by Cyndi Gummin – Project Eden
This fall, seven of our older students began attending a vocational high-school. It’s been their dream for years to be able to go on with their education. Four of the older girls have chosen English as their major, two are taking computer training, and one chose training in dance/kindergarten teaching. The other six students here this year are studying on-site at Eden, being taught Chinese and Math by a young teacher-couple in their thirties.
A highlight this October was having a sort of “Eden Alumni/Home-coming” the weekend of Captivating’s annual charity auction in Shenzhen. We were able to see all but two of the 25 students who have lived with us over the past five years, and most of them were able to come for a roof-top BBQ and a couple days of catch-up time together. One of the girls commented that she always has to leave a piece of her heart behind now, because no matter where she is, she always has to say good-bye to someone. That is the bittersweet reality of opening one’s heart to a new place and new people: you love both the “old” and “new”, but you cannot be with them both at once. However, this is one of the treasures we hope the girls take with them: the gift of a broader understanding of the world, and a deeper compassion for the people in it.
Yu Qian, a teacher from Suzhou, Anhui Province, is an one of the pioneer volunteer teachers in the Support A Volunteer Teacher Program that we have in China. This is her fourth serving term. Teacher Yu is affectionately called "Goddess" because of her wisdom and good communication.
Teacher Yu is responsible...
16 SHARES
I am Tubi Ermo, a Grade 10 student sponsored by you. Last semester was difficult as I was still adjusting to high school. I found out that my favorite subject is English. But I realized that a junior high school level would not be enough for the exams, so I am now focusing on building up my...
56 SHARES
Hello everyone, I'm Cheng Manyu from Huanggang, Hubei.
This is my third semester volunteering at Yire Elementary School. Why did I choose to volunteer here?
During my university days, I watched a TV program called "Top 10 Most Touching People in China," which...
64 SHARES
Hi, my name is Tiantian, and I am a beneficiary of the One More Year program. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this program. Your kindness and care have restored the lives of students like me. This sponsorship has removed the financial burden on my family, allowing me to focus...
12 SHARES
Today marks my 220th day serving as a volunteer teacher in the Daliang Mountain area. During this time, I have come into contact with a new field - preschool education. Before this, I had only heard about it and assumed it was simply about keeping...
32 SHARES
He Zhenzhen is a veteran volunteer teacher from Yongzhou, Hunan Province. It is her seventh semester of teaching, and she is currently the principal of Ga Le Aimu Primary School. She is responsible for teaching the Chinese language to the Grade 3 students and is the head teacher of that class. She has been...
35 SHARES
