Life is Liberty

Each Sunday I go to an afternoon youth gathering at a protestant church here in Istanbul. It’s a national church, which means it’s all in Turkish. Usually that is pretty challenging as I’m trying to listen and participate, but it’s really great for learning by immersion. Today, while at our meeting, I got a message on Facebook when a friend asked how I was and told me she was praying for this nation. I quickly replied saying that I was good and at church. But a bit later another friend tweeted me and linked me info about a 7.2 quake in Eastern Turkey. Well, I didn’t feel a thing in Istanbul. Then again, at 13.41 local time I was on a particularly bumpy bus ride and remember thinking that something sounded funny… it was unrelated I’m sure. My friends in Ankara didn’t feel it either. Google says that my place is 1,840km from Van, the city of the quake

According to what I read on CNN the damage is quite bad. Dozens of buildings left to rubble, this includes hospitals, dormitories, and other high occupancy structures. While the earthquake wasn’t noticed physically in the nation’s largest city, it’s another blast to a country that just lost 24 soldiers to a terrorist attack this past Wednesday. The people here are resilient and patriotic. Each day the exuberant red flags with a crescent moon and a single star are blowing in the chilly autumn wind. At their core they love their homeland. This week many flags lined the streets and covered fronts of entire buildings. Tonight there is need for more than help from within and everyone here is grateful for the services extended from abroad. Even Israel, who recently has had some riffs with Turkey, has extended an olive branch in offering help and relief subsequent to the natural disaster. The nation while devastated, remains strong. It’s hard to ignore the patriotism and pride; and other nations look to Turkey for council and guidance.

Just hours ago the leaders of Libya declared their country officially liberated and today Tunisia held its first election. In this time, now known as the Arab Spring, many Islamic countries seek advice from Turkey. As a nation that is predominately Muslim, Turkey maintains a belief in freedom of religion. Many look to this nation as a model hoping to emulate its political stance and gain further freedoms for their own people. This is certainly a new beginning for this part of the world. There is major economic crisis in the West, political unrest in the Middle East, and Mother Nature is giving her worst right here where the two meet. The world is groaning and awaiting the return of our Lord Jesus. Everyone is seeking freedom from bondage. Jesus lives to give life, to offer freedom, love, and redemption. Through him we have hope to overcome the troubles of this world. May you be blessed in knowing Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your prayers for the continued protection and liberation of souls

Promises

I'm sitting in church and was just texting a friend back home and thinking about how much I'd love to be in Costa Mesa on this chilly rainy day. The house is cold and I have to go plan lessons for kids who are simply out of control. Right now it not easy. I'm thinking of how easy my life was back home but the one thing that I have been really avoiding is my school loans. And I'm still avoiding them. But eventually I'm going to have to go home and pay them off. Or just pay them off. But it's easier not to deal with them while abroad. I was reminded of my former belief that God wanted me to take out the loans in order to go to school. What a selfish and wrong idea I think now. I wish I wouldn't have done it, but at the time it seemed like the only option and I thought God was saying, "Trust me." But now I've been so irresponsible with it that I'm embarassed.

So in church they read from Luke 1 and then later from Mark 16 I think. I know they talked about Zachariah and Abraham. What did these two have in common? God made both of them a promise but they didn't believe Him. I have to press into the Lord in faith by doing the right thing, by being responsible to that which he has called me to.

I don't think that this means God necessarily wanted me to go in debt at APU. But I do know that God is faithful and will take care of my needs, that His ways are better than mine, His thoughts are better than mine. He is holy and I am a man full of sin. In my own way I have pride, anger, lust, bitterness, and so much ugliness. God thank you for rescuing me. Change me! Give me pure motives and a clean heart. Help me to do whatever it takes to know you more. I don't want to miss any promise, or word, or anything that you have for me!!

Dear School

Dear School-where-I-work,

It’s with regret and sadness that I write you this letter. As an English teacher, my first priority in the classroom is to captivate the students, to get them speaking, and to create an environment that fosters and facilitates learning. Unfortunately, I cannot succeed. The way the current administration has this school set up, guarantees my failure as an educator as well as the failure, or at least lack of improvement of the students. If the students are going to make any progress, some major changes have to happen.

The students need consistency. After the first three weeks of school the freshmen are well aware of my expectations and how they are to behave in the classroom. I also know them, their names, their abilities, and who needs special attention. We are at a defining moment in this semester. The students are ready to actively participate, they do their homework, and they enjoy the speaking exercises in class. Thus, the decision to reassign them to different classes based on an electronic grammar test is in effect, a direct bullet to the head.

