Teams from various countries share their experiences (good and bad).

Today’s schedule is one of departing from here to go to Nanning where some of us will stay 1 night. Others, they head straight to the airport and fly off to destinations of their own. Hug and kisses all around the hotel lobby. It is raining cats & dogs as we are loading our bus. The Princiapls from the 2 schols are on hand to send us off. Several students come by the hotel with umbrellas and stand by the bus to wave good-bye to their teachers. Can’t help but notice they are sobbing. The bus slowly pulls out of the parking lot as they chase the bus and soon disappear in the rain. 2.5 hours later, we arrive Nanning.

Posted by SL

In Multi-media, the topic is “Redemption” – how to fix what is broken, and find what is lost?

This afternoon, my class throws a farewell party. We enjoy some snack and drinks. Signing books for one and other. Conversations centers around “will we come back next year?”

The local teachers hosted a friendship dinner for all foreign teachers. Delicious food and warm conversations fill the dining room. After dinner, it’s show time. Students bring chairs out to the basketball courts where the concert is held. All classes show off their colorful banners. Performances by 14 classes lasted over 90 minutes. Throughout the entire time, laughter, clapping, smiling and screaming echo all over the campus.

The Principal of D School is a great host. He gives a speech, thanking all the teachers who give up 2 weeks of their lives to come here to teach English. He presents flowers and gifts and pictures to all international teachers, and request that we come back again next year.

All nice things must come to an end. Students and teachers return to their respective classes and say farewell. Gifts are exchanged, as is email addresses. One girl student gives me a handcrafted card with a CROSS on it. The message thanks Jesus for His love for her.

Two other students give me a Christmas cards, one with baby Jesus & Mary & Joseph. I am moved beyond word.

Summer camp comes to an end with students walking the teachers to the gate where they say goodbye. Many sobbing!

Posted by SL

In Multi-media, students learn about the 5^th Commandment – Thou shall honor your father and mother, followed by Q/A. They are quick to grasp the essence of submission and obedience.

From 6:30pm to 8pm, the D School has “Games” night. There are 7 games, played in round robin fashion. Here are the names of the games:

1. Mad cups

2. Tunnel Ball

3. Cross Ball

4. Balloon Races – with balloon between the legs

5. Soft hockey

6. Volley Ball

7. Balloon Race – with ball back-to-back (2 players)

Students are very competitive. Even though there are no prizes, they always play hard and play to win.

Posted by SL

Posted by SL

Tonight at dinner, the school principal allows us to have dinner in the students’ dining room. I had the pleasure to sit with 10 students sharing some food and personal stories. 80% of students are from farming families. As soon as they finish summer camp, they will immediately return home to their respectively villages and help harvest corn.

After dinner, the D school (my school) holds the Festival night (this is similar to the one held in the Y school last Friday. Students really enjoy the fun of playing games while learning English at the same time. Face painting and balloon hats are big hits. This festive night ended with lots of fireworks which is funded by donations by the foregin teachers.

There are plenty of photos. Unfortunately due to limited internet access opportunity and somewhat unreliable speed, I will post them at a later date.

Posted by SL

We sing many songs. The Canadian team performed a drama that depicts God sending His Son Jesus to the world and died on the cross to free us from our sins. After the service, students have many questions, creating opportunities to talk about Jesus openly. Many students in my class are deeply moved.

At 1pm, one large bus takes off with 36 people to visit another village where a primary school was built a few years ago with support from the Australian team. This school (named Ji Long) currently needs further assistance to add more room for the dormitory. WCPC’s China Short Term Mission has made a donation of $500 for this worthy cause.

After the visit to the school, we move on to visit a church which was started by a family whose mother was healed of chronic ulcer. The family was on the way to a witch doctor but a Christian overheard them and suggested that they visit a pastor.  She was prayed over and was healed in one week. They wanted to start a church and the woman’s daughter was appointed pastor as she was the most educated in town. Thus a church was started and now both the daughter and her husband, are pastors of the church.

Posted变异SL

 Tonight, there is a Festival held in the Y school. All teachers from the D school go over there to help out and participate. The joy and fun that the students have is beyond words. We have to show you the photos in a later day.

