October 1st 2006

A day to remember - indeed it is the National Day of China but on the other hand Oct 1st was also a new chapter of life… 8 years ago I quit my career as a Special Education teacher and joined a mission organisation as a student and carried on for a few more years as full time staff.

Little did I know that I would return in the field of education after 7 years!
7 years of being a disciple and "discipling" young adults, youth, children through various ministries- it was indeed 7 years of learning and training for me.

As you have read from my June update, my first year with the school has ended on an encouraging note-

Please allow me to give you a following update of my adventure from July till now… are you ready?? :)

July 2006
My summer holiday was well …another month of training. I decided to go for an intensive one month course in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (some of you may know it as TESOL- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Language). It was intensive and also another revelation for my next path. I expected that my teaching practicum during the course would be with adults but guess what who I had for my 1 on 1 teaching and also group teaching!!
A 7 year old boy and a group of boys and girls of the same age as well a group of teenagers!! I did not have any opportunity to teach any adult as some of my class mates did.
I had to smile and acknowledge that HE was still reminding me of the vision and words HE spoke to me.
I left the training centre encouraged and fulfilled.

August 2006
Returning to my little flat, the next adventure was about to start, after a week of rest, my friend and I started looking for a new flat which we found it in ..another little island near the New Territories! Within 2 weeks, I had to pack and we made the move in the middle of August.
No worries, no more ferry rides!! Now it is mainly train and bus rides…quite convenient in Hong Kong standard!!

August was also our new school year!

"Miss Doris- this is you!" says one of my 5 yrs old boy with autism!

YES! I have now a new bunch of students- again 4 children with autism/Asperger's syndrome and 7 typical children. We are praying for another student to join in.
Mind you this group of students is very talkative!!

Before the start of the school term, we had a few days of workshop touching on the "Spiritual Formation of teachers". I was again reminded of my identity in HIM, my role and my calling.

In addition to that, I was also challenged to take a step further as what it says in Isaiah 54 about stretching your tent, lengthening the cords. The constant message that came across was 'Blessed to be a blessing" through my prayer time, devotional reading and finally through a teaching from a church that I was visiting...HE was speaking loud and clear.

One of the challenge was to step in the children's ministry once again…after 7 years, it is kind of scary!!
But well, to cut the story short, today October 1st 2006, I started teaching Sunday school for the very young children(2-4 years old)! Like I said, that is a stretch, never taught a group of children that young!!

I am therefore helping the Chinese - English Ministry -church start up with this Sunday school for very young children.
Since the Sunday school is at the same time as their English service( I attend the church and was helping in their praise team), I am now attending an English service in another church as well as one of their home group.

Indeed a new start…and there is more to come but still "Under construction through prayers and in His timing"! :):) will tell you more in the near future…to be continued

Well, that is all, I hope you have taken delight in reading the latest update of my life in Hong Kong.
Will you remember me in your prayer, even a minute of your time would be greatly appreciated!

My requests would simply be:
-Strength, energy, love, creativity in teaching those young ones in church as well as my own students at school
-Teachable heart for me, as I work with the pastor and the team from the church.


Looking forward to hearing from you as well,

Cheers!

Doris