Mission #1: COMPLETED
i know it's been a while... like more than half a month since i've updated anything. but believe me... i've been meaning to. our team is back in HK now for the weekend (our first break from the motherland) it's been TONS of fun... and very eye-opening - in many many ways.
where to start...
[hmm... well i better warn you, it's been a while since i've spoken normal english.. so if i sound *ahem* ..like... certain engineers with bad grammar... blame it on the chinas. :) ]
Well after we left HK in mid-June, we went to this gorgeous retreat home where we were spoiled with huge rooms, nice washrooms, luxurious living conditions (like better than home!) we ate tsah man tau (deep fried steamed buns?) practically every nite. it was our orientation week and basically we goofed off a lot and planned as much as we could with the little info we had about the factory we were gona work at. it was fun.... we worked out on the first nite - as a team... we ate every meal - as a team... we played "stupid" games - as a team... we did laundry - as a team... what can i say - if ever we were strangers to each other... we are now brothers and sisters. we've been very blessed to have such a close knit team. no conflicts. no arguments. just lots of massages and tons of love (in that friendly platonic way of course).
When we left for the first factory... it was exciting. we didn't know what to expect. we were welcomed by some HK staff that we had met before... but still... we were not prepared for what was ahead. (when i get a chance i will post some pics) at least the girls had a room together... but i think initially we were pretty "eeeek!" about the concrete floor in our room, the squattie toilet, and the bucket showering. the cockroaches running around, the bats swooping above, and the blood thirsty mosquitos were just an aside. i think initially we were all complaining and worrying. but now... 2 weeks later... it's not like that anymore. i feel like such a spoiled brat for thinking those things...
meeting the workers for the first time... was... nerve-wrecking. i couldn't speak the language... didn't know if they'd talk to me... if they'd like me... if they'd even be interested in what we had to offer. we started off with 70 something students. these were split into 3 classes. feebs and i took the advance class (reading writing - good; speaking listening - poor). they were pretty easy to teach. they were eager to learn and willing to try. it was just one of those "no worries" type of class. at the beginning they were a little shy.. but i think feebs and i were weird enough with our random songs (aaaa pizza hut, a pizza hut, kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut... a pizza hut, a pizza hut, kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut.. mcdoooooonald's mcdoonald's... etc) and our constant laughter that they all loosened up and began to open up to us. we saw such a great progression... and God's work was just amazing. everyday new mercies were given to us. everyday his grace increased for us. every moment his strength was made known in our weaknesses. ya no, it wasn't even what we had to offer to the students... cuz English isn't much, but it was what God was teaching us thru the students.
we were so humbled everyday... from the start we were brought to our knees when we found out that even the most prepared lesson is ineffective if we trust in our own strength adn our own wisdom. we began to commit each day to the Lord. no regrets there. by the end of the 2 weeks these workers were not only our students... they were our friends... true friends. ya no... i spent 4 years at Queen's... met a ton of good ppl... and some i've never even hung out with outside of class or fellowship.. but here... in 2 weeks time... we went out with them.. they bought us gifts.. they treated us to dessert... they took care of us... they loved us like we were one of them.. we loved them like they were truly our friends. it was tough to leave - really. it was like having a little piece of my heart chipped away...and knowing that it will never be replaced. these ppl became our comfort.. our encouragement. it was tough. on the last day of class, all we did was laugh and take pictures... we still went thru our lesson... but we always went overtime cuz there just wasn't enough time to spend with each other. after the lesson they stay after to chat.. or we'd make plans to go out. grad nite was so much fun. i was so proud of their accomplishments... they were courageous enough to use their english skills in front of the whole class... they had fun.. and we just laughed along with their skits and songs.
i will miss them so much.. i already do.
now we must prepare for Mission#2 (aka Factory #2)... who knows what it will bring.. what lessons we will learn... but i am ready and willing to just give it my all without hesitation.
so keep us in your prayers...
and thanks friends for your comments... very encouraging...
