20080729 Nhat - 3rd day Perserverance

Day 3 was relaxing in terms of teaching because Jon took on more of the teaching. What we planned, he executed with style and involved George into the conversation English with him. I sit back to observe and jumped in for some comment like a “nice” back-seat driver. Jon adapt well and adjust his teaching style to sense the student’s understand and then use his method in explaining it. We do our best not to use Mandarin translation so they can get the most English exposure as possible.

Today’s devotion on Rom 5 was on building character by perseverance and I had a lot of takeaway today on the subject matter.

I was late for class today because I was waiting for Nat in the lobby for they say he was doing number two. He walked right passed me to join the team as I send them off to school. I guess I was tired and I totally did not clue in. Thereby, I waited and started getting worry about him and funny scenarios slowly creped into my head. After finding an empty room with Aunty Alsie, we headed to the school where I was relieved to see Nat there. Jon took the lead in the class and taught them “Amazing Grace” so I am thrilled to know that he is comfortable to teach without me. A calm, mature and composed Jon when teaches. He has a kid side when it comes to games and my left pinky finger was one of the causality to proof it. Now I know why is determine to bring that pillow of his on this trip for it has other usage. He is well balance since he knows when to be in a certain characters like the rest of the team members.

Our facility to teach is OK though we lack a big room to do the over-head presentation. We play musical class room when it comes to today’s multi-media (PowerPoint) presentation on the Ten Unchangeables (Physical Features, Time in History, Parents, Gender Male/Female, Brothers and Sisters, Birth Order, Race, Ageing, Mental Capacity, Time of Death). It stress the point that we need to be content and happy with what G has provided and not go about trying to change it for that goes against the creator’s design and it leads towards a life of bitterness.

Our schedule is easy to remember since it goes like clock work and we are a close knitted group. Modification to my posted schedule:
1. We take the local bus ($1/person) for transportation instead of the taxi. There are rides where we are sardine into the non-air condition mini bus. It is a 7 minute ride with a 7 minute walk.
2. We eat lunch at the hotel at 12:30 and Aunty Alsie gives us a variety of dishes.
3. We head back to school at 4:30 to mingle and the games starts at 5 pm.
4. Most night we will stay till 7:30 pm because the students have planned lessons or self-study to do afterwards. We have requested three nights to stay till 9 pm so we can show Narnia, J. Film and have a ending celebration party (Tuesday, Friday and Monday).

We handed out the letter that the Mandarin group at CGC wrote in response to the student’s Christmas card to their sponsor (CGC). Found out that the students were scattered into all of the four classes but my class has the majority of those students. It was a thrill for me and I will follow-up with their reaction later.

Highlight for me today was hanging with those students who did not watch the Narnia movie. We are all supposed to watch it together but due to the facility issues, some students opted out. I went to check on them in the rooms. We hanged in the classroom and got to laugh with them as they try to teach me Chinese and converse with me. I show them my journal and the pictures in it did help to with the conversation for they asked me questions relating to who they are (most family and Genesis pictures). I gave them permission to draw in my book since I like others to contribute in it for me to remember them by. Troy from another class drew Huanhuan (Olympic flame doll) into my book as seen from the picture. He also helped to get power connected from the second floor to the first floor – he seems to know electrical wiring for he was cutting and twisting them together. I am abit sad he is not in my class but glad that I am not limited in to my own class. I look forwards to more bonding and light conversation with the more of the students. Nhat out

PS. Yes, they are watching basketball on the TV in the room.