Although learning English is educationally required and promoted in China, ESL teachers in less developed areas have fewer opportunities to learn, practice, and improve their communication skills. In a country attempting educational system reform, the hope is that English will no longer simply be taught through reading and writing, but orally as well. The Amity Foundation “aims to contribute to educational development in China” and its Summer English Program sends volunteer native English speakers/teachers’ four week orientation and teaching in less developed parts of China. Chinese English teachers are able to broaden their oral and listening skills, and to learn a variety of teaching methods to use in their own classroom.

There were a few obstacles before the trip and anxious questions of whether we would actually go sometimes surfaced, but those obstacles were overcome and our faith provided us calm during this time. Despite arriving slightly later than others, we were placed in beautiful Guyang County, Inner Mongolia with two incredible Christian women from Texas who plant seeds of grace and kindness wherever they go.

Our teaching team of four (or the “A Team” as we all come from North America) taught about 60 “students” (English teachers, who blossomed that number as daily they brought more friends, colleagues, family members, and students, to practise and learn alongside us).

For three weeks, we taught lessons and led activities that promoted language acquisition and teaching strategies for Chinese teachers’ own use. We shared customs, holidays (including the stories of Christmas and Easter), traditions, and our personal interests (summer camp, geocaching, singing, and more).

The Chinese often revealed astonishment when told that teachers from English speaking countries would give a month of their lives to help people who they didn’t know to improve their English and teaching skills, without pay.

Our pay for doing this work that God called us to do was more than money: an incredible sense of welcome, kindness, broad and quick smiles, the exchange of ideas and culture, laughter, and friendship – priceless and unforgettable gifts.

Often, when we think we’re doing God’s work, and doing loads of giving, we discover the experience has in fact grown and shaped US in more ways than we had imagined. The Chinese teachers, who struggle with how to teach their students English when their own ability with the language is limited, taught us many things about kindness, resourcefulness, and their culture. We had the opportunity to know the beautiful hearts of the teachers, who were each so open to learning and thankful for our teachings. Strong relationships were formed, between the North American and Chinese teachers, and between the Chinese teachers themselves, many of whom did not know one another before the program began. Long-lasting bridges have been built and we are so thankful to God, Amity, and The Presbyterian Church in Canada for this unforgettable experience.

“I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.”

~ Maya Angelou