Table Of Contents:
- An exciting opportunity in Sabah
- Off we go to Sabah!
- Off to another town in Sabah!
- Off to a kampong in Sabah!
- First steps for a literacy center in Sabah!
- Setbacks in Sabah!
- God provides in Sabah
- Preparations for literacy center in Sabah
- Opening day at the literacy center in Sabah
- Literacy centers all over Sabah!
- New schoolhouse in Sabah
The garage in Sabah needed only a little touching up to make attractive classrooms. The community was abuzz with excitement. It would be the first time for the kids to go to school! At last they could be like other kids and go to school!
Our supervisor, Ning, was busy recruiting teachers and getting the classroom materials (eg. wall posters, books, pencils). Two young Filipinas, J and B, volunteered to be our first two teachers. They had never left the Philippines in their lives. They had never met a Muslim in their lives. They were both in their early twenties.
J had just graduated from university in the Philippines with a Bachelors degree in English. B had just graduated with a Bachelors degree in nursing. Her nursing training would come in very useful because I had noticed that many of the kids had illnesses that could be easily treated but they had never received treatment because they had no access to medical treatment. Some of these illnesses were now chronic illnesses that would be difficult to treat.
These two young ladies had many years of experience in the Philippines teaching children in their church and in outreach centers for poor kids. Though they were young they had been prepared by God for many years already.
When Ning arrived with them in Sabah, they immediately got down to work. They mobilized the kampong mothers to help prepare and beautify the school house. They identified the mothers who were literate and were potential teachers. They gave seminars to these mothers and trained them to be assistant teachers.
These mothers were eager students. Most of them had eked a living as washerwomen, firewood collectors, and doing whatever odd jobs were available. Now they were being trained to be teachers! And teachers of their own kids! It was a great boost to their self-esteem.
The entire kampong were excited. It was the first time that the Roman Catholics (who were in the minority) and the Muslims (who were the vast majority) worked together in a project. For some of them it was the first time that they were communicating with those of the other religion!
The mood in the kampong had changed from one of hopelessness to one of hope!
I remember the first time I saw the little purple flowers on the mountains in Tibet. They were soooo simply beautiful. And I thought, what a pity that no one but me may ever see these. And then I thought, maybe God makes beautiful things, not to make us happy, but for His own pleasure and because He just enjoys making and having beautiful creations.
This was about 4… Read More....
Dear Family and Friends,
As always, time goes by so quick. The spring semester flew by and now I am in the process of moving to a new city. After the whirlwind of activities over the last few months, I finally have a few minutes to catch my breath before summer camp starts so I thought I’d take a moment to update you on how He is working… Read More....
School has begun! I started teaching on Monday of this week. I am teaching in the English department of my school and am very excited to be working with my students. I have loved all my students from year one to now but because these kids are English majors their English is a little better so we can discuss more in-depth topics and get to know each other a little… Read More....
Latest Comments