Thursday, March 1, 2007

Ejournal 10 October 2006 an unexpected gift

Sarah and I started out teaching two beginner level English classes, one to adults and the second to youth. For the first two weeks, we co-taught both classes, and then as we recognized the different needs and levels of the classes, we decided to each take one class. We are still both attending both classes and helping each other out, but Sarah has taken on the planning for the adult class and I have the youth class.

I really enjoy the kids who come. Class starts at 4pm, but Sarah and I are always there by 3:30pm. Children often come early and sometimes, we play a quick game while we wait for class to start other times, I just make faces and try to tease them, and sometimes, I try to talk to them. Our translator Inna, is wonderful, and she is always willing to help me ask silly questions, but sometimes, the kids arrive before her and so I am on my own. Our conversations have to be pretty simple, so often, we talk about the things they bring to class. Many of the girls have fun colored pens and highlighters or fun notebooks, which I like to admire. I really just want to be their friend and I want to be seen and being real and approachable.

So, Tuesday night, at the end of class, four of the girls came up together and they gave me a gift bag – at first I didn’t understand it was a gift for me. Inside was a package of 5 colored highlighters, a little notebook, and a couple of pieces of candy. What a blessing that unexpected gift was to me. I am so excited and amazed by their generousity.
I hope these girls and the other children in the class will accept the gift I am willing to share with them. I know they are coming to class to learn more English, to be with their friends, and to just have fun. I know they are not looking for or planning on receiving a gift, but I pray that God will use our time together and the relationships we are building to bring them to Him. I pray that each of them will come to understand the amzing gift of salvation that is only through Jesus. I ask that you will help me to pray they will accept God’s incredible gift and they will see it as so much more than they could have ever expected.

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