Day 121

Day 121 in China

December 22, 2012

For the Past few months, I have been teaching at this neat little ESL school walking distance from my apartment. It has been such a blessing to find a school that has a passionate owner that loves the students as well as the freedom to teach as I wish. I teach two Oral English Classes. Mostly, we play games and have fun pursuing topics that interest all of us. I teach a morning class of 14 students that are between 12-14 year olds and a more advanced afternoon class of 8 students that are between 12- 18 year olds. 

I snapped a shot on my ipad of my afternoon class.

Last week, I was talking to the owner/teacher, Dragon (cool name huh?!) and he commented on Phil and I's relationship. Phil also teaches two other classes there and apparently he really likes our love for each other and our personality. He asked about our morals so I got an open door to share the gospel with Him. I got to share with  Him that we are the way we are because of our love and sight on Christ. He has heard about Christianity and told me he thinks it is good to have a religion. 

Later that day, one of my afternoon 18 year old students runs up to me as says, "Dragon said your a Christian too!" He ten tell me his testimony on how he got saved. He use to party, smoke, and fight all the time then his uncle who is in a wheel chair shared God's love and spoke to him about God and the life he could have following Jesus. Over time he said he gave up his life for Christ. How Cool huh!!! I was soooooo encouraged! 

What is even more awesome was Dragon (owner/teacher)  had to translate most our conversation after class. At the end, he said he would like to be a Christian. It wasn't a jump completely into faith but it was an open heart and mind to learn more. In a 3-part sermon by Andy Standy (Athen's Church Pastor), Andy explains that a walk towards becoming Christian begins is first to Follow (simply listen, watch, learn) then Believe (come to believe that Jesus is the son of God and that God is a one true God who loves and rules over all) then lastly Obey.  After Following (watching) & Believing (faith), Obeying comes from Trusting God knows what he's doing and to obey is to trust he has reason for His rules. If you study the disciples, you find their walk was similar. 

So Dragon may just be Following at first but he is on the right track. 

(If you have a chance please take a minute to pray for him and my other students.)

I also found out one of my younger students also goes to Church. He has travelled all around the world has a cousin in the United States. I don't know if he has personally come to follow God but when we talked about Christmas he said he went to Church and drew a cross on the board. 

Living in a country that doesn't allow Christianity (expect in one minority group) makes it really hard to know who to share Christ with. However, God knows our hearts and opens doors for us. Like my boss, Dragon who asked us how we became the way we are or the students who are so excited and full of questions to know more about our faith that we share. I didn't even have to bring up the topic. 

God is that good!

The pictures below are of my Christmas present that I got last week from one of the schools I teach at...

I wonder what it could be?

It looks pretty!
I had all the kids running after me asking me to open it... 

"An Apple?" we all said?

We were all surprised until we thought, "Oooh! An apple because I 'm a teacher." Haha..
Turns out this is a very popular gift. We ended up seeing fruits wrapped up in big paper all around town.
It was such a fun surprise and nice of them to give me a gift.


Phil is writing a new post soon! Hope to have all of our Christmas Pictures up soon as well!