Tag Archives: EnglishClass

1st English Class at Home

19 Jun

It’s another rainy day. Stayed home to read. Millenia brought 6 classmates in the rain for English class. They were all in school uniforms, had just come from school where class was cancelled. Cancellation of class is very common here when teachers are away for training or meeting in Dili.

 

Was really glad they came to study instead of going out to play. We started learning greetings & self-introduction. Girls were really enthusiatic in learning that they wanted to learn more. So next written on the white board were numbers from 1 to 10, days from Monday to Sunday, helping me to revise my Tetum at the same time :)

 

When I was spending time with these Primary 6 girls, Lucia called & asked if she could come over to read with another friend. I was overjoyed! God was at work touching people’s hearts that they wanted to come & connect, there was no need for me to solicit friendship, how encouraging!

 

Lucia & Emelia are in Secondary 3 levels & they were in my class last year, so able to read English story book quite well. After we finished reading the Honey Bunny book, Lucia taught me how to sing ”Nai Hau nia Dalan” (You are My Way), a local Catholic hymm. They were very impressed that I wanted to learn their songs & really put in extra effort. And I managed to learn it before they left for home !

 

It was rather tiring to teach 4 hours without any help (as R was not feeling well) & then having to prepare & cook dinner. But I find strength in the LORD as He is the source of my energy & help:

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
   my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
   and with my song I praise him.

                                                                                           - Psalm 28:7 (NIV)

 

With Love from Maubisse,

Lydia

19.6.2010

Smelling the Roses

13 Jun

Flowers appear on the earth;
       the season of singing has come,
       the cooing of doves
       is heard in our land.

                                                                     - Song of Solomon 2:12 (NIV)

 

 

Attracted to the beautiful flowers at my neighbour’s garden, I lingered on. Then a lady came out of the house. She was smiling so I greeted her in Tetun. But she spoke English & asked if I am the Singaporean friend of M. She worked in the same hospital as M & heard about me. She then invited R & me into the house for coffee. I agreed readily & thanked God for the opportunity to know another friend in the neighbourhood.

 

Mdm L worked as a mid-wife & loved flowers (that explained the beautiful garden!). She spoke  fairly good English but was very humble to want to learn more. As we chat over the lovely local coffee (which I really like!), Dr G (who lived in the same house) joined us. When Dr G heard about our English class for kids , she immediately asked if we would help the hospital staff. Sensing God was showing us another way to reach out, I said ”yes” eagerly. We then exchanged telephone numbers. And Dr G promised to call me once she gets approval from the hospital director-general to proceed with the English class.

 

We chat about family, work, her home town & really enjoyed each other’s company. But my phone kept ringing, gentle reminders from another dear friend who had cooked lunch & was waiting to eat together before going for our outing later. So we had to take our leave.

 

I was trying really hard to contain my joy (by not dancing & screaming) as I left Dr G’s house. Little did I know that by taking time to smell the roses (which was a luxury when I was working in the corporate world), not only did I get to marvel at God’s hands at creation but He actually shows me the way to His plan! I have learnt to trust God by taking one step at a time as He never show us the whole book, only one page at a time …..

 

In the verse at the beginning of this post, even though flowers only give promises as the fruit is not ripe yet, King Solomon was singing & praising God for His promise of the advent of Jesus Christ. So I am praising God now for what He shows me today, the opportunity to build relationship with the hospital community, even though it may take some time for anything to happen. I know everything that happens today is only because of God’s grace and I am grateful.

 

Love from Maubisse,

Lydia

13.6.2010

Blessing of Tools

18 Jan
Bible Stories, Craft, Group Play books for Kids

 

Every carpenter needs sharp tools to do a good job at his trade. Not sure what Jesus had during His time but I would need books, games, crafts, songs to stimulate & motivate kids to learn English.

And God provides abundantly where I could sit comfortably in a air-conditioned warehouse to browse through many, many books to select those appropriate for kids at Timor-Leste.

Not only have I been reminded by the donor on several occassions what do I need for the ministry in Timor, the donor ensures I am fed well with a smoky lunch before sitting down for a few hours to select the books & ”transported” (myself & the books) safely in consideration of my recovering foot.

I like to bless the generous donor with this prayer,

A generous man will prosper;
       he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
                                                                                                     – Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)

 

 

In His Grace,

Lydia

 

Little Ones of Maubisse

10 Dec

These are photo albums I made for the little ones at Maubisse.  Many thanks to Ps Boon Teck & teamwho went to Maubisse on Dec 4 & present to the kids.  I hope the kids will remember the great time we have in the last 2 months learning Tetum & English together.  I hope they will understand that I have not forgotten them and my return is now delayed due to my fracture not fully healed. Until we meet again, I pray for God’s protection over these little ones & may their desire to learn continues to burn passionately!

 

In His Love,  

Lydia

Latest update

Text msg from Josefina, Milenia & Joe on 10.12.09                                     “Obrigada Lydia, nomos foto nebe haruka mai. Domin husi Josefina, Milenia, Joe”

Tug

8 Nov

I have been told many times that Timorese are so used to receiving foreign aids that they do not know how to appreciate Malais (foreigners).

