There have been plenty of challenges
and adjustments during the past few months, but at every turn
we see God’s care and provision, and we are grateful to
be here doing work we truly believe in.
Since our arrival in Hong Kong, the project that has consumed
virtually all of our time and energy is the creation of a new
promotional packet to help recruit more English teachers for Amity’s
regular two-year teacher program and for the Summer English Volunteer
Programs. Due to a gradual drop in the number of North American
volunteers, Amity is working to equip willing alumni and other
supporters to help recruit teachers in Canada and the United States.
If this proves successful, then similar packets will be produced
for distribution in Europe and elsewhere. In addition to brochures,
presentation helps, and Amity updates, the packet features a new
poster, designed by John, and a new multimedia presentation, scripted
by Kim. I am including here some excerpts from that script:
Under-funding for education is a common complaint in nearly
every country on earth, but nowhere does the lack of money to
fund teachers, schools, and students affect as many human lives
as in the People's Republic of China. China has the largest
school-age population on the planet, and although the last 50
years have seen significant advances in the battle against illiteracy
and the promotion of public education, the fact remains that
significant portions of China’s vast population do not
have access to even one year of primary school. To date, China's
economic development has resulted in better education on the
whole. But in rural areas, and especially in the west, many
families cannot afford even the meager school fees that amount
to little more than $25.00 a year.
Whether you realize it or not, your ability to speak English
is extremely valuable. In today’s world, English skills
are indisputably necessary for social and economic development,
and recognition of this fact is reflected in nearly every level
of China’s educational system. Because developed urban
areas can attract skilled teachers and provide better educational
resources, urban students often out-perform their rural counterparts
in many subjects, including English. The Amity Foundation understands
these problems first-hand because we are an indigenous Chinese
organization committed to development in China where it matters
most—at the grassroots. We work to balance the scales
of education and economics by placing native English speakers
like you in teacher training colleges where many of the students
are likely to return to their rural hometowns to teach. The
authentic English practice and training these future teachers
receive can translate into better teaching, higher student test
scores, and wider educational opportunities that can then benefit
the community.
Our target audience for this packet of materials is Amity alumni,
but we are producing enough copies to be able to distribute these
fairly freely to anyone who is willing to help us promote Amity’s
ministry. If either you or someone in your church would be interested
in receiving one of these packets to help promote the ministry
of the Amity Teachers Program in China, please contact us at amityhk@pacific.net.hk.
You can also find out more about the Amity Foundation by visiting
the Web site: www.amityfoundation.org.
Thank you for your continuing prayers,
Kim, John and Benjamin Strong
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
173 |
