Change is Hard, Pt 1

"Liana, say 'Hong KoNG.'" She tries again, and almost says it right. Then, "We're going to Honk Konk tomorrow?!?" She's told her friends, her ballet teacher, and nearly anyone she talks to that we're going to Hong Kong tomorrow, then the States in June (our flight is routed through Hong Kong, but there's only a short layover). I think the transition will be harder on her than any of us. When my parents retired in February, she was convinced that we were following them back to the States within the week. Even now, she struggles to understand exactly how long it will be until June.

Liana "hard at work" at preschool

While we're looking forward to being back in the States to see everyone, that transition does not come without cost. We'll uproot our lives here to visit somewhere everyone expects us to call home, stay there for a year, and come back to a home that has moved on in our absence.

Some of our friends are returning to the Philippines as we leave, others will be leaving as we return, and one of those families is leaving for the States permanently. Goodbyes are never easy, but a leave-taking without a goodbye is heartbreaking.

Micah (left) and classmates during International Week

There will be a family living in our house while we're away, which is a great blessing (for us and them); unfortunately, we've also had two major appliances (refrigerator and oven) break over the last month. That adds another layer of stress as we work with them to replace those items before we were ready to. As we prepare to travel and transition, pray that we will close out relationships here well, that our travel will be smooth, and that our transition time will be quick.



In other news, I was invited this semester to work with six other teachers to create a 9th grade Humanities class that will weave History, English, and Bible into a single coherent course. This triple-credit class is groundbreaking for Faith Academy, and will force both the teachers and the students to integrate all three academic disciplines. We aim to teach students how to think biblically about life (History) and articulate their thoughts and opinions effectively (English). The class is scheduled to roll out in the Fall of 2017, just as we return from the States. The other teachers were gracious enough to wait for me before they implemented this.


The new Bible curriculum (check it out at www.EngagedSchools.com) is still being rolled out as well, with all 8 courses fully implemented by the Fall of 2018. The further we move into this curriculum, the clearer we can see those areas that we have already done well, along with those areas that we have not tried to cover at all. We've been encouraged in a lot of ways, seeing that we've been doing many of the things this curriculum is offering; our next step is to integrate the best of this curriculum and the best of what we had already done into something even better.

Family picture after the Honor Choir Concert

In March, Faith Academy hosted the Asia Christian School Conference (ACSC) choral festival! Over 3 days we rehearsed 12 hours with choir and sometimes orchestra; performed in a small slum community with lots of kids and chickens in attendance; sang one formal performance; had an ending banquet where the students showcased their talent; and snuck in a quick shopping trip. The choir totaled around 65 students from Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and I accompanied for each rehearsal and performance! It was a blessing to see the students enjoy each other, have a concentrated time of learning from a new conductor, and minister together at the concert.

This term has brought many changes our way, many opportunities, and much growth. Through it all, we still strive to see families transformed (including our own!) by God's Spirit. More updates coming in part 2!