~Students: Gifts of Heaven (pt 1)~

This post is the beginning of an ongoing series this year about some super special young people. The title says "students" but each one is so much more than that. They're even more than friends. They are family--brothers and sisters. It's true. I often call the girls "day mu" (younger sister) and some of the boys "day poh" (younger brother) partly because I truly consider them as such (whether Christian or heathen). And as time goes by, more and more of them sometimes call me "naw" (older sister).

We do lots together: go to worship and school, work (often in the rain and mud), sing (in the choir), laugh, talk....and more.

During the previous two years of teaching, I would pretty much walk into the classroom feeling like a teacher/friend. I'm not exactly sure how to explain it, but this year is different. Friendships between me and students are so much stronger. We're close. When a new students comes, it often only takes a day or so and it seems like I've known them already for a long time. They instantly become another sister or brother. This year, I walk into my class feeling not like a teacher/friend. No, I feel much more like a teacher/sister because of the bond that God has made between us.

To simply put it: I'm teaching a bunch of beautiful Asian siblings. 

Seriously.

They may or may not look nice on the outside, but through the eyes of my Father, I see them all as... 


gifts of heaven.

One may be in worn-out clothes and have ratty hair and another may be in neat, well-kept clothes and have nicely combed hair, but, my friends, all are...

gifts of heaven.

And that's why I'm writing about them. I love them so much that I can't help but talk about them non-stop.

The other day, my sister exclaimed in the middle of me talking about some students, "You know Sharon's a teacher. She can't stop talking about her students." I smiled big inside. It's only through my Commissioner's love that I could love them so much.

These kids are so much a part of me as my very own breath. There's hardly a moment that I'm not a least thinking about them....

So, let this serious start.....I can't wait to be telling you tones of little (and some longer) stories about my brothers and sisters.

You want to hear more?

Here we go! :)