China’s Eastern Rivers

I’m spreading the word of the Gospel, teaching English and chasing brunettes.

Truth be told I have a wonderful girl friend here, so no more chasing. If you have read my blog below you’ll know I’m talking about Angel. I really love “living in” China. I like China (won’t say I love it, but living here, yes I do). The lifestyle is so different, offers a lot of freedom from living to pay bills. My teaching job gives me a good salary, nice work hours, and great job satisfaction! I really enjoy teaching, it’s almost unbelievable!

Also I go to English church on Thursday nights. We invite unbelievers to come also and they do! They look at it as a chance to further practice English and we talk about God’s grace, our faith, prayer, everything. Some of them have allowed Jesus into their hearts!

On upcoming Sundays I’ll be occasionally spending my mornings with the children of migrant workers. This is really important to me. Most migrants cannot afford to send their children to schools for classes with a foreigner. My church’s (and mine) hope is that their families will see God’s grace in us and become saved Christians, then take Christianity with them when they return to their villages and towns in less developed parts of China. Amen!

When I say, they cannot afford to send their children to schools with foreign teachers, I don’t want to mislead you. Their children are provided an education in a school but it isn’t going to be a high ranking school. Many schools here do not have a foreign teacher. There are also a number of private schools to learn English but the prices are usually far above anything affordable unless you are rich.

So it’s my love for spreading God’s word and teaching my students that keeps me tied to China. It’s my girl friend that keeps me tied to this city, Wenzhou. I’d like to move to another city where there is less pollution but she can’t quit her career and it’d be tough to take her daughter out of school here, she’s doing so well. I’m proud, she made a 99 on her English final!

Here in my city, 30% of the population is Christian! This is unheard of anywhere else in China. If you research Wenzhou, it is referred to as the Jerusalem of the East. The government isn’t friendly to unregistered churches, but it also doesn’t seem to be out banging on doors harassing them either. Other cities are mean to Christians, so I feel safer here practicing. In the future, I may travel and become an evangelist and share God’s word further from the safe streets. We’ll see…

I teach in a middle school, grades 7 & 8. My school’s name is Wenzhou Foreign Language Middle School. With a name like that you’d think they would have a few foreign teachers but I am the one and only. A fellow expat from Australia named Garry was the teacher here the past four years. The school is one of the most highly ranked middle school in the city and it is prestigious for me to have gotten the job. Thank you Lord!

Lastly, I’m happy here because there are at least 8 different hiking clubs that I’ve been on trips with. I brought my two kayaks with me and I’ve been doing some instruction. Seems I’m pretty good at teaching that as well. I bought a bicycle just over a year ago. I’ve had my tires patched countless times (seriously) and replaced the tubes 3 times. I had never appreciated how much fun bicycling really is! I have my dog Toto who really enjoys riding around with me and camping trips
as well.

I’m here because I really love my life here. I must thank the Lord once more for all of the good things in my life.

Yours,

Chuck