eyes every week, despite their pain and the emptiness of their lives, beckons me to a greater passion for life. Since I live at the school with my kids, I see so much and get to know these kids like I never thought I could in one week. Oh the stories their eyes tell.
This is my beautiful Anni. This little girl taught me so much about being strong; about letting people in and giving what you have to everyone around you, even if it's so little. Anni's mommy died last fall and her daddy works in taipei. She's one of 6 kids and her aunt and uncle take care of her. Her life seems so incomplete to me, and yet this beautiful little girl brims with joy and contentment. She's so ready to give and she loves loving on me and everyone around her. She's so ready to make your day bright, even if her day wasn't. She doesn't know what she does. She doesn't know how she's changed me and taught me about giving love. But she has...and maybe someday i'll get to tell her. I want to give love like that.
That's just one in the around 300 students I've been able to teach and learn from over the past 11 weeks. I can only imagine what God has in store for the next 9 months. If you pray, pray my heart will stay tender. That I won't get so into the routine of what we do every week that I miss reading those stories each of their eyes tell. That I'll continue with this desire to be their friend and not just be their teacher. That I'll keep loving. Even when it hurts the most.
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So life here keeps me on my toes. My school stays busy and even when we're sick, us teachers never really get a break unless it's the weekend. I was able to negotiate some of my hours though so I don't have to work so many nights a week, which has been a huge blessing and an answer to prayer. My roommates and I are able to spend more time together outside of school and just have more room to breath. We're all realizing the importance of pacing ourselves with nine more months to go and our teaching load and number of students each week doubling next semester. It's a little different since we live at our school...it's like we never really leave work. :) But we're learning how to balance it all and God has been so good to give us favor with our Boss. And as he gets to know us better and as we learn how to communicate with him, it only gets better. Being the homebody that I am, there are times when my roommates have to pretty much drag me out of the house. But as soon as they do, I'm always grateful. It always energizes me and helps me to not get burnt out with everything at school.
Teaching is going so good! I'm learning so much and it never ceases to amaze me how very different every class that comes through is. And along with different students, comes different ways of learning and different needs. Adjusting my teaching every week to my students for that week can be a challenge, but it's a challenge that makes me stronger as a teacher so I'll take it. I read a quote a couple weeks ago that say "As soon as a Teacher stops learning, she stops teaching". It's so true...
About three weeks ago, I went to Hong Kong for a couple hours due to a visa renewal. Pretty much, I was deported. It was an adventure. :) I was gone from my school for 26 hours total. Spent about 4 hours in the Hong Kong airport, flew back and spent the night in Taipei. Everything is good now and my school promised to stay a little more on top of the visa extension process next time. It was a fun little detour in my week. :)
I have to run to teach my night class. I promise I'll stay more on top of updating! And I'll post some pictures in the next couple of days. :)
Thanks for the prayers. They really do make a difference. :)
Be blessed!
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