Thursday, August 23, 2007

"You teach them English, they teach you Thai"

This is what Krudam, the English teacher at the Huai Bong School, told me as I began teaching at the school this week. Hopefully, I am able to learn Thai as well as teach English. I am teaching English to K-9th grades. It's definitley been a challenge thinking of different lessons and things to teach the variety of aged children, but challenge is good. It forces me to grow and step out of my comfort zone, and it teaches me a lot about myself and God. I think that's what this trip is all about. I am being forced to step out of my comfort zone to realize how much I must lean on God. Sometimes I feel like I have no idea what I'm dong standing up in front of 25 or so kids staring at me and being able to speak only Thai. But then God takes over and somehow I teach them English and they love it! It's amazing how God is able to use ordinary me and do extraordinary things! Me alone, is an Andrea who hopes that I'm doing something for these children, but me with God is making a difference!

I have loved teaching the children at the school. It is a buddhist school and they have really been latching on to me. When I come to the school, the young children tell their teachers they want to learn from Ajarn Andrea (Teacher Andrea). They always come up to me and tell me that I'm beautiful and smart. It's the sweetest thing ever! They're amazing kids! I have received my schedule and I will be working at the school for 6 hours Mon-Thurs. I will be teaching the children for 3 hours in the morning, eating lunch with them, and then teaching some of the teachers for 3 hours in the afternoon. I have received my books to plan my English lessons from. When I first looked at them, it was overwhelming. It's very different teaching English then teaching subjects to students who speak English. It can be frustrating, at times, to think how I am going to teach the children, but I am reminded again and again to surrender it to God. I will also be teaching in the orphanage and helping Pastor Winai whenever I can, so please pray for strength for me and time management! It is such a wonderful opportunity to work with some of the teachers in the afternoon. The schools here are so very different from America. The teachers are allowed to spank, hit, twist ears, and punish in any way they choose. The girls are required to keep their hair cut short here and it must be all one length. One of the girls decided she wanted to make it shorter in the back and longer in the front and the teacher walked up to her in class, scissors in hand, and cut her hair and made it all one length. I just picture me doing that in an American classroom and I would for sure be fired! The way they teach respect here is very different. If you do not obey your teacher, they will punish you. The children here have such an honor and respect for their elders. Every time I step on the campus they all bow to me and if they walk past me they lower themselves down. Very different from America. Sometimes when I'm in the classrooms, I want to Americanize everything. That's what we Americans want to do. We think our way is the best way to do things, but I'm learning how selfish I truly am. How I want everything done my way. But I'm learning how to let go and learn from them rather than change them.

I went on a tour of Huai Bong village with one of the teachers today and I was able to share with her that I was a missionary. She invited me for dinner at her house and I will go next week. She's very excited to study English with me and she will be coming to the hostel to learn English as well. Also, 3 of the teachers have told Pastor Winai that they want to come to the hostel on Sundays and learn about Jesus. They said they do not know Him. Praise God that these buddhist teachers are interested in learning about Jesus. We will also have children from the Huai Bong School come to the hostel on Saturdays to learn English and they also want to come on Sunday to learn about worship and Jesus. God is doing amazing things! Please pray for the Holy Spirit to just flow through that school. Many lives are going to be saved!

3 comments:

Jaro said...

Your doing a great job. We are all proud of you. You sure are getting a different idea about walking in faith and trusting God for the outcome, whatever it may be. It's a great adventure. And so we learn....ever learning. Even I am slowly learning the same things.
Keeping everyone in my prayers. Love, DAD

Elizabeth said...

wow Andrea, what an amazing opportunity to share and show His love :) Your in my prayers.

Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

You mentioned comfort zone and stepping out...As I read this God gave me this visual:

Remember the times, oh elementary age, it would be early-early morning. You would awake for no reason and hear noises through-out the house. Your instinct was to lie down and throw the blanket over your head and hide. Your thoughts, "They will never find nor hurt me under here. I am safe!" The hiding -place under our blankets was familiar. Now think back and picture yourself hiding under the blanket, but picture it from the other side of the blanket standing in your door way. What do you see? A lump in the middle of the bed? Yup! How effective is the protection of the blanket? It's not. If something were really going on in the house you would not be protected. You would need to move out of your bed to truly find safety. Now, fast forward to now. Are you pulling blankets over your head to "feel" better? God is asking each one of us to acknowledge that there IS stuff going on around us. There is scary stuff, frightening stuff. It is still going to take place whether we act on it or not. Yet God says he will protect us if we decide to pull the blanket down and decide to make a move vs. staying on the bed as an ineffective lump! How blessed are we that we can actually make a difference in this world. Back then as a child under the blanket, if something would have actually been happening, we had fear and not a whole lot of options for safety. Now, as an instrument of God, we have unlimited options. Comfort zones are for sleeping...and even still God sometimes asks us to sleep uncomfortably.