Easter Greetings of Hope, Joy and Peace from LSSC Changjiao.

It is already the 31^st of March and tomorrow, I will be going to Meixian City to participate in the Holy Week services and to celebrate Easter with the Bishop of the Diocese of Meizhou. 

Early this year, I returned to LSSC Changjiao from my 2014 Christmas holiday in Malaysia on 20^th January 2015 to assure my students and their parents that I will still be teaching this year.  I returned to SJC Hongkong on 31^st January to support Br Jeffrey who was the organizer of the 140^th Anniversary Celebration of the arrival of the Brothers in Hongkong at SJC.

Our Winter Programme before the Spring Festival began on 5^th Feb and ended on 14^th Feb.  We taught continuously for 10 full days.  We were a little band of 10 teachers, 7 girls, 1 boy, Lucy and I, forming a teaching community living together at LSSC.  Thank God, everything went off smoothly and safely.  The number of students was lower than usual because schools began their holidays on different days as primary schools had a 20 weeks semester, junior high school had a 21 weeks semester and senior high schools had a 22 weeks semester.  At the request of the “little teachers” at the end of the programme we had a BBQ night attended by many uninvited nonetheless welcomed outstation villagers who were home for the Spring Festival.

Following the end of the Winter Programme was the Spring Festival.  The village came alive as most who are working in the cities returned to celebrate the Spring Festival.  The main topic of conversation for the few days was all about traffic jams along the highway which was toll free during the Spring Festival and how best to avoid getting caught in jams.  Late on the 30^th night, after all the crackling of fire crackers and the blasting of fireworks, had died down, I counted a total of 18 cars parked in our little corner of Baijiang in Changjiao.  It is a far cry from the days when I first arrived in 2012 where there was only a little motorcycle dirt track into Baijiang and not a single car in sight!  I see this transformation with my own eyes and I thank God that I have the privilege of being part and parcel of this change - a very satisfying feeling no money can buy for which I am grateful and I thank all of you who has and is supporting me in this adventure which is also transforming my life.

I wish to mention that on my return to Dabu this year, I have had a number of “invitations”.  First I was invited as a VIP Guest at the three days Meizhou County Assembly on 3rd Feb. and I was also an invited VIP Guest at the one day Dabu State Assembly the following week. Earlier on 23^rd January I was invited to speak to government officials about to retire at the Meizhou Political Party School in Meixian on the topic of how to organize and deliver voluntary service.    There were 3 speakers for that event and we were given prepared script to make the delivery but as I cannot read Chinese characters, I was allowed to speak freely.  As to be expected, the reading of the prepared script was listened to in serious silence with a polite applause at the end whereas there was laughter and interruptions as I spoke freely in a mixture of Putonghua and Hakka and interacted with the audience.  Just last week, on Wednesday 25^th March I was a Guest Speaker at Jiayin University.  I based my talk on the 9^th point of President Xi Jinpin’s list of 10 national issues – to make Teaching a Noble and Most Respected Profession in China.  The gist of my talk is that Respect is gained and cannot be demanded - if we respect our students our students will respect us; that teaching is about giving and we cannot give what we do not have – moral authority; the nurturing skills of listening and asking the right questions based on the 3 Rights Principles of - time – place – manner. 

We have had many visitors just these 3 months.  I thank everyone for coming to visit us.  I want to record the visit of Br Alex Diaz from the Philippines.  I went back to Hongkong on 16^th February to join in Feast of St. Joseph’s celebration at the Cathedral organized by St. Joseph’s College and accompanied Alex back to LSSC on Friday 20^th February to spend a weekend with us.  Br Alex wrote: "A thankful heart does not forget. A grateful heart gives back."  I am both thankful and grateful for the opportunity of witnessing and experiencing for myself the good work you are doing there in Changjiao. I will remember our conversations and the principles you've shared, Lucy and her generosity in helping out in the center, the warmth of the families who welcomed me in their homes and the smiles of the enthusiastic children learning English. Do keep me in your prayers as I keep you in mine. Maraming salamat Brother! Thank you very much. God bless. @bralexfsc

With this affirmative note from Alex, I end this report.  Once again, on behalf of the students and parents of LSSC, I express my grateful thanks for your moral, financial and spiritual support.  LSSC cannot be what it is today without your support.  All are most welcomed to visit us. 

As always with love in the service of youth and nation through DLS,