Not only does this rearrangement discredit the work the teachers have done in the previous three weeks, it nullifies the students’ progress as well. Students’ homework assignments, grades, and classroom participation are all wiped clean. Mixing the four different classes now makes it impossible to ensure all the students are actually on the same page. By changing their learning environment we have caused more harm than good. The last three weeks must be completely dismissed. We have essentially hit the “reset” button for this term.

While it may seem beneficial to place the students in classes based on ability the test used to determine their level was quite insufficient. Using a forty-question quiz on the computer that asked students to click the right answer in no way shows their ability to speak English. When my superiors and fellow teachers agreed that the test was not adequate, it only added fuel to my fire of confusion and frustration. Apparently, the only people who think this is a good idea aren’t even in the classroom working engaging the students.

It is the teachers who have spent hours preparing activities and lessons that engage the students to get them involved. While others may sit in an office calling the shots, we are the ones spending time after class, eating lunch with our students, and investing personal time for their benefit. When you leave your office to go home at the end of the day you don’t know anything more about the students than you did last week. We know our pupils, we know their dreams for the future and we know what they fear today. That’s the difference between us. The difference isn’t that we teach, the difference is that we care—and so we teach. The senseless structural shifting and text heavy curriculum doesn’t benefit the students so that they learn, but so that they can pass the test to make your school appear prestigious.

If irrelevant testing and subsequent rearrangement of students continues you will raise up this generation impotent and fruitless. Each young person needs consistent opportunities to be in a natural setting where they can speak freely, discuss their ideas and concerns about our world today. This requires allowing them time to acquire new language skills before testing and shuffling them around from class to class. It demands we see the individual before we scrutinize them for minor errors as they seek to improve.

Raid for Contraband

While living in a developing country certainly has its advantages, there are also some major challenges. One thing I really like is that I can cross the street whenever I want, of course I run the risk of getting hit, but I'm at least allowed. But what doesn't kill me on the street just keeps me on my toes in the classroom. Teaching in a developing country also comes with a few surprises. The lack of organization and communication from administration with myself and the other native teachers has been an issue from day one, but it's something that I am, for the most part, used to by now. Typically, I find something out last minute, on a need-to-know basis. Last week, 15 minutes before the lesson was to begin I was told they were going to have me teach a different class. The week before, I walked into class only to find the geography teacher there and was told I no longer had that period. These things happen. Okay. Today reached a new height.

One of my most difficult classes consists of 20 sophomore boys. It takes some time to get them calmed down and ready for English class. Once everyone finally gets their books, sits down, and is relatively quiet, we finally bring things to order a solid 15 minutes after they should have been ready. Today was no different. Not until the middle of my lesson anyway, when there was a light knock at the door. Usually the knock at the door is another student late for class or some kid trying to cause trouble in the hall. But when I opened the door today I was greeted by three men in suits. The oldest man walked in the class room and told all of the students to put their hands in the air and proceed to the front of the room. I would have done the same had they shown a weapon but since it was a Deputy Principal I suspected it was one of the students that was in question. As I tried to figure out what was going on the other two men entered the room and began to search under the desks, in the cupboards, and in the students' bags. Even the students themselves were patted down making TSA appear friendly.

I was concerned they were looking for a knife or gun and did not want to see my students get in trouble for something so serious. What would they do if they found the contraband they were after? My mind started racing. Maybe that troublesome student threatened somebody else while on break from class. If the bloodhounds find something, what will this mean for my student? I was really worried. Then, right from the front row, out of Muhammed's backpack they pulled out a purple folder laying it open on the desk to reveal something tucked in a plastic sleeve. A Blackberry. Wait just a minute! They principal's detective squad is after a cell phone?! Muhammed is a good student; he's showing a desire to participate and improving his participation level. Embarrassed and ashamed he stood over his desk, eyes staring at the ground. He can't be in trouble like this! Did he do something illegal with this phone? The three raiders continued to dig through bags, pull books out of desks, and patt down--nay reach in and grab at--pockets. Then an iPhone 4 was placed next to Muhammed's phone, then a Nokia, followed by an older version iPhone.

After the invasion, six phones sat on the desk at the front of the room. The Deputy Principal gathered them up before leaving the room. The students threw themselves into a Turkish riot. I stood at the front of the room waiting for them to quiet down again, calmly running the timer on my own iPhone. I don't fight with their noise. A couple of minutes later I was able to get class going again but not without some confusion of my own. All that for cell phones! It would be helpful if the authorities could tell me next time so that I can anticipate their invasion. From what it seemed, somebody was in grave danger or major trouble but apparently having a modern cell phone is a crime validating the interruption of my lesson as if the Gestapo were running the school. Yes, I'm living in a developing country indeed.