No class today. Instead, we have a planned visit to a small and remote village where a primarily school celebrates its grand opening. This school was built by donations collected from various churches in Australia. The 4 mini buses take off at 6:15am. It took 2 hours to get here. The last 3 km of the journey is on gravel road.

 The villagers warmly welcome us with fresh corn (just cut from the field literally 25 feet from the school house). The school is a 1-room school, with an enrollment of 20 students. The village is blessed with the most gorgeous mountainous scenery (rivals that in Guilin), but it does not have any river and hence lacks water to grow rice. They can only grow corn, as corn needs less water.

Some of us climb up to a mountain and then advance onto a dormant volcano. All are rewarded with jaw-dropping mountainous sights!

It is a rainy day. Some of us have prayed for rain for sometime (to cool off), and it finally is here.

We return to the hotel by 2:30pm. Most go out to run errands such as laundry, shopping for drinks or class supplies. 10 members of the US team get together for a dinner in a restaurants. Great fellowship and food!

By 7pm, most of us have a date with the students. They are taking us out to see the town and have ice cream or cold drinks. We all have a great time with them.

 Posted变异SL

Every morning, the sessions are the same, except the class material gets more advanced. The key lesion is conversation. Students are divided in to groups of 2. Each  plays the role of a customer or  a waiter/waitress in a restaurant. Different food items are introduced. Today’s vocabulary concentrates in words that express emotions, such as happy, sad, excited etc…

Values are introduced via Oral Reading and Multi-media. An excerpt from the bible that talks about LOVE is read to the students, followed by Q/A and discussion. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy………. In Multi-media, we talk about Love & relationship. In the evening, the boys and girls each attend separate sessions on “boy-girl relationship”

Posted by SL

My class has 22 students (5 boys and 17 girls) and 4 teachers this week. Next week, we will have only 3 teachers, due to departure of 1.

Every morning begins with an assembly of all students and teachers. Sing songs and a few words of wisdom are shared. Students are quick to learn the songs. Teach them a new one today, by tomorrow they will have it memorized.

More drills on pronunciations, vocabulary, short vowels and long vowels; with “Oral Reading” to follow. Every 35 minutes, we have a 5-minute break with a game to further reinforce the students’ vocabulary. Today, we also introduce the food group (mostly Australian) to the class. Teachers from Australia actually brought in cookies from home and share with them.

In today’s Multi-media session, “Life of Eight”, the un-changeable is presented. Followed by Q/A.

During the so-called free hours, we have festival training for the teachers, preparing them to conduct the Festival in the 2 schools.

The day is long. Some teachers are showing sign of fatigue. Their spirit is high.

Tonight, we have Water-Balloon Games. Everyone gets wet and have plenty of fun! We all went back to hotel exhausted.

Posted by SL

 English Language Summer Camp of 2010. Our daily schedule as follow:

 Daily Schedule for Teachers

7.10am                        Breakfast

8.00am                        Leave for schools

8.15am            Morning Assembly (We need to be there 8.15 sharp) 

8.30am – 11.30am       English Teaching in classrooms

11.30am          Staff meeting

12.00pm          Lunch (back at hotel)

12.30pm – 3.30pm      Rest or class preparation

4.00pm            Games

5.30pm            Evening Meal (at the school)

7.00pm            Evening activities

 Each school sends 300 students to the camp. Each class has 20 students and 3 to 4 teachers.

 On the first day, we began with a general assembly of all students and teachers, where teachers were introduced to the school officials and students. Classes followed immediately.

 Everyone felt exhausted after a long day, particularly due to over 100F temperature and high humidity. Things went real well.

 On Tuesday, 07/14, Students and teachers get to know each other better and there were more excitements in the classrooms. Due to hot temperature, we confined much of the games and activities in door. Other than normal classroom work, there was a “basket weaving” class for all. Quite fun!

In the Multi-media session, students were introduced to the topic of “Evolution & Creation”, with class discussion to follow. To my surprise, 3 students believe that we are created, and not evolved from monkey.

Due to internet access and speed problems, I can not post pictures (I have hundreds of them) at this time.

 I have to sign off now as I have a team meeting coming up to discuss and plan for week-end programs.

 Please continue your prayers.

 Blessings from Summer Camp. Posted by SL.