(it's been a long blog... so i'll leave it here... )
where to start...
[hmm... well i better warn you, it's been a while since i've spoken normal english.. so if i sound *ahem* ..like... certain engineers with bad grammar... blame it on the chinas. :) ]
Well after we left HK in mid-June, we went to this gorgeous retreat home where we were spoiled with huge rooms, nice washrooms, luxurious living conditions (like better than home!) we ate tsah man tau (deep fried steamed buns?) practically every nite. it was our orientation week and basically we goofed off a lot and planned as much as we could with the little info we had about the factory we were gona work at. it was fun.... we worked out on the first nite - as a team... we ate every meal - as a team... we played "stupid" games - as a team... we did laundry - as a team... what can i say - if ever we were strangers to each other... we are now brothers and sisters. we've been very blessed to have such a close knit team. no conflicts. no arguments. just lots of massages and tons of love (in that friendly platonic way of course).
When we left for the first factory... it was exciting. we didn't know what to expect. we were welcomed by some HK staff that we had met before... but still... we were not prepared for what was ahead. (when i get a chance i will post some pics) at least the girls had a room together... but i think initially we were pretty "eeeek!" about the concrete floor in our room, the squattie toilet, and the bucket showering. the cockroaches running around, the bats swooping above, and the blood thirsty mosquitos were just an aside. i think initially we were all complaining and worrying. but now... 2 weeks later... it's not like that anymore. i feel like such a spoiled brat for thinking those things...
meeting the workers for the first time... was... nerve-wrecking. i couldn't speak the language... didn't know if they'd talk to me... if they'd like me... if they'd even be interested in what we had to offer. we started off with 70 something students. these were split into 3 classes. feebs and i took the advance class (reading writing - good; speaking listening - poor). they were pretty easy to teach. they were eager to learn and willing to try. it was just one of those "no worries" type of class. at the beginning they were a little shy.. but i think feebs and i were weird enough with our random songs (aaaa pizza hut, a pizza hut, kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut... a pizza hut, a pizza hut, kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut.. mcdoooooonald's mcdoonald's... etc) and our constant laughter that they all loosened up and began to open up to us. we saw such a great progression... and God's work was just amazing. everyday new mercies were given to us. everyday his grace increased for us. every moment his strength was made known in our weaknesses. ya no, it wasn't even what we had to offer to the students... cuz English isn't much, but it was what God was teaching us thru the students.
we were so humbled everyday... from the start we were brought to our knees when we found out that even the most prepared lesson is ineffective if we trust in our own strength adn our own wisdom. we began to commit each day to the Lord. no regrets there. by the end of the 2 weeks these workers were not only our students... they were our friends... true friends. ya no... i spent 4 years at Queen's... met a ton of good ppl... and some i've never even hung out with outside of class or fellowship.. but here... in 2 weeks time... we went out with them.. they bought us gifts.. they treated us to dessert... they took care of us... they loved us like we were one of them.. we loved them like they were truly our friends. it was tough to leave - really. it was like having a little piece of my heart chipped away...and knowing that it will never be replaced. these ppl became our comfort.. our encouragement. it was tough. on the last day of class, all we did was laugh and take pictures... we still went thru our lesson... but we always went overtime cuz there just wasn't enough time to spend with each other. after the lesson they stay after to chat.. or we'd make plans to go out. grad nite was so much fun. i was so proud of their accomplishments... they were courageous enough to use their english skills in front of the whole class... they had fun.. and we just laughed along with their skits and songs.
i will miss them so much.. i already do.
now we must prepare for Mission#2 (aka Factory #2)... who knows what it will bring.. what lessons we will learn... but i am ready and willing to just give it my all without hesitation.
so keep us in your prayers...
and thanks friends for your comments... very encouraging...
(it's been a long blog... so i'll leave it here... )
posted by ::N.a.L.a:: at 7/02/2006 12:28:00 p.m.
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