kEEping the FaitH

This week's cell group’s sermon … KEEPING THE FAITH!
My cell leader was sharing about her journey to her dream … was then reminded about mine too. And is like WOWOWOWOWOW when to think back. All glory to Him! =)

5 Phrases of FAITH journey:

1) DREAM – “nothing happen until somebody start a dream”
~ My dream … to be a kindergarten teacher! Because I love children and love to teach!

2) DECISION – ‘a dream is worthless until you choose to go for it”
~ I made a decision then to do whatever I can to achieve my dream … even to retake my O’Level for the 2^nd time despite of the fear of failure I have.

3) DELAY – “delay is NOT denial!”
~ I failed at the 2^nd try of O’Level … having only 3 credits to ‘fight’ for Early Childhood course which need 5 credits to get in.

4) DEAD END – “God want us to believe in the impossible situation because that is when we will learn to trust Him”
~ appealed 3 times at Ngee Ann Poly for Early Childhood course … kana rejected 3 times! That is when I begin to tell myself … no way I can be a teacher!

5) DELIVERANCE – “our impossibilities are God’s opportunities!”
~ miracle happens! A church friend of mine asked me to help out at his mother’s kindergarten as relief teacher … that time few of the teachers there are leaving so they need new teachers and so I am given the chance for interview! PRAISE GOD! I am accepted!
Right here right now … by GOD’S GRACE … I am a kindergarten educator for nearly 2 years! =) Graduated in Feb 2005 with Certificate in Preschool Teaching!

ALL GLORY TO HIM!
Indeed ... if you have a dream that is yet to fulfill … hang on there! Keep your faith and keep on believing! If is really your dream and your passion … no matter what disappointment and “shut doors” may come your way … it still wont stop you from dreaming your dream! =)

pRaYeR

THE DAY … where all JAMs security are on full full alert, where the teachers at sound system area are settling up the place carefully and hiding all cds away … that is the day when Mr. Sato Seiichiro made his appearance at church! =)

Before his arrival, I was approached by a JAMs security brother … giving me 4 names of security brothers to choose from, and he will be Mr. Sato’s personal bodyguard for that day. Hahaha … I find it so interesting, you really can’t imagine what a BIG difference Mr. Sato had made among the JAMs security.

*drum rolls* Announcing the arrival of MR. SATO SEIICHIRO!
He came down from the bus … with his new image that enable you to call him, “BOTAK!” =p And very stylo-miloly, he has a guitar hanged behind his back … the guitar look so tiny on him. =pPp

I guess he must have missed church so much, the first thing he did when he stepped on the main lobby - ran from lift 1 2 3 to lift 4 5 6 and then back from lift 4 5 6 to lift 1 2 3. Back in the hall, “nightmares” happened- first with his one bare hand, he broke one JAMs’ cd. Second which is the worst- he took off one of his shoes and threw it to the front and it hit one of the student’s head … OUCH! … can you imagine when you are happily praising God, then something hit your head so badly, and remember this – Mr. Sato’s size is not small thus his shoes size is not small either so the shoes is with certain weight wor.

Thank God … that was the only two “nightmare” from him that day! =)
The rest of his hours in church basically are spent by- walking around the lift lobby, “shooting mtv” in the lift, and at back of the hall … claiming to look for his bag full of cds and tapes. And where is his bag?! Teacher Yanni HIDE it! Oops! =p The reason is so that he can spend his entire hours searching for his bag and won’t enter into the hall.

Thank God that beside the two “nightmare” … overall he is really okay! The most amazing part is the he didn’t use his fists to express himself. For the past three times when he came, there is not one time that he didn’t hit/bite/punch the teachers. When he bite … he really bite, teachers who are bitten by him still have his bite marks on them.

His “violent action” will take place when we teachers stop him from doing what he want … like wanting to go swim at rooftop with his special swimming truck, insisting of entering into the hall to “play” with the sound system etc. Actually that day, he can be in bad mood as he was searching high and low for his bag and couldn’t “play” with the sound system … so any moment if he loses his temper, teachers around him can be in “harm” but thank God he didn’t.

The night before he came … I said a little prayer for him! I tell God to give Sato peace in his heart and that he will be able to control his anger and won't let his fist do the talking. And truly he didn’t … very hard to describe … but is really a miracle – past three times continually when he came, he did hit/bite/punch but this time he came he DIDN’T! Yeah! So really want to thank God for that … as actually when he came on Saturday, that was actually his “last chance” like if he were to cause any harm to any teacher that day, he will be ban from coming forever. So really thank God for everything

CHILDREN are CHILDREN

These 3 weeks in school has been like a “battle” to me. =)

Battle #1 –
Opponent: a K2 girl name ABC
Background: very quiet girl in school … even go toilet also have to ask friend to ask for her

~ 30 minutes have passed since all the children got their worksheet … I came to ABC to collect. What! I flipped when I see there is only her name on her worksheet … after a whole 30mins! And then:

