It must be time for another newsletter update...

So I have been working in my position at Victory Asia Bible College for about a month now, and having not really done anything quite like this before I have no real basis to say how it is going.

There are some aspects of my work that are well defined: I know for sure that it is my job to get photocopying done, and I have a well defined deadline for that particular task; or I know that it is my duty to ensure the students are on schedule, and there is even a schedule to follow.  But there are other things that are a bit of a bafflement to me: I am to be organizing a website that gives information about courses to all of our sister colleges (India, Nepal, Philippines, Burma) but we have had very few discussion as to what that looks like or what deadlines there are for this project.  Anyway, my best guess is to work on things as quickly and efficiently as I can and then show them to my leaders for approval.  Ah the challenges of working in a created role.

So far things have been going well.  The college course operate in what is often called a "modular format."  This is where the same course is taught everyday for two weeks, at the end of which you have a final exam and then you next course starts the next week, thus you are taking a different course every two weeks.  We find that this works well as we bring a lot of our teachers in from out of country and it would be impractical to have them stay in Thailand for a whole semester just to teach a class one day a week.  The downside to this format is that it accelerates the homework and learning schedule for the students: instead of assignments being due at the mid-term or end of semester they are due at the end of two weeks; and instead of having a break from a class so you can have time to digest what you learnt, you take it every day.

We have a good group of students though.  Fourteen at the moment, and there are supposed to be one or two others coming that have had some issues with their visas (so pray for them that they would have favour with the consulate).  Our college recently has been approved by the Thai government for Education Visas which is awesome because it makes it easier for the students.  Before the students would have to get one of the other types of visas, or if their country was on the approved list, no visa.  But the problem with the other visas is they were a little stricter on who received them and how long you could stay in the country, some would even have to leave the country ever 30 days for a renewal (on my current visa I have to leave every 90 days).  However, with the student visa it is easier.  The student visas are a little harder to get as the school and the student have to prove the legitimacy of the study, but once the student receives the visa it is easier to stay in the country (as long as the student stays at the college).  The students are eager to learn and eager to help.  I hardly ever hear them complain about things we ask them to do.  I mean there is the odd time where one or two of them will give you a look like "you want me to do what?" but then they usually get over it.  I have never seen so many people with a servants heart gathered in one place.

The typical day for the students (and myself for that matter) starts between 5 and 5:30 am and does not usually end until 10pm at night (or whenever the students go to bed).  The day consists of exercises, chapel, classes, mentor groups, chores, and studying.  It is a bit different for me being back in the education environment.  In some ways I feel like I am back in college as I get up with the students, go to the school with the students and study in the evenings with the students (I am working on a masters degree...so I am a student); but in other ways it is different.  While the students are in class or away at their mentor groups I am sitting in an office either compiling marks, organizing spreadsheets, or writing something for a webpage.

Despite having a fairly long day, I am still very much enjoying my time here.  I have not longed for home much.  I mean there is the odd time I miss things about home: my car (you don't realize how freeing a car is until you live in a city with no public transit and you have to negotiate your taxi rides...in a language you barley speak), I miss my kitchen (sometimes you just want to make something for supper and not have to walk two blocks to the food stand), and on my days off I miss hanging out with my friends.  But aside from that, not really missing Canada.  (I mean I really miss my family, especially my niece and nephew, but I do not miss Canada).

One of the jobs I do here is pick up children for the After School English classes.  I go to two different schools and collect between 5 and 10 children and bring them to the bible college where they spend a few ours learning English and playing games.  Their parents pick them up when the classes are done.  I quite enjoy this, from one school we pick up three children who are around Kindergarten-1st Grade age.  They really like to play games on my iPad while we wait for the other students at the Catholic school.  Their favourite game is Plants vs. Zombies, but I usually have to help them play.  As soon as we park at the Catholic school, and Jang runs in to grab the other students, one of the girls comes up from the back and smiles so sweetly, "Teacher Tyler...iPad?"  "Zombies?"  I open it up and the three of them start taping the screen frantically...it is quite cute, they all have their favourite plant to use, and they all try to place plants at the same time...it is utter chaos, but the have fun.

The English classes we offer is some of the children's favourite part of the day.  We have a few children who attend that will even make their parents drive them in for English class if they had no regular school that day.  It has served to be a good way to meet people in the community.  Next month (October) is a school break (Thai schools follow a bit of a different schedule than North American schools) and we are holding an English day camp for the whole month.  This is always a very popular event (so I am told).

Helping out with English classes is one of the mentor groups we run at VABC: Children's Ministry.  We divide our students up into different mentor groups, where they can learn ministry skills, such as worship leading, media, vocational skills, and as mentioned Children's ministry.  I will take time in another post to talk about some of the other mentor groups, but today I want to talk about the Children's Ministry group.  The way the mentor groups are set up is that nearly every afternoon the students will go with a staff member or ministry leader and be mentored in the chosen field.  In the area of Children's Ministry, this means helping Becky run the English classes.  The students in this mentor group are taught how to start up and run children outreaches and classes, and actually get to be involved in teaching and training the children.  While the group mainly deals with teaching the children English, the practical skills can be applied to any ministry involving children, whether that be Sunday School, or an after school outreach.

The mentor group is something I find that sets VABC apart from many other bible colleges out there.  The typical bible college usually spends most of the students time imparting academic knowledge, but often leave the practical ministry aspect for the local church to teach. which lacks accountability.  Here it is integrated as part of the students daily lives.  And it is more than just volunteering in a ministry.  It is mentorship, the relationship is more than simply a ministry leader and his/her volunteers, but a mentor and his/her disciples.  It is intense, it is intentional, and it gets results.


Well that is all I have for today, I will leave you all with some pictures of my typical day.  I will talk to you later, and try to get more pictures, but they took back the really nice camera I had during 7-weeks so we have to settle for my point and click:


A typical Thai meal.  This one we had for breakfast today.  It is rice with fried seasoned ground pork, I found maybe one chili in the meal, so it was not spicy at all...not like Thai food normally.  Not that Thai food is super spicy all the time, it is spicy than the typical Canadian menu, but most resturants and cooks serve their dishes with the chili on the side so you can make it as spicy as you want (except for dishes that are supposed to be spicy, like Pad Ka Pow).


Probably my favourite view: The view from the cafeteria.  This is looking over the Bay of Siam, if you enlarge the picture you might be able to make out the ships waiting to go into Laem chaBang harbour.  These ships come from all over the world.  This is something like the 6 busiest port in Asia, and only has been getting busier.


Some of our first and second year students listening intently to Dr. Stephen teach Marriage and Family.  Classes operate in a modular format and on a two year cycle (mostly):  1st and 2nd years attend all the same classes, and 3rd and 4th years attend a different class (usually, but sometimes there are classes that are taught to all the student body).  The same class is taught for 2 weeks straight (not on weekends though) with homework due at the end of the two week period, each class ends with a final exam.  A class taught this year will not be taught next year so that those in first year this year (or third year) do not take the same classes again next year.  Using this format allows us to bring in teachers from all over the world because they only have to give up two weeks to teach as opposed to one day a week for a whole semester.

Well, talk to you all later,
Thank you so much for your support,
Tyler
A Boy Wonder

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