Military Time

Chaojhou Train Station
October 9, 2008
8:27 P.M.

"Sooo, where's our train?" Joanna asked, as we stood staring at the station readerboard...
"Ummm..." Austin fumbled with our tickets for a minute and then sheepishly looked up... "I think..." he showed us our tickets and pointed at the scheduled departure time - there it was... 19:33 ... "I think our train left an hour ago..." his voice trailed off as we all stared down the tracks...as if we could somehow back the train up by our wistful looks...so yes, instead of leaving at 9:33, our train had left at 7:33...
Seeing as there was going to be some rearranging of plans...Joanna and I promptly left our luggage in the corner and started a video documentary of the dilemma...including Austin standing in line for refunds and new tickets... Joanna and I were pretty impressed with the situation and fired off quick texts to the girls back home...
It was finally decided that we would take the next train - that doesn't leave until tomorrow morning...which gives us the chance to recuperate at home from teaching in Liouciou, the small island we have been on for the past two days...
The second school we taught at was on a cliff, and I was teaching on the third floor of the school. As I walked into my first classroom, the salty breeze from the wall of open windows swept by me, and I looked outside to see the ocean crashing on the rocks below. I had never in my life imagined myself teaching English, and never in my life had I even thought about Taiwan, I had no idea what it would be like to stand in front of a class full of kids that couldn't even speak my language...and if I couldn't imagine that...I certainly never dreamed of being a teacher in a 'castle on the sea'. Going back to the hotel that night, I thought about what an unspeakable gift it was to have been in that classroom - with the kids staring back at me with wide eyes and big smiles. Sometimes (and I know this is sooo cliche) I still cannot believe that I am here...God knew the perfect plan for me this year, and His timing for me to come here was also perfect. He has taught me so much in just the short time that I have been here...mostly of how much I still need to learn. A good friend told me that sometimes, when you go out to teach, you end up being taught the most...
Out of the hundreds of students we have taught already, I have not heard one child mention anything of Jesus...I was reading in Third John today, and verse 4 says "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." After being followed around by little students all morning...I know that nothing could make me happier to know that they are smiling not because they got to meet an American teacher, but because they know Jesus, and how much he loves them. I am so challenged by this verse to remember every day that I came here to show God's love. I came expecting it to be easier than it is to share about Jesus, but because of the language barriers, sometimes just being able to find out a child's name is an accomplishment.
"Teacher...I like banana!", "Teacher...I like apple!" Lunchtime with the students yesterday made me realize that much of our communication depends on the way that we act, and teach, and play with these kids who are so tiny and precious... God really used these past two days to show me how every day - no matter how routine - is a chance to show them how much they are really loved.