Pages

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Simply Compassionate

Hello party people (and potato people),

I survived the first week of fall quarter! YEAHHH. For the first five weeks of early start school, we only had class at night Mon/Wed after a full day at our respective high/middle schools. Beginning this week, we have class on Mon/Wed/Fri and we only go to our school sites Tues/Thurs :( Although, I admit, getting myself to a high school thirty minutes away hasn't been the most ideal (I like my sleep), being at the school site excites me. Everyday I find out something new about individual students, and working with them gives me a glimpse of what I'll be doing in, hopefully, a year. It's so cute when they ask me where I've been and why I've been coming less after this quarter started. This week was especially uplifting. On Tuesday my co-teacher asked me to teach a mini lesson to the freshmen on The Odyssey, referencing the movie La Bestia to make the book applicable to current events. I asked them a fairly simple question, expecting a relatively simple answer. "What is an example of an odyssey you or your family members went through?" I honestly wasn't ready for the answers they shared. I was shocked, horrified, and incredibly, incredibly proud. The freshmen are a pretty quiet bunch, and many of them don't even like sharing SAT practice answers. It took a while for me to find a student open enough to share a small journey they've been through. Honestly, I felt like they were going to say something along the lines of "The transition from middle to high school was a journey I've been through" or "The journey to this class was a hard one. I had to wake up early." While many of them passed, we finally got one willing student. His answer left me speechless. Without getting into too much detail, he basically shared about his home life, the many men that have come and gone from his life, the brokenness of his mother. One by one I heard stories of students immigrating from Mexico, living without family from a different country to learn English, learning that the man they thought was their father wasn't. My heart dropped. I didn't know how to respond to these heartfelt and personal stories. I can't relate to these students in the least bit. I grew up in a stable home, I had both of my parents present, I grew up in this country (this state), and I've been comfortable. How am I worthy of educating these students? I'm not, but I am committing myself to listening, comforting, and pouring care into these students. A degree in English doesn't cut it. It doesn't make you an educator. Hopefully moments like this will remind me to be a constant and compassionate teacher. I pray that God will give me the endurance and a sensitive heart for these students. I love them so so much (although I'm pretty sure they would think that's creepy). Wow... I don't even know how to express what I'm feeling. I wonder what next week will bring :)

Humbled,

S.Park

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Take Heart

Hello!
Wow, this has been a whirlwind of a week and it's only Wednesday! Something I need to confess right off the bat is that I believed that leadership would put me on a pedestal. A kind of "I did everything I needed to do in this ministry to get where I am now" attitude. What a selfish thing to do, right? What a pride-filled state of mind. I thought that reaching leadership was a three step process. 1) Join and become involved in the ministry. 2) Become a Bible Study leader. 3) Get asked to be on Core. I think what's keeping me most accountable at this point is just looking through the actual state of my heart, and recognizing how unbiblical it is. Though one could say our ministry is going to major changes, which also has the potential to increase conflicts, reach decisions slower, and be all around chaotic, Jesus never asks us to be comfortable in our faith. Comfort brings spiritual stagnation. How can we be called a MOVEMENT if we're stagnant? I'm so excited to be a part of this change because it reminds me that I am not in this movement to be glorified. I am not in this movement to have a high position. I am not in this movement to continue tradition. I am not in this movement to save people myself. I am in this movement to WIN, BUILD, and SEND Christ-centered disciples into the world apart from our college campus THROUGH Christ. If this system will better serve those who are seeking the Lord, then who am I to resist that? I pray we don't lose our purpose and vision in the logistics. I need TONS of accountability. I was utterly convicted when I realized how many leadership roles I lack. I need to resist the temptation to let out anger towards others, love those who I don't necessarily "click" with, consistently seek alone time with God, and many more. However, I am also blessed with many brothers and sisters who can keep me accountable. Though it was mentally draining taking in all the new information, I am so excited to be a part of this collaborative bunch who wholly love the Lord and seek to know and be more like Him.

John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

-S.Park

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Week 4

Heyo amigos!
So I am currently in my second week at the High School. I survived the first day of class (9th, 10th, and 12th graders whew), and I really enjoyed getting to know the students as they opened up about what they think makes a good or bad teacher. Many of them said what I expected them to say: "I like teachers who care about us. I hate teachers who just give us worksheets." It's super incredible seeing how open the students are (mostly 9th graders) on their family lives back home. To be honest, I can't relate to them because I had a stable background while I was growing up. All I can do is motivate them to look past the obstacles, but that's so much easier said than done. One student shared about how her mom left her the week before, and her father is unsupportive of her. Another talked about how his mom's boyfriend was abusive, and they had to escape for the sake of safety. I love hearing their stories as they creatively write their experiences in the "Hero's Journey" project we're working on. Every student is so creative when you push them to think a little harder. Expecting more from these students increases their own motivation to push themselves away from what society has always expected them capable of. Of course, there are the rowdy "I don't care what you say" students, but even they try when you speak to them one-on-one, seeking to fill their needs. I love it and love it!

Canada:
This summer my family and I traveled to Vancouver, Whistler, Banff, Jasper, and Calgary in the sweet country, Canada. I love and miss it terribly. Traveling with my family is always so awesome, and I am blessed to have experienced the things I have in my lifetime with them. Every city we went to was completely different. Whistler was filled with mountain bikers and a cute village where we ate appetizers outside, Vancouver is a bustling city with the BEST view up from our hotel room, Banff and Jasper were AMAZING the beauty of the Rocky Mountains is incomparable to anything I've ever seen before, and Calgary has a huge tower with glass walls. Every city was a vacation in it of itself, and words cannot do justice to what I experienced there. UNTIL NEXT TIME, CANADA!

Whistler, Canada


Rockies


Capilano Cliff Walk 


Best Chinese Bakery in Vancouver!


Lake Maligne



The prettiest waterfall


Yeah, we kayaked in front of the Rockies


Ice walk


Calgary, Canada