A SCHOOL DAY AT SIU LEUN

During my stay at this primary school, I taught eight 40 minute classes in addition to being a resource person during recess and lunch break. My classes were all in sections of P1 and P3 (grades 1 and 3). The challenge was to communicate the story of Zacchaeus along with singing some appropriate songs to affirm the message of that story. The story was told line by line with the teacher translating after I finished my line. That seemed to work really well. In fact, I was IMPRESSED with the intentional listening during the telling of the story.

In the last class, I figured out the teaching process. You need to move from one song to another without a break. A break gives children time to act up and begin talking, and then you have to get control and attention once again. So, of all the classes, the last was the best. And best yet, we closed with a prayer that word by word was repeated by the students in the class.

The gardener prunes trees before the school day even begins.

Students wait patiently in line until the bell rings. Parents hold backpacks until the children are ready to into the school.

Phy-ed class is a ritual all over the world.

 Recorders are enjoyed so much that practice even takes place during recess time.

Six floors of classrooms for six grade levels. This school has about 800 students.

 The classroom is where it all happens.

The class is over and we're off to recess (of course we wait in line for the teacher and then we follow our teacher to the lowest level).

We're excited about being able to learn!

Albert Lau is an evangelist at the school and the worship leader for Holy Word Lutheran Church. He's become a good friend since I first met him in 2009. We ate noodles together.

Hard at work with the maze and the follow the number pics for the Zacchaeus story.

The typical classroom - around 25 students each.

My visit to Tuen Mun would not be complete without a walk to Butterfly Park located right on the water between Hong Kong and Macau. Miraculously the water seems clear and free of a lot of debris.

You'll never find the park empty, but never is it really crowded. Four or five musical groups are scattered around the area gazebos. People listen, jog, play with kids, or just relax. I think I know why I enjoy it so much.

The constant splash of the waves is relaxing.

She may not make it to the big stage, but she's really enjoying what she's doing.

TOMORROW IT'S ON TO MACAU..............