Teaching to a student's heart <3

The new semester is starting out well. One thing that I am learning is when I think I have a "bad group of kids" it is probably not there fualt. It is mine. When I truly care and interact with the students as I see them, even only for 2 days. The attidude of the teacher toward the students, directly impacts how the kids are going to interact and respond to you. So even if I am "teaching fine" and getting the right words out, if my heart is not in it then the students know! But even if I make a mistake in a class, but my heart is toward the students to love them and care about them, to show them the love of Christ, then they respond so well! There is always an exception, and if I love them still, even correction that may be needed, is taken better.

Happy New Year!!!

2007 Has been a wonderful, and yet at the same time, hard year. But I praise the Lord for what He only can do through every circumstance that He has given to me.

After Dad retired, me and my family traveled and stayed with friends and family for about 9 months before settling down in Normal, IL, near Dad's two brothers. There was a lot of prayer about what the Lord had next for us as a family. As many of you know God placed us here in Taoyuan, Taiwan. We have been here for about 4 month or so, and plan on finishing out the school year in Taiwan. God gave us the opportunity to teach on a voluntary basis, as we get to know some of the Taiwanese people and share the love of Christ with them.

I have been teaching English at the English Village, tutoring one on one, and learning Chinese. I have always liked learning about different cultures, so I keep my eyes and ears open as I learn about Taiwan. Some things I have learned are; don't give a clock or an umbrella as a gift to a Taiwanese person (it's like a death wish), and even though the tiles on the sidewalks look dry... they are probably wet underneath and when you step on them you will get very wet with very dirty water.

Some of the almost 5000 students who have come through the EV http://picasaweb.google.com/USGirl21

Anyway, I am sure there is more, but I am tired and I need to go to bed.
May the Lord bless you all as you seek Him first.
Naomi

PS - to see the video of the Christmas play that us teachers at the EV did for the Christmas party for our Taiwanese friends, please fallow this link to my roommate Sarah's Xanga. http://video.xanga.com/me8883er