What did you do today?

Today I was part of the church planting team for the Dai, the Lisu, the Jingpo, the Achin and some others whose names I’ve forgotten. I was a crucial cog in the wheel. Without me, efforts to reach these people groups would be significantly diminished, and God’s glorious kingdom would be growing slower.

You must be some kind of superhuman to do that?

Well, not exactly. God gave me some help. Today, my team and I were studying some local history. After that, we did some statistical analysis. Then we did some scientific experiments to analyse effects of clean and dirty water on different crops. This has been an ongoing project for a while. Finally, we engaged in some cross-cultural team building activities.

Busy day then?

Yes, and I managed to fit it all in between 9am and 4pm. Tonight I am going to a prayer meeting with some friends involved in an HIV project. We are praying for and commissioning a local believer who is about to set up a new branch of the project in a different town. And I may fit in a great meal in a local restaurant inbetween times.

How do you do all this? You must have been here for years to learn all those languages?

Actually no? I have English and a little bit of survival Chinese. You know, enough to order meals at a restaurant and get the bus across town. I’ve only been here for six months – taking a year off work.

You’ll have to tell me how you do it all?

Simple – I’m a primary school teacher. I work in the International Academy here.

By teaching the children of long-term professionals, this teacher releases them from the commitment to home schooling, and therefore enables them, after the hard slog of language and culture study to get on with the job that God called them to do. Without this kind of teachers, expatriates with families go home. Could you be a ‘crucial cog in the wheel’?

• Commitment: One year+
• Language requirements: minimal
• Job requirements: Primary School teacher with two or more years of experience.
• Note – many international academies teach an American syllabus. Teachers from other countries may have to learn this.