Dear Friends,
I arrived in Thailand three
weeks ago and had to hit the ground running.
I started teaching almost immediately and it has been very busy since
then. I teach 18 classes per week, each
class has at least 30 students. I teach
7th and 8th grade.
One of the frustrations of the job is only seeing the students for 50
minutes per week. It is hard to feel
like you can really teach them a language in that amount of time but all we can
do is try our best. The students seem
very pleased that we are here and some are so eager to learn. I was
told about the behavior problems and the laziness of the students but I have
not seen it yet. They really enjoy a
different style of teaching that has them active and involved in the lessons. What
is rewarding is that some of the Thai teachers who I teach with have started
using some of my methods in their own classes which is really great. The main problem in my classroom has been my
co-teacher who is a Thai English teacher.
She is supposed to interpret for me but does not speak English very
well. She really doesn’t understand 70
percent of what I say so it makes it difficult. She rarely interprets my instructions
correctly.
There are many cultural and
religious activities at the school so often my classes are cancelled which
means I don’t see some students for weeks.
This Thursday they had a particularly disturbing ceremony. It was one of the two teacher appreciation
days that they have per year. There was
no class on Wednesday afternoon so the students could prepare these elaborate
flower arrangements. Then on Thursday I
had to endure and hour of the students bowing with their faces to the ground
before us. They gave me the flower
arrangement and then promptly took it away. I didn’t get even a flower out of
the whole horrible ordeal. It was
symbolic of so much of the Thai Buddhist culture that emphasizes this elaborate
ceremony but with nothing of substance underneath. My skin was really crawling through the whole
ceremony and I was asking myself why am I here?
It is very likely that no one will learn English from me the way things
are set up but then seeing all the truly pagan rituals that the students are
forced to engage in made me realize that that is why I am here. Gavin says that we are truly behind enemy
lines. I don’t remember feeling it so
keenly as I did that day. Every morning
there is a whole school assembly that involves an elaborate flag raising ceremony
and praying to the Buddha statue at school.
Gavin and I both use that time, as we stand with the kids, to pray for
the students and teachers and ask the Holy Spirit to fill that place. I know that God walks with me into each class
I teach and knowing that the students are encountering His great Love in that
50 minutes is no small thing. I have to believe that He can make a
difference. I always wear my gold cross
and I always pray. I really do love
these young men and women and I thank God for that love. I know He gave it to me.
We teach the kids now on
Saturday mornings here at the children’s home.
I know we have several Buddhist children with us know. I just found out that their parents sent them
here so they could learn English. I am
glad they are here so they can hear the gospel preached every day through the
lives of our Christian staff and children.
We are also scheduled to start teaching the hospital staff at our local
hospital. They approached us because
they need English skills as more and more Westerners come to Mae Chaem.
Gavin is teaching Sunday
school every week and doing a great job.
He always has such creative ideas.
He is planning on teaching is lesson on Noah tomorrow while standing in
a bucket of water. I think they will
remember that.
Our house is great. We just got internet and it works sometimes. I think if I take online classes in the fall
then we will have to try to get something better. We have all the comforts of home except we
don’t have hot water. However, it is so
hot here that a cold shower is pretty refreshing. We appreciate all the prayers and support
that you give to us. We definitely need
both. It is still kind of an adjustment
for me to be here. I miss things like
walking my dog and going to Walmart. I
miss our church and small group friends.
And of course I miss my family and watching my sister be pregnant. But God understands all that and I have
learned the great benefit of whining as much as I want to a precious Friend who
loves me and has a great purpose for my life.
My parents have moved to
Arkansas and as a result our US address has changed. Correspondence and donations can now be sent
to: The Know Team 3120 Prestwick Circle Jonesboro, AR 72401
Love,
Candace
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