| | Along Life's Narrow Way
Update from a Quiet Life
Having been in Michigan now just over a year, it seems appropriate to give a quick update. A year!? Never did I imagine that...
I would still be here a year later.
I would help to start an outreach program that brings together local Japanese students and mothers with American high school students. The idea came from our local itinerant Japanese pastor, who I have come to respect very much and really enjoy working with. We call it The Vine, and it has been one of the highlights of every week for me. I love it! Some of the American kids that come are deeply, seriously troubled, and I pray often that they will meet Jesus through us. For all the shine on the surface, suburban kids can be frighteningly messed up. My heart breaks for some of them.
I would be tutoring a Japanese student in ESL. Another highlight of my week. Yukari's English is pretty broken, which makes school a significant challenge for her. When she arrived in Battle Creek a year ago, her English was practically zero, so I hope I am being a help to her. And I hope that some of the efforts I've made to share the gospel with her have planted seeds in her life. She is an enjoyable person, but often sad and angry and I think lonely.
I would be substitute teaching in the public schools. Whoa, this one is a challenge. I go to most of the districts in my county, which puts me in schools ranging from easy, small town kids to extremely challenging inner-city kids, from sweet angels to rotten devils. Seriously. Right now, I have an extended position teaching 5th grade in one of the easy schools. After a solid week of dealing with 25 nutso bouncy kids, I came home today and crashed on the couch for 3 hours. But I enjoy them. I really love working with kids and teens. With the events of this week, I felt it would be good to lead the class in a small discussion, so that's how we started the day this morning. Their perception of what had happened at Virginia Tech was interesting to hear, and it led to a good conversation on multiple topics: Difference; Respect; Compassion; Violence; Psychosis; How hurtful and destructive our words can be; Race.
I would be working in a bookstore. This one is stunningly boring. Can't stand it anymore. But the discounts, free book loans, and 50% off Starbucks are nice perks.
I might end up settling here for a long time. At the invitation of my pastor, I am in the midst of working with my church to develop a new pastoral position for myself. Initially, all I wanted was to get out of here. But as time has passed, I've seen all that God is doing and all the potential for great ministry. I've come to care a lot for the people and possibilites. So, hopefully in a month or so, there will be a definite job here for me and I'll be able to move into my own apartment and get to work. I'm psyched! In fact, I recently turned down an amazing job offer at a university in Korea because I really believe God has something right here for me. |
| | Posted 4/20/2007 11:20 PM - 43 Views - 14 eProps - 7 comments
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