I returned four days ago from a week in Gentleland after nearly a year's absence. The 24 youngsters aged 18-25 is a year older now and it shows physically and mentally. This batch will graduate in June next year. This time I was teaching Numbers and Deuteronomy. They are getting better with observations, but their rate of progress is limited with no affordable Chinese Bible software in sight. The frustration is I can do little about it.
The slum community still surprised me. The worse was the sight of a man urinating publicly in daylight just across the church. Other than that I have no complains. One student said they could finish all food on the table in their first year but now could not manage so in their final year. It could be that prosperity in the country means more food on the table. By the way I was treated to good food at Coco's the night I arrived on Sunday night. That was probably because the driver failed to pick me up for 2 hours and I had to call an emergency number. At least I have a phone card, unlike last year when I had to find my own motel.
The hardest thing is fighting boredom because there is no going out anytime and internet censorship limits popular websites to go. I was so bored I read my church's history online. Later I found some videos from other online services. On the last two days I had diarrhea that lasted another two days when I was bad. Going is harder than ever, but I am glad I went. Like I say there's not enough good expository preaching in Hong Kong, but there's nothing north.
I returned from two strenuous but rewarding trips. The first week I was in Gentleland for 5 days teaching 75 people, mostly coworkers in the field. This is their third course in school which started recently but my first time teaching them. They are very passionate in study, worship and relationships. Like the last two times in the area, no one greeted me at the airport. Again I was stranded and I have to call contact upon arrival. Some of the halls here are so big that you have to see to believe it. I have been to one that can sit 2,000 people. I’ve been told another can sit 4,000.
The Gentleland venue is in the beautiful countryside with scenic mountains and a vegetable landscape. The compound also holds a senior home. It rained during the last three days of training, so everything, including the floor, was wet and soggy. This time I felt needed because the harvest truly is plentiful. One student came more than 20 hours away from Mt East.
The next day I headed to the northeast, where it was freezing cold. I arrived to snow, which students said I was fortunate to see because previous teachers did not get to see snow. After trekking a hundred miles or so to the car, the rest of the trip was alright because it was mostly heated indors. My extra overcoat was brought in vain. Two men were spotted peeing alongside the airport freeway, just like old days.
The 80 students in Blackland were mostly farmers or from farming families, and they were so grateful of my presence, taking in every word I said and every skill I offered. I did my best to turn them into expositors, and I must say I did a good job, working after hours at night to listen to their homework.
Life is very simple there. My private bath shower barely trickles every morning, so patience is required, but at least I do not have to go outdoors for shower or join the students in their hard brick bed in the dorm. Food is simple and flat, and no coffee is served. I was glad I brought some from the leftovers in Gentleland.
You have to see their worshp to believe it. At night they sing for over an hour when class was not in session before they continue doing their homework. On thanksgiving day celebration last night, they even danced around in circles, Fiddler on the roof style! Ministry here would be hard for overseas coworkeers.
Over two weeks I have trained over 150 students here, which would take me more 20 years in Hong Kong, so this trip got me thinking. I believe a talented pool of preacher will emerge fron this pack, more so than from Gentleland because this group is much younger and they have a good mentor in the energetic school founder. The blessings were mutual this week. The only regret is there is no direct flight back to Hong Kong early next morning, so I will have to fly nearby and take a bus home. I miss home a lot but I am thankful for a lot of work done. The students were very appreciative of me, but I have a sneaky feeling this could be my last trip there as now I see the need all over the land. At least I have close to three months rest before my next trip in February. An annoying thing happened on the return trip. My taxi driver stopped midway and passed me off to another driver and paid him off, to my horror.
