Amazing

My chemistry students amaze me, but not because of chemistry.  The students at Black Forest Academy have more understanding of living in a world of nations than I do.  And they are young enough to be my grandchildren.  These examples display their international awareness.

The annual Black Forest Academy mission trip participants were named recently.   Students enthusiastically discussed their choices and where they would be serving in March.  Those who go will take one week of their Easter break to serve.  They checked each other regarding the spelling and pronunciation of the countries-Romania, Macedonia, Kyrgyzstan, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, and Bangladesh.  I had to look these names up just to type them here!

Several days later I asked how many had gone to a place where no one else (except their family) spoke their language.  A place where their family had to rely on natives to provide for them.  Out of seventeen, one had gone to a Lao village with his dad and brother for a week.  Another had moved to a middle eastern country with her family.  Still another had felt isolated in her first weeks of living in Hungary.  Another talked of his parents' move to an African village before he was born.  Wow.  I can be uncomfortable in such circumstances with 500 English speakers around me, yet I my students know how to rely on God in total isolation.

The week ended with an impromptu discussion of how different cultures view litter.  A discussion of contrasts, but not of criticism.

My students have left for Christmas break now.  They departed to countries as close as France and Switzerland; as far as Turkey, Korea and the United States, most traveling alone. These 15 to 18 year-olds understand better than I that this is a small world, one which reels under the bondage of terror and guns and sorrow.  Yet a world of people who, in distress and in joy,  seek to find the One who alone can bring peace on earth, good will to men.  I am amazed at the privilege I have been given to teach such students.