My first week back at teaching was a huge blessing and I really did enjoy it.  I missed the students and it was good to see that all of them were back and ready to learn, happy and healthy.  Praise God!

To finish off my weeks, I teach a Design and Technology course to my Year 8 students, and this time, rather than doing the boring approach of writing notes on how to build a boat on the board, I had them do it.  They had the following instructions:

1) you have only 1 hour to complete the task
2) you must use all your materials (a stick, 3 straws, 1 sq ft of aluminum foil, a bottle, and a piece of pink paper).
3) your boat must be able to hold 50, 1 Taka Coins without sinking.

So they went at it and the results were great, we then tested them in a giant bowl of water.  It was fun, and although a bit chaotic (as most things are not only in Dhaka, but at the Year 8 level in any school), I think the students enjoyed actually being able to DO something in order to learn, rather than listening to me blab a the front of the room for an hour and a half!

Other than these simple events, my week has had a few trials, as most do, and I am still growing in faith.  I am learning to trust in God more than I ever had, and by this I mean REALLY trust Him.   I used to, and perhaps you can relate, state that I was trusting Him, and make a "plan B" in the back of my mind whilst still hoping that the God of the universe would "pull through."  How many times in your life do you "trust God" but have a "plan B"?  Is that really trust?

I am learning quickly here that there is no room for an escape route with God, that either I trust Him completely or I fail and fall apart.  It has been a new experience for me.  The best part about trusting in God is that He is the ONLY person who will NEVER let you down.

More soon, I have a busy weekend ahead of me.  :)

In Christ,

Corinne.

Well here I am again, in Dhaka.  I must start firstly by apologizing to any of you who I meant to call or email during my very short stay in Canada.

I have to say that I had a hard time returning to Dhaka after seeing those I loved at Christmas.   When I first left several months ago, I had a new energy, a desire for change, a "bright-eyed" feel that craved understanding of a new society... a willingness to let go of my life in Edmonton to try something new...

Now I know what I am getting myself into :)

I know that it will be difficult, but I appreciate still the wonderful opportunity to learn ahead of me.  Part of me has a hard time realizing that my time here is half done.  What a precious point in my life to be able to come here and serve God and allow my relationship with Him to grow, while at the same point building bonds with those close to me back home.  God is amazing.

The blaring differences between the West and the East are fresh in my mind now, with a bag of Mom's Christmas baking still in my room, sitting not far from the cockroaches I killed this morning.  It is hard to realize that I was hugging those I loved in the Toronto airport 2 days ago, yet 2 days from now, I will be standing in front of students I love teaching them again for another term.  It somehow makes the world feel small, and time seem as nothing more than the medium with which we span distance.

I wish I could sit here and tell you these marvelous aspirations for my "new year" here in Dhaka.  I wish I could sit here and spew wisdom on how I am going to set "resolutions" that will out-do any other... when really I have come to a point of simplicity.

In previous years, as most of us can relate, we set these resolutions against ourselves, we say "I will lose weight" when clearly our bodies and minds don't want us to.... or we say "I will exercise" when really our bodies and minds would really rather not...

This year I want to get "me" at my source.... I am going to focus on my mind.

"and be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2)

Lord willing I will renew my mind and my focus each day.... Lord willing, I will rely on Him, and not on the things of this world which will fail.  Lord willing I will grow because my mind will be focused on the ONLY One who can change us.

Can I suggest the same for you?  Let Christ be your focus this year.

Rely on God, let Him renew your mind, you would be surprised where that will take you.

In Christ's love,

Corinne

About two weeks ago I had the privilege of visiting what is translated in English to a "slum" school in Dhaka.  Every year, our school holds a community sale that is used as a fundraiser in order to help cover the costs of running this Christian school, since most of the children that attend are not able to afford to pay anything.

When I walked in with my year 9 class I was greeted by several (maybe 100) children aged around 5 to 8 years old.  They were so excited to see us, but also in shock as most of them had never seen a foreigner before.  After they sang some songs for us and a few of them did some cultural dancing, we had an opportunity to sing some of our rehearsed Christmas Carols and play some games with them.

I was effected by two things while I was there.  Firstly, the joy that was in the faces of all the children there, even though they had what we, in the western world, would consider to be nothing.   Secondly, I was disappointed with the way that some of my teenagers were acting, as if they were too good for these children.  I had a few of them asking if we could skip the trip and just go to Pizza Hut....

I suppose I should be used to the Western cynicism towards the less privileged East, since I do face it often here, however, I suppose I just didn't expect it from international students who are so incredibly exposed to the poverty that is present in Dhaka that you would expect their hearts to be a bit softer towards this tragedy...  

One thing that has become more clear to me through this half term, as I begin to reflect now is shown in this little life experience.

Those with more appreciate less.


Most of my students come from very rich homes, and not saying that I don't, but they are often arguing over the latest phone or pair of jeans much like the western children, and are blinded to the most obvious lack of abundance all around them.  So what can I do as a teacher?  I suppose I can expose them, encourage them, and show them from scripture, something that I have been effected by since the first time I read it.

