In this new series, we will bring your edited highlights from letters home from our workers. Names will be changed.

Vicki

On my last day of teaching this semester, towards the end of the two-hour lesson, the class spontaneously exploded into applause, huge smiles and excited chatter. The cause? I’d just told them that I would be their teacher for American Literature next semester. Teaching in China is certainly a very rewarding job!

I now know why I’ve been having such a hard time in life recently,” my good friend Amy joyfully explained to me last week. “It’s because your forehead represents your future and I’ve had mine covered with a fringe. My troubles with work and exams all started when I got that haircut. Now I’m growing out my fringe and everything’s going great!” It’s hard to know how to respond to an intelligent and educated girl who genuinely believes this.

Mike and Lucy

We will remember this past month for a long time; for us as a family it marks the end of nappies! On turning 5, Jim announced he no longer needed to wear a nappy at night as he was a big boy now and he has been dry ever since! At about the same time Bob decided to toilet train himself both day and night and happily takes himself off to sit on the potty with no prompting.

Michelle

There were definite benefits from all the language learning effort I put in during the holiday week as the teachers commented how well I was doing when I returned to class last week. But, I am very aware that it is also His help, in answer to your requests for my language learning. I continue with fourteen hours a week and I enjoy it. Having covered more material I now have the challenge of using more, and I am really trying to make opportunities ... last week included buying clothes... and I bought a pair of shoes!!! (I did need some, or it could get very expensive!) Going to the market fills my fridge with more and more items, now extending to rice, noodles - I counted over 20 different things I have bought in the market! Another activity to help learning is watching my new TV. I mainly use the English channel, but try the local channel.

Andy and Sarah

Our wall calendar also has an exciting new addition! If you were to see it your eye might be drawn to the large X marking Thursday 2nd July, the date that we are to leave England. OMF has arranged an orientation course for us in Singapore and Thailand lasting 6 weeks. Joining us on orientation will be some of the friends we have made already on this journey and we can’t wait to catch up with them and hear how God has been working in their plans. We have been praying and dreaming about China for such a long time (and many of you have done more than your fair share of listening to us) and we will finally arrive on Chinese soil in mid August.