 

But I was in BIG surprise this afternoon as we packed up at the guesthouse to leave for Dili.  Kids from the English Class came by & sat very quietly at the living room.  Migi kept hinting that they are going to give me something while we were loading our bags into the car.  So when we finally finished loading, we sat down to take group pictures.  One by one, the kids stood up & gave me these beautifully wrapped presents for being their teacher in the last 2 months.

 

The one present that made me cried was the cup of yellow jelly from Leonardo.  He was sent home yesterday when he was not behaving well in class.  Not only did he come to say goodbye today, he gave me a present & on the present he wrote “Lydia, I am sorry!  Leonardo”.  I hope his little toe will heal quickly & I will see him again soon!

 

As we waved goodbye in the car, the kids ran alongside the car & shaked my hand.  Lucia did not want to let go of my hand; Joe shouting “Lydia, hau hanoin Lydia”;  Tomasia, Emilia & Josefina kept saying “Lydia, la bele tanis!” but I just could not stop crying. I am already missing the kids before I left the mountain ………..

 

With Love,

Lydia

 

 

Latest update

Text msg from the kids:

30.1109 from Lucia “Lydia sinpan hela nomor telepon ne Lucia nian I reza ba sitr Lydaia atu lalais labele haluha hakuak Lucia”

28.11.09 from Emilia “Lydia, hau hanoin Lydia tamba hanorin English. I am crying because Lydia going to Singapore & forget me.  Good night Lydia. Write again to me. Goodbye.  See you next time”   -  replied that I have not forgotten her & I am missing her. Asked her to be strong & not cry. Told her my friend will be coming to teach them English next week & also to give them the photo album I have promised them

28.11.09 from Lucia “Halo Lydia nee ho Lucia bainhira mak Lydia fila mai Timor”  -  replied that my foot is not well, will be visiting doctor on Dec 8 before knowing when I can return to Timor

26.11.09 from Josefina “Halo Lydia. Lydia diak ka lae?  Hau hakarak Lydia mai hanorin ami ingles”  -  replied that my foot is not well so I cannot go back to teach her English yet. But my Singaporean friends will be coming next week so practised with them

11.11.09 from Eleonora “Btarde. Teacher Lydia, how are you?  Lydia la keta hanoin barak no labele haluha ami”  -  replied that I missed them all including her sister (Antoneta) & brother (Leonardo), prayed that I can come back soon

 

English for Kids

19 Sep
English Class for Kids. I am balancing myself quite well on my left foot!

English Class for Kids. I am balancing myself quite well on my left foot!

It’s the 4th day I have taught the kids in the neighbourhood at the front porch of our temporary home.

Praise God for the opportunity to start this ministry despite my fractured foot. The kids are sitting on the cement steps in front of the home for the lessons. These 10 flights of steps have caused much pain as I moved up and down on them so they have become the obstacle to my mobility. But God has used these steps as chairs for the kids and the very reason (my immobility) to start the ministry right at the front door step!

Lesson starts around 0930 hours and end about noon time when it gets too hot. We incorporate the last half hour for songs. The kids sing really well and enjoy singing: “Lorong Ohin” (local Christian song); “Maromak Diak” (God is so good) and the action song “He’s Able”. I have also learnt a local folk song “Diak ka la” (Are you ok?) from these lovely kids.

The number of kids has doubled in just a week!

The number of kids has doubled in just a week!

The kids are between 5 to 12 years old with little or no exposure to English. They are most intrigued that I greet every one of them before the lesson with “xx, nice to meet you!” and end the lesson with “xx, thank you for coming, see you tomorrow!”. The “senior” kids will then teach the newcomers how to return the greetings and say thank you before going home.

Simple equipment like blackboard does not come easy! We have to get someone to saw the plywood, sand it, then we have to paint it so the lessons can happen ☺

Simple equipment like blackboard does not come easy! We have to get someone to saw the plywood, sand it, then we have to paint it so the lessons can happen ☺

We are now on the topic of “friend” and what does it mean to be a friend. As I look up the dictionary to explain the various words in Tetun (local language), I am also learning the local language at the same time. The kids are helping me with the proper way of making sentences in Tetun as words often have multiple meanings. I am thankful that my language learning can be interactive and enjoyable with these little ones!

Will your heart melt when you see these innocent faces that hunger for knowledge?

Will your heart melt when you see these innocent faces that hunger for knowledge?

Civic behavior has also been incorporated into the lesson where kids learn how to ask for things nicely:

“May I borrow the book please?”

instead of snatching from each other. There was one youth who visited the class actually stub out his cigarette when I requested him not to smoke in front of the kids.

I am encouraged that they listen & practice what they have been taught! I pray that God will continue to guide me and help me to be sensitive so I can modify and adapt the lessons according to the needs here!

With love from Timor,

- Lydia.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.