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also"  Matthew 6:21

Where is your heart?  Where are you putting your VALUE.  Is the way in which you define "value" destroying the way you can love one another?  Do you not realize that if you "treasure" the things of this world that your heart is following them?  Why not put your treasure in something that will last forever?

"For as the things of this world shall pass away, and the desires of it also, but those who abideth and doeth the will of God shall live forever"  (1 John 2:17).

Put your trust and faith in a God who won't pass away.  Appreciate what you have as a blessing from Him who gives Eternal life, and quit asking for more, and your joy will be complete through Christ.  Do not look down on those who have less material things, for it may be possible that they have much more in their hearts.
Just a thought, more soon as I catch up on a few events of my end of term in Dhaka.

In Christ,

Corinne

Hi Everyone,

So I arrived early at the Dhaka airport to board my plane to Dubai and was promptly told after my luggage had already been taken, that I was not permitted to board the aircraft...

I have to say that it was one of those moments where you can honestly feel your heart drop to the ground!  After being packed to go 3 days ago, having excited email exchange and huge thanks sent to my Dad for purchasing the ticket for me, I didn't want to believe what he was saying.

It seemed that Air Emirates does not allow passengers on the plane unless they can produce the Credit Card with which they bought the flight, in order to prevent those who have stolen credit cards from buying flights online.  In my case, because my father is in Toronto, this meant there was no way I could produce his credit card, and therefore I was not allowed to fly.

I have to say that God really showed His strength and providence in this time, as it was our immediate response to start calling people and asking for prayer.  I called my Dad after one rather nice official had mercy on my tears and agreed to allow my Dad to email him his passport, credit card, and another piece of photo identification...once this did occur, and with a few more people yelling at me and telling me how lucky I was, as well as having to sign a legal document saying that if anything went wrong that Emirates could cancel my flight and not allow Dhaka immigration to let me back into the country...I was, through heaps of tears, and thankfulness of prayer, allowed to board.

After a quiet flight sitting next to a Bangladeshi man who I was able to show how the seatbelt worked and what headphones were (we take our knowledge for granted!  It was his first time on a plane!), I am now sitting in what I would consider to be the farthest "west" point of the middle east, Terminal 3, in the Dubai airport, on my MacBook, drinking a Venti Soy Extra hot Caramel Macchiato (worth every ridiculous penny, especially since it has been nearly 5 months!).

A huge thanks to all who have prayed, and I will post more about the last few weeks of school as soon as I can!  Until then, I will answer all your emails, as I am SO excited to be sitting here and thankful, that sleep is out of the question :)

See you soon,

In Christ's love,

Corinne

Hi Everyone!

I know I have not posted in a little while and the truth is that so much has happened that I am going to have to go in order so I can capture everything!  So the term is almost over, the reports have been handed out, Christmas play has been done, carols have been sung, and here I am late at night, trying to figure out how to spend my next 6 days here in order to finish everything I need to before the students are gone and I am flying to Toronto to go home for Christmas...

Last week I ran a Popsicle Bridge competition with my Year 8 Design and Technology class.  I enjoyed teaching all about trusses and forces with them, yet the best part was to see their faces as we attempted to test the bridges.  All of them did pass the weight test, yet some better than others.  :)

Here is the best picture, more stories of these final weeks to come.  I am sorry if I haven't gotten back to any of you... my plan is to answer emails during my 8 hour stay in Dubai...

In Christ,

Corinne

Ahhhhh I survived!  I completed my second full school assembly today and although stress was high, I was pleased when I was given the topic of John 3:16.   I have embedded the PowerPoint that I came up with...I felt that there wasn't much I could do to bring the full truth of this verse to light, but I did what I could, and I hope that at least one student listened...
More soon!!

:)

In Christ,

Corinne


John 3v16 Assembly

It is December today and although it is just another day in so many ways, I always find the ends and beginnings of months to bear much sentiment...
I usually find myself thinking... "Wow....it's almost another year over... what did you do with it?".... I find that these feelings are much stronger as the ball drops and the Auld Lang songs begin to play...however I often think about it early, in hopes that I may have a chance to still change some of the things I recall hoping for this year...
In a lot of ways my "year" this time began when I took my first step away from Adam in the Edmonton International Airport and headed onto my first plane of three across the world to Bangladesh...and as my term finishes here I am reflecting on both the last real year, 2009, of my life, as well as the half of this new year in my life.  It is a lot to pull together.  I cannot help but shake the images of some of the horrors I have seen here, as well as those warm thoughts of back home, and struggle often to reconcile my thoughts between the two... Either way I am sure of one thing.... no matter the year, no matter the hour, no matter the place, no matter the breath...  God has been there, even if I have chosen not to recognize it....
Do you feel like you have grown this year?  What would you have said or done differently?  Would you have prayed more?  Loved more?  Been more compassionate?  What are you waiting for?  God has been waiting for you.

In Christ,
Corinne.

 "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest" (Joshua 1:9)