Home Is Where the Heart Is

Life is precious and sweet here in Hong Kong . . . but oh, so busy and flying by at the speed of light! I honestly don't want this time to end! There's so much more to do and see and more time needed with my students. Can it be possible that our last day of school is a week away? One of my teammates was saying that she wants the rest of this time to be real, and I agree. I feel like I'm floating through the experience. Can time please stop so that I can dig my heels in and make the most of every moment? Well, yes, not every moment is pleasant. I haven't enjoyed the times that I've had to stop class to bring order and to express my disappointment in their disrespecting me. At the same time, I haven't shied away from those times, either. As long as I can do it and still show love to my students. And there have been other moments of discouragement. Having the lowest-level students means that I can't expect to have extremely close relationships with them, but even so, I still long to be able to see them for who they really are and where they are in their walks and let them know that they don't have to pretend to be someone else around me. Oh, and it's especially hard that even though they can speak in English, they are very scared of trying on their own. I think the thing that I'm most frustrated with is the fact that my voice has been hoarse for the past few days--very tough as a teacher whose students don't talk much!!

But I must also say that even in the midst of the unpleasant moments, there have been too many amazing ones to count! Another low-level teacher from a different team has agreed to meet with me to come up with some other ideas for the classroom, and I'm so thankful for that. My teammates and I have still been getting along wonderfully, and our team leader has not had to go home like two of the other HK team leaders have. We presented the Easter story and the history behind it on Friday, and although some of my students thought it was boring, many of them wrote that they felt love for Him or wanted to know more!!! WAHOO!! So please lift up requests that we will have good discussion on Monday and following. I do know that a few of my students are already on their walks--another plus! Even though my students have not asked to do much with me after school or on weekends, I am thankful that I've been invited to do stuff with other classes. Please lift up this one girl who clings to a new person every 2 weeks--she is an only child and only lives with her dad because her mom left them (I think she has trouble being attached to someone for too long for fear of losing their love). At the moment, I'm her total object of attention and will soon be "next week's old news," as another teacher put it.

Last but not least, before I give up the computer to the next person in line, I need to share this story with you all. A few days this past week, I have felt internal attacks mount up with much energy needed to stop them. Lots of anger and discouragement and other stuff that I did not want to feel. I finally broke down on Thursday evening and had to leave a meeting to cry in my room, speak with my Father, and rebuke the enemy. Then I asked my team leader to lift me up and decided to stay in my room the rest of the day to read, etc. Thanks be to the Encourager who forgives and comforts and fights for us!! He blessed me with some special moments that day. A little bird landed on our windowsill for the first time as I was sharing w/ my roommate, and she began to sing "His Eye Is on the Sparrow." I had brought my students' curriculum books back with me to read what they had written in the "Ask your teacher 3 questions" section. One of my girls had a 4th question: Will you [word erased] me home with you? Oh that made me cry. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized something. My home is not in Mississippi, nor is it at school in Georgia. In fact, my home isn't even in the U.S. My home is in my heart with my true Love, the One who delivers me! My home will be with me wherever I go.... Will you take me home with you? Will you take me home with you? YES!!! That's what I'm here for.... That is what I long for. And He will show me where my students are at and remind me that when I leave He will still take care of them where I have left off. :-)