Teacher Yanni: How come your work is not done?
ABC: *silence*
Teacher Yanni: Hello! You sit here for half an hour and you did nothing!
ABC: *gave a yaya-papaya smile*
Teacher Yanni: How come you did nothing?
ABC: *continue giving her yaya-papaya smile*
Teacher Yanni: What happened to you?
ABC: *her yaya-papaya smile gets bigger*
Teacher Yanni: *super duper angry already … especially after seeing that papaya smile*
You no need to do already!
*taking the paper away from her*
ABC: *stop smiling* *stared at me*
**THREW HER PENCIL BACKWARD**
Teacher Yanni: Why do you throw your pencil? Didn’t you know your friends is sitting behind
you? What if the pencil hurt them? Go and pick the pencil up!
ABC: *motion-less* *raise her hand at me*
Teacher Yanni: You want to beat me? Come! This is my hand!
ABC: *silence* *cover her head on the table and started crying*

OH NO! What happened to the children nowadays?! She is only 6 years old and can you imagine, when her teacher scolds her, she wants to beat her teacher. But after all, victory still goes to the teacher! =) At the end of the day, she came crying to me and said, “Sor … Ry … Tea … Cher … Yan … Ni!”

Battle #2 –
Opponent: a K2 class
Background: a class with many active boys & many girls who have problem understanding Eng

~ got to explain to them what to do for their homework … knowing they are rather active, got them to sit on the chairs so that they won’t get into contact so much. When I started to explain, the children at Station 1 decided to have their mini chat and I have to stop to ask them to keep quiet. And just when I start explaining again, the children at Station 2 decided to start too and again I have to stop to ask them to be still. Next moment the children at Station 1 decided to be funny and played with the pencils. Argghhhhhhh!

That is when I begin to think and calculate- I got four K2 classes in a day, and if they have common work, that’s mean I have to explain 4 times a day. And to break it down, in one class alone … I have to explain at least 10 times before I can get all children’s attention. Wait! I haven’t include my four K1 classes and for them, they need more times before they can really give you the attention and really fully understand what you are talking about. So is really very demanding to my throat … got to pray for protection of my throat and my voice! So really have to discipline myself to drink more water!

-TERM 3-

School Term 3 has started … another 9 more weeks to go! =)
Don’t know is it because 1 month never sees the children … when I see them on the first day of school, find EVERY child like grew smaller in size.
1^st week of school, it had been good – children’s discipline okay, maybe cause their “power” is yet to release?!

On one of the school day, I was sharing with one of the K1 class- Frangipani 4 who know Jane that their Jane karkar went Australia to study. *Confusion* was on their face … cause “Australia” can be a big word in their dictionary but they understand better when I told them that Jane karkar is at a far far place and they won’t get to see her soon. I had a conversation with a little boy, he is always very interesting in his speech …

Cher Yanni: if I miss Jane karkar, how?
Little Boy: then you go Australia find her lohz
Cher Yanni: but I don’t have money
Little Boy: then ask Teacher Grace (principal) gives you lahz
Cher Yanni: then if I go, who teach you all?
Little Boy: hmmmm …. *silence and smiling at me*
Cher Yanni: then if I go there, nothing to do how?
Little Boy: when Jane karkar go school … you help her sweep the floor lahz
Cher Yanni: be her maid ar?
Little Boy: Yes! *laughing away*
*Cher Yanni flipped*

~last~

Jane’s Last Visitation --- we went to visit Mr. Sato for our last stop and we spent quite a while there, eventhough we can only stand at the doorstep. Jane took her digital camera and shoots all she can of Mr. Sato in the house through the gate. We then told him about Teacher Jane’s leaving and that he won’t get to see Teacher Jane anymore again then when the mum asked him, “do you understand?”, he actually said yes. =)

The most kandong moment is before we left, Teacher Jane was waving goodbye to Mr. Sato and he actually stood STILL for quite a while, looking at Jane and waved back! Let me give you some background of Mr. Sato when he is at home- usually when we go visit him, he will surely be walking around in his house, he won’t and he can’t stand still to talk to us, not to mention even giving us a proper byebye. So that day, he actually stood STILL and wave back goodbye … with a sweet look that I also don’t know how to describe.

A while later, Mr. Sato himself even automatic walked towards the gate to Jane to continue byebyeing … WOWOWOW … don’t said Jane, I myself also very touched by it. So to YOU, JANE who are reading this … from Mr. Sato alone, you can really see what a difference you have made! You have truly made a difference in the lives of JAMs students! =)

BETTER than life

BETTER THAN THE RICHES OF THIS WORLD
BETTER THAN THE SOUND OF MY FRIENDS VOICES
BETTER THAN THE BIGGEST DREAM OF MY HEARTS
AND THAT'S JUST THE START

BETTER THAN GETTING WHAT I SAY I NEED
BETTER THAN LIVING THE LIFE THAT I WANT TO
BETTER THAN THE LOVE THAT ANYONE COULD GIVE
YOUR LOVE IS

YOU HOLD ME NOW IN YOUR ARMS
AND NEVER LET ME GO...

YOU OH LORD MAKE THE SUN SHINE
AND THE MOON LIGHT IN THE NIGHT SKY
YOU GIVE ME BREATH AND ALL YOUR LOVE
I GIVE MY HEART TO YOU
BECAUSE

I CAN'T STOP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU
I'LL NEVER STOP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU
I CAN'T STOP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU
I'LL NEVER STOP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU