Greetings from Taichung, Taiwan!
Wow! What a day we've had! After almost two weeks of camps here in Taichung, we are all just about worn to a frazzle. We begin every day asking the Lord for an extra measure of His grace and strength to teach for another day. Amazingly, no matter how tired we are, He always supplies the strength necessary to press on in His name!
Actually, the camps here have gone well. We have had some minor difficulties, but over all we have had precious kids, outstanding TAs, and good weather. God has blessed! Today we taught English to our kids in small groups from 9:00am until 10:00. Then they went off to do "community service" consisting of cleaning up the school grounds, and the nearby roads. After lunch we got a long break while they watched a movie! Yeah! We all took a nap which helped us to be ready for our next small group from 3:00pm - 4:00. Another day of camp was over...time for seven exhausted American English teachers to crash! But wait...there was still the end-of-the-day routine to go through!
We have gotten used to the end-of-the-day routine by now...all the teams are assigned different areas of the school to clean, and they rush of with great zeal to complete their assignments. Then they all line up and the TAs keep score of team points that the kids earn by being on time, winning games, good behavior, etc. After that the kids count to three in Chinese - "Yi, er, san," and in unison call out to the seven of us American teachers, "Thank you teacher! Goodbye teacher!" Then they all run to catch their various rides home. Some are picked up by their parents, and some ride off piled in the back of a very interesting Taiwanese-style pick up truck. (Pictures of this coming soon to the gallery!)
Only two more days left of this camp...I will miss these kids so much! I will also miss this beautiful location! The mountains are so awe-inspiring! Every time I look up and see them I am reminded of Psalm 121 - "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills; from whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord which made Heaven and earth..." I am so grateful for His help, and for His presence with me each and every day! In my triumphs, and in my difficulties, He reminds me constantly that without Him I can do nothing. I must depend on Him and look to Him alone for strength, joy, peace, and the power to do His will. I know that He has so much to teach me during this year, and I am excited and awed to see Him already using my experiences here to draw me closer to Himself! What will He teach me tomorrow? The next day? The next week? I can't wait to find out! That's another day, another lesson, another update! Until then, may the Lord bless you as He is blessing us - with His abundant joy, His sustaining grace, and His overwhelming love! May His will be done in each of our lives is my prayer!
For His glory,
Rebekah Gilley
Phil. 1:20
